35a Berwick Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6NG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposal would satisfy flood risk policy
• Whether the proposed dwelling would provide satisfactory living conditions for future occupants, having regard to internal space
• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area

What decided it

The failure to satisfy the sequential test for flood risk, as the access and escape routes would be located in areas at risk of flooding and no assessment had been undertaken to establish whether reasonably available alternative sites existed at lower risk.

The considerable benefits of housing delivery and efficient use of previously developed land in a sustainable location were outweighed by the strong conflict with national and local flood risk policies that require development to be directed away from areas at the highest risk of flooding.