Wildwood Livery, Hook Street, Rudgwick, Horsham, RH12 3GG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• For appeal A, the main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.
• Common to both Appeals, a further main issue is the accessibility of the local services and facilities to the occupiers of housing on the site, having regard to sustainable modes of transport.

What decided it

For Appeal A, considerable and permanent harm to the rural character and appearance of the countryside outweighed the housing and affordable housing benefits; for Appeal B, the absence of any such harm combined with accordance with the development plan led to approval.

Appeal A: the benefits of housing delivery, affordable housing and sustainable accessibility weighed significantly in favour but were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the considerable harm to rural character and appearance, so the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply and permission was refused. Appeal B: with no identified harm and compliance with the development plan as a whole, there were no material considerations to outweigh that finding and permission was granted.