Land at Five Acres, Whiteditch Lane, Newport, CB11 3UD

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the site is suitable for residential development, having regard to its location, the proposed land use and the amount of development, and the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
• if harm is identified in respect of the above issue, whether there are other considerations that indicate a decision should be made other than in accordance with the development plan, with particular regard to the supply of self-build and custom housebuilding (SBCH) permissions, housing provision, and any other benefits of the proposal

What decided it

The harm identified to the character and appearance of the area was found to be the over-riding consideration, outweighing the benefits of SBCH and housing delivery.

The considerable weight given to SBCH delivery and modest weight to housing delivery and economic benefits were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the substantial harm to character and appearance, so the presumption in favour of sustainable development did not apply.