Bayley House, Manor Lane, Holmes Chapel , Cheshire, CW4 8AB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposed development would be in an appropriate location, having regard to national and local planning policies and access to services, facilities, and public transport
• the effect of the proposed development on the efficiency of the radio telescopes and the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the Jodrell Bank Observatory World Heritage Site (WHS)

What decided it

The cumulative harm to the operational efficiency of the Jodrell Bank Observatory radio telescopes and the significance of the World Heritage Site, which could not be adequately mitigated by condition, combined with the site's unsustainable location with unsafe pedestrian and cycle access, together outweighed the moderate benefits of two dwellings and economic activity.

The minor less-than-substantial harm to the WHS's Outstanding Universal Value (afforded considerable weight) and the significant harm from the site's unsustainable location and poor accessibility to services and facilities were not outweighed by the moderate benefits of housing delivery, character and appearance improvement, and economic activity; the heritage balance was not passed and the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.