Site of Former Knowle House, Sagars Road, Handforth, SK9 3EA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal amounts to inappropriate development in the Green Belt, with particular regard to the effect on the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect on the purposes of including land within the Green Belt
• the effect on the character and appearance of the area
• If the proposal is inappropriate development, 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 other considerations, including the significant benefit of affordable housing, did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to Green Belt openness and the other harm identified, so the very special circumstances required to justify inappropriate development did not exist.

Substantial harm to Green Belt openness (substantial weight) and significant harm to character and appearance were weighed against other considerations including significant weight for affordable housing provision and modest/limited weight for other benefits, and the harm was not clearly outweighed, so the balance tipped against the proposal.