Land North East Of Old White Cottage, 2 Newbold Road, Desford, Leicestershire, LE9 9GS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the area and the open countryside, including the setting and significance of the Desford Conservation Area and protected trees
• whether the proposal would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupiers, with particular regard to outlook; levels of daylight and sunlight; and private amenity space

What decided it

The less than substantial but moderate harm to the setting and significance of the Desford Conservation Area, to which great weight must be attached, combined with unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers, outweighs the limited benefits of the proposal, particularly given that the Framework's heritage protections and the recent Neighbourhood Plan displace the tilted balance.

The moderate benefits of housing delivery and self-build provision (limited without a securing mechanism) do not outweigh the less than substantial but moderate harm to the setting and significance of the Conservation Area and the unacceptable living conditions for future occupiers; the tilted balance does not apply due to heritage protections and the recent Neighbourhood Plan.