Little Lake Side Farm, Bowl Shaw Lane, Northowram, HX3 7TF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
• Whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, including whether there is an essential need for a dwelling to accommodate a rural worker at the site, so as to amount to very special circumstances necessary to justify it

What decided it

The appellant failed to demonstrate an essential functional and financial need for a permanent agricultural worker's dwelling sufficient to clearly outweigh the substantial Green Belt harm, so very special circumstances were not established.

the substantial weight attached to Green Belt harm (inappropriateness and loss of openness) was not clearly outweighed by the unproven case for an essential rural worker's dwelling and other limited-weight considerations, so very special circumstances were not demonstrated