Land between 39 and 79 Earlswood Road, Dorridge, Solihull, West Midlands, B93 8RD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, land use and the amount of development, with particular regard to the quantum of development proposed
• Whether the appeal site is grey belt land and whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant development plan policies, including the effect of the proposal on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
• The effect of the proposal on the Earlswood Meadow Local Wildlife Site in particular regard to biodiversity
• The effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, including the Local Wildlife Site

What decided it

The Council's inability to demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply (2.13 years) triggered the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d) of the Framework, such that the significant benefits of delivering up to five additional dwellings outweighed the conflict with development plan policies on character and appearance.

The significant benefits of housing delivery, supporting the Government's objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, together with other positive benefits of the scheme, outweighed the adverse impacts arising from conflict with Policies P10 and P15 of the Local Plan and Policies VC1 and D1 of the Neighbourhood Plan regarding character and appearance, when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole.