Land at Intall Fields Farm, Stoke Pound Lane, Stoke Prior, Worcestershire, B60 4LE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposal would amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt
• the effect of the proposal on the purposes of including land within the Green Belt
• 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 its surroundings, including the countryside setting of Stoke Prior
• whether the proposal would preserve the setting of the Grade I listed building, known as the 'Church of St Michael'; three Grade II listed buildings, known as 'Little Intall Fields Farmhouse', 'Lych Gate' and 'Stoke Prior War Memorial'; its effect on the setting of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Conservation Area, and several Non-Designated Heritage Assets
• the effect of the proposal on the use of best and most versatile agricultural land
• whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, and if so, whether this would amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The harm from inappropriate development, loss of openness and harm to the Green Belt, together with less than substantial harm to the setting of the Grade II listed Little Intall Fields Farmhouse and the Canal Conservation Area, was not clearly outweighed by the identified benefits, so very special circumstances did not exist.

Substantial and significant benefits (housing delivery, affordable housing, self/custom-build, Passive House, economic gains) and moderate/limited further benefits did not clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and other identified harms, nor outweigh the less than substantial harm to designated and non-designated heritage assets, so the balance tipped against the proposal.