Land Adj Silver Birches Deepdale, Potton, Sandy, SG19 2NH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether or not this is a suitable location for the proposal, having regard to policies which direct housing to existing settlements, and to the site's accessibility to services and facilities
• the scheme's impact on the character and appearance of the area
• the scheme's impact on the safety and convenience of highway users
• the scheme's impact on biodiversity

What decided it

The significant harm to character and appearance, combined with unsustainable location and highway safety concerns, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the modest benefits of housing supply and self-build provision when assessed against Framework policies taken as a whole.

The adverse impacts of granting permission—unsustainable location, significant harm to character and appearance, and limited harm to highway safety—significantly and demonstrably outweighed the moderate benefits of housing supply and self-build provision and limited economic benefits, when assessed against Framework policies for sustainable locations and well-designed places.