Solihull Road, Catherine De Barnes, Solihull

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the extent to which the development would harm the Green Belt and its purposes
• the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including landscape and visual effects
• 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 comparative scale of unavoidable Green Belt harm and whether the cumulative benefits (principally the safety/welfare need for an MSA, economic benefits and, for Appeal B, heritage benefits at Walford Hall Farm) clearly outweighed that harm so as to amount to very special circumstances.

For Appeal A, the cumulative benefits (need, safety/welfare, economic, highway, landscape and biodiversity benefits) did not clearly outweigh the very considerable Green Belt harm and other identified harms, so the balance tipped against the proposal; for Appeal B, the cumulative benefits clearly outweighed the lesser Green Belt harm and all other harms, tipping the balance in favour of granting permission.