Land at Chichele Road, Oxted, RH8 0NZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposal on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the Surrey Hills AONB/NL
• The effect of the development on Ancient Woodland and ecology
• The effect of the proposal on highway safety
• The effect of the proposal on surface water and foul drainage
• 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 substantial harm to the openness and purposes of the Green Belt, combined with significant harm to landscape character and the setting of the Surrey Hills AONB, was not clearly outweighed by the housing and other benefits, so very special circumstances did not exist.

The very significant weight given to market and affordable housing delivery, together with moderate weight to economic, biodiversity net gain and sustainability benefits and limited weight to custom build plots, did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to Green Belt openness and purposes and the significant harm to landscape character and the AONB setting, so the balance tipped against the proposal.