Land off Ashton Road, Hiperton, Wiltshire, BA14 7QY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development, including the spatial strategy of the development plan, landscape character, the effect on the significance of heritage assets and protected species

What decided it

The proposal constitutes habitats development as it would have a likely significant adverse effect on the Bath and Bradford on Avon Bats SAC without adequate mitigation measures, which on its own provides a strong reason for refusal under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework.

The moderate public benefits of 6-9 dwellings and local economic contribution, weighed against less-than-substantial harm to the conservation area, are insufficient to provide the clear and convincing justification required by the Framework to override the great weight assigned to conservation; the likely significant harm to a protected European habitat site and unjustified harm to designated heritage assets provide strong reasons for refusal that override the housing land supply shortfall.