Land Adjacent 12 Farleigh Rise, Monkton Farleigh, BA15 2QP

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposed development would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
• The effect on the openness of the Green Belt
• The effect on the character and appearance of the area, including the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
• Whether or not the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing, having regard to the accessibility of services and facilities
• The effect of the proposal on biodiversity
• If the development is 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 proposal's failure to constitute limited infilling within a village, combined with moderate harm to Green Belt openness, detrimental effects on AONB character and appearance, unsuitability of location for housing, and unresolved biodiversity concerns, meant the identified harms were not clearly outweighed by other considerations to establish very special circumstances.

The limited and minor weight attributed to housing supply, economic benefits and charitable funding did not clearly outweigh the substantial weight given to harm to the Green Belt, moderate loss of openness, harm to AONB character and appearance, and unresolved biodiversity concerns, resulting in dismissal.