Court Farm, The Pound, Almondsbury, BRISTOL, BS32 4EF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the revised National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies
• The effect on the openness of the Green Belt
• Whether the proposal would preserve a Grade II listed building, Court Farmhouse and any of the features of special architectural or historic interest that it possesses
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the local area bearing in mind the special attention that should be paid to the desirability of preserving the setting of the nearby Grade II listed building, Barn About 15 Metres West of Court Farmhouse
• The extent to which the proposal would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Lower Almondsbury Conservation Area
• Would the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The substantial weight given to the harm to the Green Belt and the failure to preserve the special interest of listed buildings and the conservation area were not clearly outweighed by the limited public benefits, particularly given that the fallback consented scheme would secure the same benefits.