Land to the East of Goldsmiths Lane, All Saints, Devon, EX13 7LU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposed development would amount to design of exceptional quality, that would represent an exception from the general presumption in national policy against isolated homes in the countryside, and/or whether it should be given significant weight as an outstanding or innovative design, which promotes high levels of sustainability
• Whether the proposal would have a likely significant effect on the integrity of the River Axe Special Area of Conservation

What decided it

The proposal's innovative design failed to integrate appropriately with its wider setting and adjoining dwellings, meaning it could not benefit from the design exceptions in paragraphs 80/134 of the Framework and so conflicted with the countryside development policies, which was on its own determinative.

The Inspector found no basis for concluding that the design merits of the proposal would outweigh the general strategy of constraining new development within the countryside, and dismissed the appeal on that basis alone, with the SAC mitigation failure providing an additional, independent reason for refusal.