Land Adjacent Belvedere, Cleator, Cumbria, CA23 3AE

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the location is suitable for new residential development
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
• The effect of the proposal on the living conditions of neighbouring residential occupiers

What decided it

The significant harm to rural character and appearance and the failure to achieve adequate separation distances for residential amenity, combined with limited housing and economic benefits, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.

The adverse impacts comprising significant harm to rural character and appearance, moderate harm to residential amenity, modest loss of biodiversity, and limited economic and social benefits significantly and demonstrably outweighed the limited contribution to housing supply and limited weight of the previously developed nature of the site, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.