Cromer Hyde Farm, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, AL8 7XD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework, 2021 and relevant development plan policies
• the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
• if the development would be inappropriate, whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it

What decided it

The failure to clearly demonstrate that sites outside the Green Belt cannot be used for the In-Line Amplifier, combined with the speculative nature of one unit, meant the benefits did not clearly outweigh the identified harm to Green Belt openness and inappropriateness, so very special circumstances did not exist.

The harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and reduction in openness was not clearly outweighed by the economic, social and environmental benefits of the telecommunications network, as the site search was not sufficiently robust and alternative locations outside the Green Belt had not been adequately ruled out.