Land at Duck End Lane, Wilstead , Bedford, MK45 3HP

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposal on character and appearance
• Whether the appeal site is an appropriate location for the proposal
• The effect of the proposal on historic integrity
• The implications of the proposal as regards ecology and biodiversity

What decided it

The proposal would cause significant harm to character and appearance through loss of trees and conversion of natural land to built form within a local gap that serves an important function in maintaining visual and experiential separation between settlements, and this harm, combined with the site's location in the open countryside contrary to policy 7S and adverse effects on heritage setting, cannot be justified by the housing benefits in circumstances where the development plan policies remain valid and consistent with the NPPF.

The benefits of delivering one additional dwelling in an area with a housing shortfall were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the adverse impacts on character and appearance, the inappropriateness of the location in the open countryside, and the failure to preserve the setting of listed buildings, applying the tilted balance under NPPF paragraph 11.d)ii.