Land at Warehams Farmhouse, Sutton Green Road, Sutton Green, GUILDFORD, Surrey, GU4 7QH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the alleged breach of planning control/the development constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the development plan and the National Planning Policy Framework
• If the alleged breach of planning control/development constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt its effect on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
• Whether the development would constitute ancillary accommodation with regard to the development plan
• Whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations. If so, whether this amounts to the very special circumstances required to justify the alleged breach of planning control/development

What decided it

The unilateral undertaking securing demolition of the existing stables and preventing implementation of the extant 2008 stables permission was found to attract considerable weight that clearly outweighed the identified Green Belt harm, establishing very special circumstances.

The substantial weight attached to the Green Belt harm (inappropriateness and modest loss of openness) was clearly outweighed by the considerable weight given to the unilateral undertaking securing demolition of the existing stables and non-implementation of the 2008 stables permission, such that very special circumstances existed to justify the development.