Garden Cottage Featherbed Lane, Carters Corner, HAILSHAM, BN27 4HX

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the site would be an appropriate location for housing, having regard to local and national policy for the provision of housing
• the effect of the development on irreplaceable habitat, having particular regard to ancient woodland and a local wildlife site
• its effect on the living conditions of the existing occupiers of Garden Cottage, and on the future occupiers of the new dwelling, with respect to privacy, noise and disturbance

What decided it

The development would cause loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitat (ancient woodland and local wildlife site) for which no wholly exceptional reasons were justified, and the site was not an appropriate location for housing in a rural area not well-related to services and facilities, and these substantial harms outweighed the modest benefits of one dwelling.

The modest benefits of housing supply, smaller homes for first-time buyers and downsizers, and social and economic benefits were outweighed by substantial weight given to the site's unsuitability as a housing location in terms of sustainability and accessibility, and the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitat with no exceptional justification.