®Planning appeal decision
Land Between 4 and 14 Middlemoor Road, Whittlesford , Cambridge , Cambridgeshire, CB22 4PB
Planning appeal 3362504 at Land Between 4 and 14 Middlemoor Road, Whittlesford , Cambridge , Cambridgeshire, CB22 4PB (South Cambridgeshire District Council) was dismissed on 18 July 2025 by Inspector Reed D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the NPPF and development plan policy.
a 1.5 storey single dwelling with associated garden space, access, parking and associated infrastructure works
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Reed D
- Postcode
- CB22 4PB
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the NPPF and development plan policy
- The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- The effect of the proposal on great crested newts
- If the proposal would be inappropriate development, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations, so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify it
What decided it
The proposal fails to meet criterion (b) of NPPF paragraph 155 as the Council can demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, meaning it constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt which cannot be justified by the limited other considerations advanced.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, together with significant reduction in openness and harm to character and appearance, was not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of housing delivery and site reuse, so very special circumstances do not exist.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy S/4Policy S/12Policy S/7Policy HQ/1Policy NH/4
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 154Paragraph 155Paragraph 143Paragraph 153
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
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in South Cambridgeshire
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
- Notice varied and upheld9 January 20263362958Dernford Farm, Dernford Farm Road, Stapleford, Cambridge , CB22 5DY
- Dismissed31 October 20253364735Trinity Cottages Cambridge Road, Madingley, Cambridge, CB23 8AJ
- Dismissed12 August 20253365536Four Acre Piggery, Teversham Road, Teversham, Cambridge, CB1 9AN
- Dismissed29 July 2025336423956 West End, Whittlesford, Cambridge, CB22 4LX
- Dismissed6 June 20253352058Land to the South of H/1:B and to the East of H/1:C, Babraham Road, Sawston Cambridge, CB22 3DQ
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.