Stonehouse Farm Handcross Road, Plummers Plain, Horsham, RH13 6NZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether there is a recognised functional need for the mobile home
• whether the location of the mobile home would accord with the Council's spatial policy
• the development's effect upon the integrity of the internationally designated Arun Valley Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar sites by way of water abstraction
• Whether there is an essential need for the replacement agricultural building in association with the agricultural operations of the farm
• the effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area by way of the size of the new building
• The development's effect upon the integrity of the internationally designated Arun Valley Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar sites by way of water abstraction

What decided it

The unresolved requirement to demonstrate water neutrality to protect the Arun Valley Special Area of Conservation/Special Protection Area/Ramsar site overrode the other findings and led to dismissal of both the enforcement appeal (Appeal A) and the planning appeal (Appeal C).

in both Appeal A and Appeal C, the unaddressed water neutrality issue outweighed any other findings or benefits (including the accepted agricultural need for the replacement building in Appeal C), tipping the balance against the proposals