1 and 2 Derby Dell Cottages, Lasham, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 5RX

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the appeal site is an appropriate location for the proposed development having regard to local and national policies on the location of housing and the character and appearance of the area
• the effect of the proposed development on protected species

What decided it

The proposal's location outside any settlement boundary in a remote rural area with poor accessibility and reliance on private car use conflicts fundamentally with the development plan's spatial strategy and Framework policies on sustainable development, and this conflict carries very substantial weight that outweighs the modest benefits of housing supply.

The modest benefits of additional housing supply (valued at modest weight given the small number of dwellings and lack of evidence of local need), efficient use of previously developed land (modest weight), and economic benefits (limited weight) were substantially and demonstrably outweighed by the very substantial weight given to conflict with Framework policies directing housing to sustainable and accessible locations and promoting sustainable transport, resulting in dismissal of the appeal.