Land Adjacent to Model Farm, Plex Lane, Halsall, Ormskirk, L39 7JY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the appeal site comprises grey belt land for the purposes of the Framework
• Whether the proposed development would be suitably located having regard to the Council's spatial strategy and access to services, facilities and transport choices
• Whether or not the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt for the purposes of the Framework
• The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
• If the proposal is found to be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the 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 development

What decided it

The absence of a safe pedestrian route from the site to the existing pedestrian network, public transport and services means the proposal fails to satisfy the sustainability criterion in Policy GB7(1)(g) and cannot be treated as not inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

The moderate weight given to housing delivery benefits and contribution to the five-year supply shortfall does not clearly outweigh the substantial harm from inappropriate development in the Green Belt, the localised harm to openness, and the failure to provide realistic and safe access without relying on the private car.