Land adjacent to 192 Gore Road, New Milton, Hampshire, BH25 5NQ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposed development on protected sites, namely the New Forest Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar, the Solent and Southampton Water SPA and Ramsar, the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and the Solent and Dorset Coast SPA
• whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to local and national policy
• 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 the proposed development would effect the living conditions of future residents
• 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 failure to secure mitigation for adverse effects on European protected sites through a planning obligation, combined with the inappropriate Green Belt development and harm to openness, could not be outweighed by the limited housing and economic benefits.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt through inappropriate development and loss of openness was not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of housing supply contribution and socio-economic benefits, so very special circumstances did not exist.