Land East of Assington Barns, The Street, Assington, Sudbury, CO10 5LW

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Appeal A: whether the proposal would provide a suitable site for housing, having regard to the Council's Spatial Strategy, the local need for homes, the provision of affordable housing, and any effects on the character and appearance of the site and its surroundings, including to the Special Landscape Area
• Appeal B: whether suitable living conditions would be provided for future occupiers of the proposed dwellings, with regard to external space and outlook; the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the site and its surroundings; whether the proposal would be at risk from surface water flooding or its development would increase such risks elsewhere; and whether the proposal would affect the provision of community facilities

What decided it

The proposals would not accord with the development plan when considered as a whole, with the adverse impacts of harm to character and appearance, failure to demonstrate proven local need for the housing mix, and (for Appeal B) poor living conditions and unresolved flood risk outweighing the benefits of housing delivery.

The considerable and moderate benefits associated with housing delivery and economic benefits in Appeal A, and moderate and limited benefits in Appeal B, were outweighed by the considerable weight of adverse impacts from non-compliance with the development plan regarding spatial strategy, housing need, character and appearance harm, living conditions, and flood risk, such that the proposals did not amount to sustainable development.