Land east of Knowle Bank Farm, Priorslee Road, Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 9PG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) including its effect on openness and the purposes of the Green Belt
• whether the proposal meets locally specific criteria for Gypsy and Traveller sites
• whether the proposal preserves or enhances the character or appearance of the Haughton Conservation Area and whether it causes harm to the setting of heritage assets in the locality
• the effect of the proposal on ecology
• If it is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The substantial harm from inappropriate development, together with significant harm to openness and encroachment into the countryside, was not clearly outweighed by the other considerations, so very special circumstances did not exist.

The substantial harm from inappropriate development, significant harm to openness and limited harm to a Green Belt purpose were not clearly outweighed by the lack of five-year Gypsy and Traveller site supply, absence of alternative sites, personal circumstances, and Article 8/PSED considerations, so very special circumstances did not exist and the appeal was dismissed.