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An appeal has been allowed for a c. 17,000 sqm/5-hectare C2 housing with care proposal and a publicly accessible countryside park following a 5day inquiry held less than 14 days earlier.
The Inspector noted the harm that would be caused to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and other harm. However, he concluded that very special circumstances existed to justify the development; these included the substantial need for housing with care in the area and the release of existing housing stock arising from local people moving to the development. The Inspector also gave very substantial weight to the delivery of the countryside park which would lead to a 234% biodiversity net gain and help to achieve the long-outstanding biodiversity enhancement objectives of the Council.
It is probably one of the quickest decisions to be delivered by the Inspectorate following a public inquiry, which highlights the decisiveness of the scheme; the decision can be found here.
Matthew Reed Q.C. acted for Axis Land Partnership, the successful appellant, instructed by Matt Hare and Colin Brown of Carter Jonas, Cambridge.
