Planning appeal decision
Land to the South West of Grain Stores , Valley Farm Road, West Wratting , Cambridgeshire, CB21 4HH
Planning appeal 3304183 at Land to the South West of Grain Stores , Valley Farm Road, West Wratting , Cambridgeshire, CB21 4HH (South Cambridgeshire District Council) was allowed on 6 September 2023 by Inspector Aqbal M, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location having regard to the development strategy of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2018) and in respect of reducing the need to travel, particularly by car and promoting sustainable travel.
the change of use of an existing compound area into a self–storage facility and the positioning of 90 shipping containers
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- retail · Change of use
- Inspector
- Aqbal M
- Postcode
- CB21 4HH
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposed development would be in a suitable location having regard to the development strategy of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2018) and in respect of reducing the need to travel, particularly by car and promoting sustainable travel
- Whether the proposed development would result in the unacceptable loss of lorry parking and facilities for drivers in the area
What decided it
The reuse of vacant brownfield land for a self-storage facility with modest but tangible economic and employment benefits, supported by national policy, outweighed the conflict with the local development plan strategy for countryside protection.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy S/7Policy S/6Policy T1/2Policy S/3Policy TI/3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 81Paragraph 109
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


More decisions in South Cambridgeshire
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2023
- Allowed23 October 20266005101Land North of Pampisford Road, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AH
- Allowed17 July 20266007191Land North West of 60-64 Histon Road, Cottenham, CB24 8UD
- Dismissed7 July 2026600528594, High Street, Meldreth, SG8 6LB
- Allowed11 June 2026600333273 High Street, Little Shelford, CB22 5ES
- Allowed12 May 20266002200Grain Barn, Cold Harbour Farm, Ashwell Road, Guilden Morden, SG7 5NF
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.
®