Bridge House Public House, Paley Street, Maidenhead, SL6 3JS

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the works and development would preserve the Grade II Listed Building, and any features of special architectural or historic interest that it possesses
• the effect of the scheme on protected species, with particular regard to bats
• the effect of the development on the provision of community facilities in the area
• whether the development would make appropriate provision for mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG)
• whether the scheme includes sufficient measures to mitigate climate change
• if conflict with the development plan would arise, whether any such conflict would be outweighed by material considerations

What decided it

The failure to make appropriate provision for mandatory biodiversity net gain as required by Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, to which substantial weight was attributed as a matter of overriding importance, meant the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits when assessed against the Framework.

The benefits of housing delivery (moderate weight), conservation of a designated heritage asset (great weight), economic and social benefits, and reuse of an existing building were substantially outweighed by the substantial weight attributed to the failure to comply with Schedule 7A regarding mandatory biodiversity net gain and the failure to secure sufficient climate change mitigation measures, resulting in conflict with the development plan as a whole.