Brook End Nurseries, Brook End, North Crawley, NEWPORT PAGNELL, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9HH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the site is situated in an accessible location to necessary facilities for residents.
• Whether the residential use of the site harms the character or appearance of the area, including its effect on the local landscape and its rural open character.
• Whether the development results in the loss of best and most versatile agricultural land (BMV).
• Whether the development would put residents, including children, at a serious risk of flooding and whether flood risk would be increased to nearby land and property.
• Whether the development has resulted in an irreversible net loss of biodiversity and if so whether this is capable of being compensated for on- or off-site.
• Whether the development has resulted in harm to protected species and their habitat (Great Crested Newts and bats) and if so whether this is capable of being compensated for.
• If there is identified harm by reference to any of the above issues, whether other material considerations, either in the case of each individual pitch or the site as a whole, would outweigh such harm.

What decided it

The serious and increasing risk of flooding to the site, which the Inspector found to lie in Flood Zone 3 where Highly Vulnerable residential caravan use should not be permitted.

The considerable harm from flood risk and uncompensated biodiversity/protected species harm outweighed the substantial benefits of meeting unmet gypsy/traveller pitch need and the occupiers' personal circumstances, so permission was refused.