Whitsbury Stables, Fordingbridge Road, Whitsbury, SP6 3QB

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the principle of development is acceptable having regard to the local development plan policy on workers dwellings in the countryside, in particular whether the location of the dwellings would be capable of meeting the identified functional need and be well-related to existing farm buildings or other dwellings, and whether the functional need could be fulfilled by another existing dwelling on the unit or other existing accommodation in the area, which is suitable and available for occupation
• The effect of the proposal on the Cranborne Chase National Landscape with particular regard to dark skies and landscaping

What decided it

The Council's very significant shortfall in housing land supply (1.53 years) engaged the presumption in favour of sustainable development under paragraph 11d) of the Framework, reducing the weight attached to the policy conflict so that the benefits of the scheme outweighed it.

The modest weight given to conflict with Policies DM20 and DM21 was outweighed by the significant weight given to the cumulative benefits of the scheme, so the adverse impacts of granting permission did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits and the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied.