Land West Of Millars, Station Road, Cliddesden, RG25 2FG

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposed development would provide a suitable location for housing, having regard to the development strategy for the area, opportunities for sustainable transport, accessibility to services and facilities, and the transition to a low carbon future
• The effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area
• Whether the proposal would comply with local and national planning policy which seeks to steer new development away from areas at risk of flooding
• The effect of the development on highway safety, with specific regard to vehicular access
• Whether the proposal would make adequate provision for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

What decided it

The failure to demonstrate that the proposal would be safe from current and future surface water flood risk throughout its lifetime, which engaged paragraph 11(d)(i) of the Framework and displaced the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The housing supply benefits and social and economic benefits of four dwellings were outweighed by the failure to demonstrate safety from surface water flooding (which engaged the strong reason exception in paragraph 11(d)(i)), combined with substantial harm to character and appearance and the unsuitability of the location for housing due to lack of sustainable transport opportunities and accessibility to services.