Troughstones Road, Biddulph Common, Staffordshire Moorlands

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt including the effect on its openness
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area including landscape character
• The effect of the proposal on ecology with particular regard to ground nesting birds
• The effect of the proposal on the use of Public Footpath No 31 (Biddulph Town Parish)
• If the proposal would be inappropriate, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The substantial weight given to the harm caused by inappropriate development in the Green Belt, combined with other identified harms, was not clearly outweighed by other considerations, and therefore very special circumstances did not exist to justify the development.

The substantial weight to be given to Green Belt harm, in addition to other harm identified (limited harm to character and appearance, and potential harm to ecology), was not clearly outweighed by other considerations, and therefore the very special circumstances needed to justify the proposed development do not exist.