Land Off Angley Road, NB there is an existing nursery served off Quaker Lane , Cranbrook, TN17 2HF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area, having regard to the location within the High Weald AONB
• the effect of the proposal on heritage assets, including the Grade II Listed buildings known as Island Cottages, the Wilsley Green Conservation Area and the Cranbrook Conservation Area
• whether or not the scheme would result in an overall net gain to biodiversity
• whether or not the proposed access arrangements would have an acceptable impact on biodiversity
• whether or not the proposed access arrangements would lead to unacceptable tree loss and any related effect on the character and appearance of the area
• when examining the overall planning balance, if the proposal would not accord with the development plan when considered as a whole, whether or not material considerations indicate a decision should be made otherwise

What decided it

Insufficient evidence to rule out harm to protected species (particularly bats) from loss of the woodland strip, which could not appropriately be addressed by condition, weighed very substantially against the scheme and tipped the paragraph 11d(ii) balance against approval.

The substantial benefits of market and affordable housing delivery, economic benefits and other lesser benefits were outweighed by the combined harms, in particular the very substantial weight attached to the unresolved potential harm to protected species, such that the adverse impacts of the scheme significantly and demonstrably outweighed its benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.