The Croft, Holtye Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3QF

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• the effect on the character and appearance of the area, including whether the development would conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL) and whether the proposal would preserve the setting of the Grade II listed building Fairlight Farmhouse
• the location of the development situated outside of a defined settlement boundary
• the accessibility to services and facilities for future occupiers of the development

What decided it

The less than substantial harm to the setting of the Grade II listed building Fairlight Farmhouse and significant harm to the character and appearance of the High Weald National Landscape, which the Inspector found provided a strong reason for refusal under paragraph 11d) of the Framework and could not be outweighed by the limited public benefits of housing delivery and self-build provision.

The limited public benefits of housing delivery, self-build provision, construction-phase economic benefit, and carbon-reduction technologies carry limited weight and are insufficient to outweigh the significant harm to character and appearance, the less than substantial harm to the heritage setting of Fairlight Farmhouse (to which considerable weight is attached), and the conflicts with development plan policies relating to landscape, heritage, location and accessibility.