The Crown, 14 Church Street, Fordham, Ely, CB7 5NJ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposals on the character and appearance of the area, including the effect on the significance of the adjacent Grade II listed building and the Fordham Conservation Area
• whether the proposals would lead to highway safety risks as a result of the restaurant delivery arrangements or insufficient parking spaces leading to on-street parking in the vicinity
• whether the loss of parking spaces would threaten the long-term viability of the restaurant
• whether the proposals would provide acceptable living conditions for future residents with regard to access to their dedicated car parking spaces and/or noise and disturbance from the restaurant car park

What decided it

Scheme C's superior design quality, which would enhance rather than detract from the conservation area and listed building setting, combined with the absence of significant harm from parking, highway safety, restaurant viability or residential amenity, justified allowing the appeal for Scheme C only.

The social and economic benefits of providing two additional dwellings were outweighed by the need to maximise heritage benefits by confining permission to Scheme C, which would positively enhance the conservation area and listed building setting rather than merely avoid harm.