Tudor Hall, Pledgdon Green, Brick End Road, Broxted Bishops Stortford, CM22 6BN

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposal on biodiversity
• whether or not the proposal would be suitably located having regard to relevant development plan policies and the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the countryside
• the effect of the proposal on heritage assets

What decided it

The failure to provide sufficient robust ecological evidence to demonstrate that the proposals would not result in adverse effects on protected species, combined with harm to the character and appearance of the countryside and (in Appeal A) unoutweighed harm to listed building significance, meant both proposals conflicted with the development plan and material considerations did not justify approval.

Appeal A: less-than-substantial harm to listed buildings (particularly Wood Farmhouse as Grade II*) attracted considerable weight; significant weight to housing delivery but limited in scale; moderate weight to social and economic benefits; limited weight to environmental factors; cumulative benefits insufficient to outweigh heritage harm and countryside harm. Appeal B: very limited harm to countryside character; significant weight to failure to demonstrate no adverse biodiversity impacts; limited benefits (two dwellings, moderate social/economic benefits, limited environmental factors) significantly and demonstrably outweighed by adverse impacts when assessed against Framework policies.