The Caravan Site, Land Adjacent to Maidstone Road, Hadlow, TN11 0JD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
• Its effect on the character and appearance of the area
• The extent of unmet need for gypsy and traveller sites
• Whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, including the appellant's personal circumstances, so as to amount to the very special circumstances (VSCs) necessary to justify the development in the Green Belt

What decided it

The combination of unmet gypsy and traveller pitch need, the Council's lack of a five-year supply, policy failure, and the appellant's personal circumstances (including the best interests of her children) amounted to very special circumstances outweighing Green Belt harm, but only for the plot occupied by the appellant and her family.

The harm by reason of inappropriateness, loss of openness and modest character/appearance impact was clearly outweighed by the unmet need for pitches, the lack of a five-year supply, policy failure, and the appellant's personal circumstances, amounting to very special circumstances justifying permission for Plot 4 only.