Dabs Cottage 6 Moss Lane, Maer, Newcastle Under Lyme, ST5 5EQ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the site is in a suitable location for the proposed development, having particular regard to accessibility to local facilities and sustainable modes of transport
• the effect of the proposed development on the safety of highway users
• the effect of the proposed development on protected species, with particular regard to great crested newts

What decided it

The cumulative harm arising from the unsustainable location, highway safety concerns and unmitigated protected species risk was not outweighed by the moderate benefits of providing two self-build dwellings in a context where self-build housing has no paramountcy over other national policy objectives.

The benefits of two self-build dwellings (moderate weight) did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the cumulative harm to sustainable transport objectives, highway safety and protected species conservation, such that the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.