Land at Slack Fields Lane and Storth Lane, Wharncliffe Side, Sheffield, S35 0DW

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The main issue is the effect of the development without compliance with condition 2 of the 1995 permission on highway and pedestrian safety.
• whether the development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to relevant development plan policies and the Framework, including the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
• if the development is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the development

What decided it

The Green Belt harm from inappropriateness and loss of openness (Appeal B) and the harm to highway and pedestrian safety from unauthorised access (Appeal A) were not outweighed by the limited countervailing considerations, so both appeals on ground (a) failed.

the substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and to openness was not clearly outweighed by the other considerations advanced (temporary harm from restoration works, an unrealistic fallback position, and a proposed condition removing permitted development rights), so very special circumstances did not exist and permission was refused