Marsden Nursery and Garden Centre, Pleasure Pit Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 1HU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the development would be inappropriate in the Green Belt, including whether it would meet the 'Golden Rules' and within this context make appropriate provision of affordable housing
• the effect of the development on the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
• if the development was inappropriate, whether 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 necessary to justify it

What decided it

The scheme's failure to meet the Green Belt 'Golden Rules', particularly its failure to provide sufficient affordable housing, meant the harm from inappropriateness was not clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances.

The other considerations in favour of the scheme attracted at best limited weight and did not clearly outweigh the substantial harm to the Green Belt from inappropriateness and openness, together with the significant harm from insufficient affordable housing, so very special circumstances were not demonstrated.