Rome Farm, 102 Godstone Road, LINGFIELD, RH7 6BT

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies, including the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area
• the effect of the proposal on biodiversity, with particular regard to protected species and habitats of principal importance
• the effect of the proposal on highway safety, with particular regard to visibility
• on the basis that the proposal would be inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances required to justify the development

What decided it

The proposal constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt with a greater impact on openness than the existing garden, and the modest housing benefits do not clearly outweigh this harm and the unresolved biodiversity concerns to establish very special circumstances.

the modest contribution to housing supply and social-economic benefits did not clearly outweigh the harm by reason of inappropriateness, harm to openness of the Green Belt, and potential harm to protected species and priority habitat, so very special circumstances were not established