The application site falls within flood zone 3b Functional Floodplain as identified by the Environment Agency as having a high probability of flooding. It is national and local policy that development should be directed away from areas at the highest risk of flooding and that if there are reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas with a lower probability of flooding that development should not be permitted. No sequential test has been carried out and there is no evidence to demonstrate that there are no other reasonably available sites, within the Principal Urban Area, Loughborough, Shepshed and the other service centres within the Borough that could accommodate the proposed development, on land which is identified as being at lesser or no risk of flooding and which would be sequentially preferable. Accordingly, the proposal conflicts with advice given in the National Planning Policy Framework (paragraphs 100-101) and is contrary to policy CS16 of the Charnwood Local Plan 2011-2028 Core Strategy which require new development to be steered towards locations that are at the lowest level of flood risk.

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 there are no exceptional circumstances which justify over-riding the normal planning policies. The proposed development would conflict with the provisions of The National Planning Policy Framework, Policy CS11 of the Charnwood Local Plan 2011-2028 Core Strategy and Policies ST/2, CT/1 and CT/2 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan which promote sustainable development and seek to protect the rural character and appearance of the countryside.