Carlisle House, Knutsford Road, Knolls Green, Mobberley, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 7BA

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether or not the Authority's decision to refuse the LDC was well founded
• whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the revised Framework and any relevant development plan policies
• if found inappropriate, the effect on the openness of the Green Belt
• the effect on the Open Countryside
• the effect on Great Crested Newts
• 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 substantial weight given to the benefits of real-world testing of graphene-enhanced construction materials, combined with housing need, clearly outweighed the Green Belt and countryside harm, establishing very special circumstances to justify allowing Appeal B, while the absence of curtilage status defeated Appeal A.

The substantial harm from inappropriateness, limited harm to openness, and minor countryside policy conflict were clearly outweighed by the substantial benefits of the GE materials research project and housing need, amounting to very special circumstances justifying the grant of permission.