Land at Church Street, Great Burstead, Essex, CM11 2TP

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, with particular reference to whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including its effect on openness
• the effect of the proposal on the setting of the Great Burstead Conservation Area
• if the development is inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The less than substantial harm to the setting and significance of the Great Burstead Conservation Area was not outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal, including housing supply contribution.

the less than substantial harm to the designated heritage asset was not outweighed by the public benefits of housing supply contribution and other benefits, which attracted only moderate positive weight