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 appellants' failure to demonstrate water neutrality in line with Natural England's advice, given the unmitigated risk to the Arun Valley SPA/SAC/Ramsar sites, determined the dismissal of both Appeal A and Appeal C.

in both Appeal A and Appeal C the unresolved water neutrality issue overrode the other findings (including the accepted agricultural benefits of the replacement building in Appeal C) and tipped the balance against granting planning permission