Land at Wash Water, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 0LS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including any effect on the scenic quality of the adjacent North Wessex AONB
• whether the detailed proposals for Phase 1 would meet the objective of achieving well-designed places
• whether the proposal would make satisfactory provision for public open space, children's play space and green infrastructure
• whether the appeal site is at a location that is or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need for travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes
• whether the proposal is at risk of flooding and whether it would increase the risk of flooding elsewhere
• the nature and extent of any economic, social and environmental benefits

What decided it

The Inspector's conclusion that, notwithstanding conflict with the out-of-date spatial strategy and moderate landscape harm, the significant housing and other benefits meant the proposal accorded with the development plan as a whole.

the significant benefits of market and affordable housing delivery, together with moderate-weight benefits from open space, the convenience store, economic activity and improved transport choice, outweighed the moderate landscape and visual harm and the limited-weight conflict with the out-of-date spatial strategy, such that the adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits and the proposal accorded with the development plan as a whole