Land at Mahollam Road, Huntington, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3PU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Appeal A: The effect on the character and appearance of the area
• Appeal A: The effect on the setting of the nearby Huntington Castle (Scheduled Monument and Grade II listed building) and Turret Castle (Scheduled Monument)
• Appeal A: Whether it has been adequately demonstrated that the effect of the development on the integrity River Lugg/River Wyre Special Area of Conservation has been assessed and mitigated to avoid any adverse impact
• Appeal B: Whether it has been adequately demonstrated that the effect of the development on the integrity River Lugg/River Wyre Special Area of Conservation has been assessed and mitigated to avoid any adverse impact, including whether it has been adequately demonstrated that the development would not lead to an unacceptable risk of foul water flooding and pollution to the local environment
• Appeal B: The effect on the character and appearance of the area with particular reference to perceptual qualities of quietude and visual effects
• Appeal B: The effect on the setting of the nearby Turret Castle (Scheduled Monument)

What decided it

The combination of harm to landscape character and heritage asset settings, together with the failure to demonstrate with legal and scientific certainty that the development would not adversely affect the integrity of the River Lugg/River Wye SAC, led to conflict with the development plan as a whole.

The less than substantial harm to the settings of Huntington Castle and Turret Castle was weighed against the general economic and business benefits of the development, but the Inspector found the benefits insufficient to outweigh the identified heritage harm, and separately concluded that nutrient neutrality for the SAC could not be certainly secured, so both appeals were dismissed.