Land North of Little Horwood Road and Cherry Leas, Great Horwood, MK17 0FU

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the location of the site would be appropriate for the proposed residential development with regard to accessibility to shops, services and facilities
• the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
• The effect of the proposed development on the setting and significance of designated and non-designated heritage assets, including listed buildings in proximity to the site and the Great Horwood Conservation Area ('the Conservation Area')
• Whether the proposed development would conflict with the Council's spatial strategy for the location of new housing

What decided it

The absence of a five year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance, under which the substantial benefits of housing (including affordable housing) delivery outweighed the identified moderate/less-than-substantial harms.

The substantial weight attributable to market and affordable housing delivery, together with moderate benefits from biodiversity net gain, economic activity and open space provision, outweighed the moderate negative weight given to harm to accessibility, character and appearance, and the less-than-substantial heritage harm, such that the adverse impacts did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits under the tilted balance.