Land at The Chestnuts, Chelmsford Road, White Roding, Essex, CM6 1RF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposed development would be inappropriate in the Green Belt
• the effect of the development upon the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect of the development upon highway safety
• if the development is inappropriate, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and harm to openness, combined with adverse highway safety effects, was not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of a single dwelling and minor economic gains, such that very special circumstances did not exist.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt and highway safety was not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of an additional dwelling and small-scale economic benefits, therefore very special circumstances did not exist to justify the inappropriate development.