The Old Stags Head, 65 Church Hill, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 5JB

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 (the Framework) and any relevant development plan policies
• the Openness of the Green Belt
• heritage assets, having regard to the Vicarage Road (Penn) Conservation Area and The Old Stags Head public house, a non-designated heritage asset (NDHA)
• the provision of community facilities
• whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The combined harm from inappropriate development and limited loss of openness in the Green Belt, together with less than substantial harm to the Conservation Area and the non-designated heritage asset, was not clearly outweighed by the identified benefits, so very special circumstances did not exist.

The benefits of dwelling creation, energy efficiency improvements, heritage building reuse and economic benefits during construction, weighing significantly in favour, did not clearly outweigh the substantial weight given to Green Belt harm and the considerable weight given to less than substantial heritage harm, so the balance tipped against the proposal.