Merley Court Touring Park, Merley House Lane, Poole, BH21 3AA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
• The effect of the proposals on highway safety
• The effect of the development on the tourism provision within the Poole area
• The effect of the development on international ecological sites
• If the development is inappropriate within the Green Belt, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, and if so, would this amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The lack of suitable pedestrian footpaths along Merley House Lane creates highway safety concerns that prevent safe and sustainable access for permanent residents, which cannot be outweighed by the housing benefits.

The substantial benefits of 99 new homes and economic benefits do not clearly outweigh the significant harm from inadequate pedestrian access and highway safety concerns; under the tilted balance, adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.