Old Bean Cottage Shellbank Lane Bean, Kent, DA2 8AX

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies
• the effect of the proposal on the openness and purposes of the Green Belt
• 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 necessary to justify the development

What decided it

The cumulative volumetric increase of the dwelling to more than double the original building volume, combined with the limited harm to openness and absence of other considerations to outweigh the Green Belt harm, means very special circumstances do not exist.

The substantial weight given to harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and limited loss of openness was not outweighed by any other considerations, and very special circumstances were not established.