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Notice varied and upheld9 January 20263362958

Dernford Farm, Dernford Farm Road, Stapleford, Cambridge , CB22 5DY

Planning appeal 3362958 at Dernford Farm, Dernford Farm Road, Stapleford, Cambridge , CB22 5DY (South Cambridgeshire District Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 9 January 2026 by Inspector Preston C, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the development constitutes inappropriate development within the Green Belt.

Without planning permission: a) The change of use of the land from a mixed Agricultural Use and Hostel Accommodation for Agricultural Workers, Ancillary Office Accommodation and Use of Existing Bungalow as Warden Accommodation to a mixed use, Agricultural Use, Caravan Site, Commercial Business Use, Hostel Accommodation and Use of Existing Bungalow as Warden Accommodation

Authority
South Cambridgeshire District Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
caravan-gypsy · Change of use
Inspector
Preston C
Postcode
CB22 5DY

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • Whether the development constitutes inappropriate development within the Green Belt
  • The effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area
  • Whether the location of the site is such that the development has led to unsustainable patterns of travel
  • The effect on the living conditions of neighbouring residents at Dernford House
  • If the development does represent inappropriate development within the Green Belt, whether there are any other considerations to amount to very special circumstances necessary to justify a grant of permission, including the need for accommodation for the local agricultural economy

What decided it

The development is inappropriate development within the Green Belt with no very special circumstances to justify permission, as the benefits of providing agricultural worker accommodation are not clearly evidenced or demonstrated to outweigh the substantial harm to Green Belt openness and purposes.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
Policy S/4Policy NH/2Policy TI/2Policy SC/10
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 11Paragraph 135Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155

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.

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The decision letter

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More decisions in South Cambridgeshire

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2026

  1. Quashed On Legal Grounds30 July 20263378207
    Southgate Farm, Fen Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB4 1GJ
  2. Notice varied and upheld2 February 20263370686
    The Laurels, Fen Road, Cambridgeshire, CB4 1TU
  3. Notice upheld12 January 20263369306
    Heron Farm, Long Drove, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 9LR
  4. Notice upheld12 January 20263369305
    Heron Farm, Long Drove, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 9LR
  5. Notice varied and upheld17 December 20253368769
    New England Farm, Tadlow, Royston, SG8 0EN

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.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.