Ash Tree Paddock Stanbridge Road, Great Billington, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, LU7 9JH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the appeal site comprises grey belt land and whether the development is inappropriate in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework ('the Framework') and relevant development plan policies
• The effect of the development on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
• The effect of the development on the Chiltern Beechwood Special Area of Conservation including Ashbridge Common Site of Special Scientific Interest ('SSSI')
• 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 development if it is found to be inappropriate in the Green Belt

What decided it

The significant unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller pitches, combined with the site's grey belt status and its limited, mitigable harm to character and appearance, outweighed the identified adverse impacts.

the limited conflict with the development plan as a whole, arising from limited harm to character and appearance and nominal weight attributed to the intentional unauthorised development, was outweighed by the significant unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller pitches