The Shed Factory, Portsmouth Road, Ripley, Woking, GU23 6EW

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 effect of the proposed development on the supply of employment land
• Whether the proposed development makes appropriate provision for affordable housing
• The effect of the proposed development on highway safety, with regard to bin storage
• The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
• Whether the proposed development makes appropriate provision for sustainable design and construction practices
• The effect of the proposed development on biodiversity

What decided it

The proposal failed to accord with the development plan on multiple grounds—loss of employment land, lack of affordable housing provision, highway safety harm from bin storage design, and insufficient sustainable design information—and these conflicts were not outweighed by material considerations.

The benefits of housing supply, economic benefits from construction, use of brownfield land and biodiversity enhancements were outweighed by the unacceptable loss of employment land, failure to secure affordable housing, highway safety harm regarding bin storage, and inadequate sustainable design provision.