Land At Hooton Road, Hooton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 7NL

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The extent to which there would be harm to Green Belt (including openness and purposes)
• Character and appearance (including landscape and visual impact)
• Whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the proposal
• For Appeal B (School Road): The effect on highway safety and pedestrian access
• For Appeal A (Hooton Road): The effect on flooding and drainage

What decided it

The identified need for a crematorium and other benefits did not clearly outweigh the substantial Green Belt harm (inappropriateness and loss of openness) plus other harms, so very special circumstances were not established for either appeal.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt (inappropriateness, loss of openness and encroachment), together with additional harms specific to each site, was not clearly outweighed by the demonstrated need for a crematorium and moderate/limited weight benefits (employment, biodiversity, lack of alternatives), so very special circumstances did not exist for either Appeal A or Appeal B.