Land ajacent The Old Railway Cutting , Hawthorne Hill , Oxenhall, Newant , Glos, GL18 1RH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the site location is acceptable in terms of safe and convenient access and access to services and facilities, and the effect on landscape character and the character and appearance of the area (Appeal A)
• The suitability of the site in terms of location, and the effect on the character and appearance of the area (Appeal B, ground (a))

What decided it

Appeal A succeeded because the acceptable revised access and only limited landscape harm were outweighed by the shortfall of traveller sites, whereas Appeal B failed because its alternative access would cause greater hedgerow and tree harm and the site shortfall no longer told in its favour once Appeal A was permitted.

In Appeal A the limited harm from encroachment into the countryside and proximity to the highway was outweighed by the pressing need for traveller sites in sustainable locations, tipping the balance in favour of the development; in Appeal B the harm from hedgerow loss and potential tree root damage was not outweighed by any continuing shortfall benefit (since that had already been met by Appeal A), so the balance tipped against the development.