Land at Rectory Farm (North), Chescombe Road, Yatton, BS49 4BZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the site is an appropriate location for housing, having regard to the spatial strategy of the development plan
• whether the proposal would pass the flood risk sequential test set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework)
• whether the proposal would be safe from flood risk for its lifetime, and whether it would increase the risk of flooding elsewhere
• the nature and extent of any economic, social and environmental benefits

What decided it

The substantial weight attributed to the delivery of market and affordable housing, combined with the finding that the proposed dwellings would be safe from flooding and would not increase flood risk elsewhere, outweighed the failure of the flood risk sequential test and conflict with the spatial strategy under the paragraph 11(d) tilted balance.

The significant weight attached to the failure of the flood risk sequential test and residual flood risk, together with limited weight given to conflict with the spatial strategy and landscape harm, did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the substantial weight given to market and affordable housing delivery and moderate weight given to economic, biodiversity and open space benefits, so the balance tipped in favour of granting permission.