This instruction, acting on behalf of Essex County Council, involved the promotion of a "call-in" planning application for a new secondary school in the Essex Green Belt.

The existing school suffers from a number of fundamental building and design deficiencies in terms of the delivery of the quality of educational facilities required by the County. The proposal involved entering into a deal with a developer who would build the new secondary school (900 pupil places) in the Green Belt in exchange for the residential development of the current school site which lies primarily within the urban area (the outline proposal envisaged 155 units with a negotiated contributions towards affordable housing).

The First Secretary of State gave approval by means of a decision letter dated December 2007 following a six day inquiry at which we gave evidence.