Land At Shellow Farm, Shellow Lane, North Rode, Congleton, CW122NX

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the site is suitable having regard to its location, proposed land use and the amount of development, in relation to: whether the proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework and any relevant development plan policies, and the effect on openness; whether the proposed development would be suitably located having regard to the countryside location and the accessibility of services and facilities; whether the amount of development proposed would represent an efficient use of land; and whether any harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances required to justify the proposal

What decided it

The site's location in the open countryside with poor accessibility to services and facilities and reliance on private vehicles, combined with the failure to make efficient use of land and significant harm to Green Belt openness, could not be justified by the benefits of a single dwelling in the absence of very special circumstances.

The significant benefits of housing delivery and contribution to the 3.3-year housing land supply were outweighed by the totality of harm from inappropriate Green Belt development, significant harm to openness, unsuitability of location in the countryside with poor accessibility, and inefficient use of land, such that very special circumstances were not established.