Barn at Old Mill House Vineyard, Hazeleigh Hall Lane, Woodham Mortimer, Essex, CM9 6GT

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the dwelling by conversion of a rural building would in principle be in an acceptable location, having regard to the Council's development plan spatial strategy for rural workers accommodation
• whether there is a functional need for a full-time vineyard manager to live in this location, including if there is a suitable alternative dwelling
• whether the rural enterprise is a viable business with secure prospects
• the effect of the proposal on a protected species, namely bats
• the size of the dwelling and the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area

What decided it

The appellant's failure to demonstrate a functional need for the dwelling, that no suitable alternative dwelling existed, and that the enterprise was a viable business, compounded by an unresolved risk of harm to bats, meant the proposal conflicted with LDP Policy H7 and was not outweighed by the limited benefits.

The modest benefits of the scheme (housing delivery, design quality, limited economic benefits) were outweighed by the substantial harm arising from the unjustified need for an isolated rural dwelling, unproven business viability, and unresolved risk to protected species, so the balance tipped against the appeal.