®Planning appeal decision
Land North West of 49 West Croft, Orwell, Cambridgeshire, SG8 5PW
Planning appeal 3320454 at Land North West of 49 West Croft, Orwell, Cambridgeshire, SG8 5PW (South Cambridgeshire District Council) was dismissed on 20 November 2023 by Inspector Billings C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would be in an appropriate location, having regard to the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan.
outline planning application with all matters reserved (except for access) for 5 self-build/custom build dwellings and garages, as well as public open space, landscaping, and all other associated infrastructure
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Billings C
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed development would be in an appropriate location, having regard to the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan
- the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the open countryside
- the effect of the proposed development on agricultural land
- the planning balance, including whether permission should be granted having regard to the duty set out in sections 2 and 2A of the Self Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended)
What decided it
The significant harm to character and appearance of the countryside, inappropriate location outside the settlement boundary, and loss of agricultural land, combined with the Council's adequate housing land supply meaning full weight must be afforded to development plan policies, outweighed the benefit of delivering self-build housing.
The substantial benefit of delivering 5 self-build/custom build dwellings to meet significant unmet demand, together with other economic and environmental benefits, was outweighed by the great weight attached to the conflict with development plan policies regarding location, character and appearance, and agricultural land loss, resulting in dismissal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy S/2Policy S/6Policy S/7Policy S/10Policy S/12Policy H/9Policy TI/2Policy HQ/1Policy NH/2Policy NH/3
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11
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
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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.