The Old Kitchen, Quarry Bank, Hartlebury, DY11 7TE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposed development would be consistent with local and national policies relating to the location of new housing development
• whether it would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Hartlebury Conservation Area
• the effect of the proposed development on highway safety
• whether the proposed development makes adequate provision for affordable housing through developer contributions

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance, and the modest benefits of housing delivery and the absence of significant harm to the conservation area or highway safety outweighed the conflict with the development plan location strategy.

The adverse impacts of locating development outside the settlement boundary with limited accessibility were outweighed by the modest socio-economic benefits, contribution to housing supply, and the absence of harm to the conservation area or highway safety, assessed against the Framework as a whole in the context of a five-year housing land supply shortfall.