Land at Mordon Bridge, Swindon

This was a proposal for substantial housing development on a site identified as being of nature conservation importance. The developer offered to fund nature conservation works on another site about 20km away.  There was extensive consideration of the DEFRA ‘metric’ intended to quantify the nature conservation benefits of off-site compensation works.  There was also consideration of the approach to assessing 5 year supply where part of the need of an adjoining authority (Swindon), as yet unquantified, had to be met in the authority’s area.  The Inspector granted planning permission. Richard Langham appeared for the local planning authority.