Haresfoot Farm, Chesham Road , Berkhamsted , Hertfordshire , HP4 2SU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to relevant development plan policies and the National Planning Policy Framework
• The effect upon openness and the purposes of the Green Belt
• Whether the site is an appropriate location for new housing having regard to the accessibility to services and facilities
• 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 acute housing need and the provision of 52 market and 34 affordable units, combined with the fallback position of an extant permission for 61 dwellings and the highway and sustainability improvements, clearly outweighed the moderate harm to Green Belt openness and inappropriateness, amounting to very special circumstances.

The harm caused by reason of inappropriateness and moderate loss of openness to the Green Belt was clearly outweighed by the acute housing need, the delivery of 52 market and 34 affordable units, the fallback position of an extant permission for 61 dwellings, highway and pedestrian connectivity improvements, biodiversity net gain of 15% for general habitat and 186% for hedgerow habitat, publicly accessible open space, the community hub, and economic benefits, such that very special circumstances were established and the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d)(ii) was engaged in favour of the proposal.