Land east of Tanyard Cottage, Newick Lane, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8PT

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the location, land use and amount of the proposed development is acceptable, having regard to the siting of the development outside a defined settlement boundary
• Whether the development would conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape and preserve the setting of the Grade II listed building North Down
• Whether the development would have acceptable accessibility to services and facilities for future occupants

What decided it

The level of harm identified to both the High Weald National Landscape and the setting of the Grade II listed building North Down is sufficient to reach the threshold in paragraph 11d)i) of the Framework, providing a strong reason for refusing the development and displacing the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The modest public benefits from housing delivery (5-9 dwellings contributing to a shortfall in housing land supply) and limited economic benefits carry at most moderate positive weight, but do not outweigh the significant harm to the character and appearance of the area, the less-than-substantial harm to the setting of North Down (given considerable importance and weight), and the harm to the natural beauty of the High Weald National Landscape.