South Mundham Farm, Runcton Lane, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 1LU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, having particular regard to extension of residential use into the countryside and the siting, scale, massing and form of the proposed dwelling

What decided it

The significant harm to the character and appearance of the area from the siting, scale, massing and form of the proposed dwelling, which would appear as a grand and imposing structure at odds with the smaller, lower adjacent dwellings and the agricultural character of the surrounding landscape, is the prevailing consideration that outweighs any benefits.

Even if the tilted balance under paragraph 11d)ii of the Framework applied due to lack of five-year housing land supply, the adverse impacts of the proposal to character and appearance would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of adding a large dwelling to the housing stock and providing economic benefits during construction, when assessed against the Framework policies taken as a whole, particularly those requiring well-designed places and sympathetic design to local character.