The general thrust of both local and national policy is to support sustainable development and of development that would promote the health and well-being of communities. Policy CS 1 of the adopted Charnwood Local plan 2011 to 2028 Core Strategy relates to the hierarchy of sustainability of settlements in the Borough as locations for new development. The application site lies outside the limits to development of Quorn, which is identified by Policy CS 1 as being in the 'Service Centre' category of its settlement hierarchy. The supporting text to the Policy confirms that there are commitments for around 3,500 homes in Services Centre's which is sufficient to the meet the levels of planned provision and therefore we only expect to see small scale windfall developments within the settlement boundaries. Greenfield locations may be appropriate where there is a recognised local housing need and insufficient capacity within built up areas to meet that need. The proposal is not small scale, within the settlement boundary and neither has a local housing need been demonstrated. As such, the proposal is considered to be contrary to Core Strategy Policies CS 1 and CS 25, which both seek to reflect the presumption in favour of sustainable development contained in the National Planning Policy Framework. Furthermore it is contrary to Policies CT/1 and CT/2 of the Adopted Borough of Charnwood Local Plan 1991-2006 and Policies S1 and H5 of the emerging Quorn Neighbourhood Plan. No material considerations have been advanced that warrant setting aside the provisions of the Development Plan

In the absence of a signed Planning Obligation the proposal fails to deliver an appropriate level of affordable housing and contributions towards sustainable travel, ecology, education, libraries, civic amenity, local community facilities, health care, open space, play provision that are necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms. The proposals would be contrary to Policies CS3, CS13, CS17 and CS24 of the Charnwood Local Plan 2011-2028, Core Strategy (2015) and adopted Housing Supplementary Planning Document (2017) and Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations.

Notwithstanding the Sequential Test, It has not been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the local planning authority in consultation with the Environment Agency that the development would not increase flood risk elsewhere. This would be contrary to paragraphs 155 and 160 of the NPPF and policy CS16 of the Core Strategy which requires developments to be made safe over its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere and supports development which take opportunities to reduce flood risk elsewhere.

Taking into account the findings of the sequential test, the local planning authority considers that there are reasonably available sites, within other Service Centres or higher order settlements as defined by Policy CS1 of the Core Strategy that could accommodate the proposed scale of development on land which is identified as being within Flood Risk Zone 1, such that there are other sites which can be developed which are sequentially preferable. The proposal would thereby be contrary to Policy CS16 of the Core Strategy, Paragraph 158 of the NPPF and the accompanying Planning Practice Guidance which requires new development to be steered towards locations that are at the lowest level of flood risk.