Land Lying To The East Of Hartfield Avenue And Fronting Onto, Barnet Lane, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3JB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt and its purposes (purposes a) – c) as defined in the Framework).
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.
• The effect of the proposal on the grassland habitat within the Elstree Tunnel Local Wildlife Site and the appropriateness of the proposed measures to secure biodiversity net gain.
• The degree and implications of the shortfall in the five-year housing land supply, including consideration of affordable housing and self-build plots.
• Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal.

What decided it

The severe and worsening shortfall in the Council's five-year housing land supply, combined with the very substantial weight given to market and affordable housing delivery, clearly outweighed the substantial Green Belt and other harm, amounting to very special circumstances.

The very substantial weight given to market and affordable housing, together with significant weight to self-build provision and moderate weight to biodiversity net gain and economic benefits, clearly outweighed the substantial Green Belt harm (inappropriateness, openness and purposes) and moderate landscape/visual harm, amounting to very special circumstances justifying the development.