It is established planning policy, at both national and local level, that new development should be permitted outside established settlements in exceptional circumstances only. These circumstances normally relate to an agricultural need. The application site is located in the countryside and, although it is recognised that it is associated with an educational campus, there are no exceptional circumstances which justify over-riding the normal planning policies. The proposed development would conflict with the provisions of Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas and Strategy Policy 2 and Policy CT/1 of the adopted Borough of Charnwood Local Plan which promote sustainable development and seek to protect the rural character and appearance of the countryside.

It is the opinion of the local planning authority that the proposed dwelling, by reason of its siting, scale, mass and design would be an unwarranted and prominent intrusion of new development into the open countryside which would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the rural landscape. The proposal would, therefore, be contrary to the intentions of saved Policies CT/1 and EV/1 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan. Unless specially justified, these seek to restrict new development in the countryside, to protect its intrinsic character and appearance, and to ensure that appropriate development in the countryside is not intrusive or incongruous, to the detriment of visual amenity.