Land to the rear of The Knoll, Chapel Lane, Hempstead, Norfolk, NR25 6LA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the site would be a suitable location for dwellings having regard to national and local planning policies
• the effect of the development on highway safety
• the effect of the proposed car park on the living conditions of occupiers of adjacent dwellings with regard to noise and disturbance
• the effect of the development on existing trees, protected species and on European designated habitat sites

What decided it

The site's unsustainable location in countryside lacking services and facilities, combined with the detrimental effects on highway safety and residential amenity from the proposed car park, outweigh the modest benefits of housing delivery and previously developed land reuse.

The adverse effects of conflict with spatial strategy, highway safety concerns, and noise and disturbance to neighbours were afforded significant weight and significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of housing supply, previously developed land reuse, and village hall parking provision, even in the context of an unmet five-year housing land supply.