Home Farm, Forest Road, West End, Warfield, Berkshire, RG42 5RS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the surrounding locality
• Whether the proposal makes suitable provision for access and is acceptable in terms of highway safety
• Whether the proposed development would be in an acceptable location for access to services and facilities
• The impact of the proposal on the setting of the Grade II listed Home Farmhouse
• Taking into account my findings on these issues, whether the planning balance falls in favour of, or against the grant of planning permission

What decided it

The combination of significant landscape/character harm and the failure to demonstrate safe, attractive pedestrian and cycle access (making the site unsustainably reliant on private car use) outweighed the housing and affordable housing benefits even under the tilted balance.

the significant harm to character and appearance, the inadequate pedestrian/cycle access, and the resulting reliance on private motor vehicles, together with limited weight given to the less-than-substantial heritage harm, were found to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of market and affordable housing and other lesser benefits, even applying the tilted balance