Land at Thornton Manor, Manor Road, Thornton Hough, Wirral, CH63 1JB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the developments are inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to relevant development plan policies and the Framework
• the effect of the developments on the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect of the developments on designated heritage assets, including whether the development will preserve the setting of the Grade II* listed building Thornton Manor, the effect on the significance of the Grade II* registered park and garden, and the effect of the proposed RPG restoration programme on the significance of the RPG
• if the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development

What decided it

The substantial Green Belt harm and great heritage harm were not clearly outweighed by the limited weight given to the RPG restoration benefits, whose delivery mechanism and past performance the Inspector found unconvincing, so very special circumstances did not exist.

the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and to openness, together with the great weight afforded to harm to the significance of heritage assets, was not clearly outweighed by the limited weight given to restoration benefits and the significant weight given to economic, social and ecological benefits, so the balance tipped against the development