Land off Dark Lane, Gawsworth, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9QZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, proposed land use and the amount of development, in relation to: whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt; the effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt; and whether any harm would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to very special circumstances

What decided it

The appeal site cannot be said to have access to a genuine choice of transport modes due to the poor pedestrian infrastructure along Dark Lane, meaning the location is not sustainable for the purposes of Framework paragraph 155 and therefore the grey belt exception does not apply.

The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and harm to openness was not clearly outweighed by the modest housing benefit of up to three dwellings in the context of a 3,000-dwelling shortfall, and the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply because Green Belt protection policies provided a strong reason for refusal.