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 and the absence of a binding legal obligation to secure carbon offset mitigation, combined with the resulting conflict with the development plan as a whole, meant the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits when assessed against the Framework, precluding the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The benefits of housing delivery (moderate weight), economic and social benefits (little weight), heritage conservation (great weight) and compliance with Framework housing provisions (moderate weight) were outweighed by the substantial weight attributed to the failure to comply with Schedule 7A of the Act regarding biodiversity net gain, the small weight attributed to climate change mitigation shortfall, and the substantial weight attributed to conflict with the development plan as a whole, resulting in dismissal of the planning appeal.