314 Smeeth Road, Marshland St. James, WISBECH, PE14 8EP

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the appeal site would represent a suitable location for the type of residential development proposed, including the effect on the character and appearance of this part of Marshland St James
• The effect of the proposed layout and access arrangement on the living conditions of nearby residents, including future occupiers of the proposed dwelling, with particular reference to noise and disturbance
• Whether the proposal represents an acceptable form of development having regard to its flood zone location and the relevant provisions of the development plan and national planning policy

What decided it

The proposal conflicts with the up-to-date development plan on three independent grounds—location outside the development boundary, harm to character and appearance, and failure to pass the sequential flood risk test—and the modest benefits of a single dwelling are insufficient to override these conflicts.