The site lay adjacent to a settlement sweeping down to the river. The inspector noted that this open landscape had enabled the creation of a substantial recreation area with a sense of detachment from the village. The proposed homes would occupy much of the site, with a wide buffer adjoining the recreation area.
The inspector opined that the development would present a harsh edge when viewed from public footpaths and the recreational area, reducing its sense of remoteness and feeling of being in the countryside. She found it difficult to determine whether a five-year supply of housing land was available, but held that the permanent damage caused to a landscape important to local character and valued by local residents was of overriding weight.
Inspector: Christine Thorby; Inquiry
