Former Police station (western part of the site), Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 8RP

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the developments proposed on the character and appearance of the sites and the surrounding area, including the detailed design of the buildings in both schemes and green infrastructure provision
• the effect of the proposed access, parking and servicing arrangements on highway safety, when the schemes are considered both individually and in combination
• the effect on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers in terms of privacy and noise and disturbance
• whether future occupiers of the development proposed would be provided with acceptable living conditions in relation to outlook, privacy, and noise and disturbance from the Appeal B scheme and from servicing of both sites generally
• the effect of the scheme on the health and wellbeing of local people and communities

What decided it

The significant harm to character and appearance caused by the poor design and materials palette of both schemes (compounded, for Appeal A, by material harm to the privacy of Lynnwood Avenue residents) outweighed the identified benefits.

the substantial housing, economic, and biodiversity benefits of each scheme did not outweigh the significant design-related harm to character and appearance (and, for Appeal A, the material harm to neighbours' privacy), leading to conflict with the development plan as a whole and dismissal of both appeals