®Planning appeal decision
East of 38A Chapel Lane, Wicken, CB7 5XZ
Planning appeal 3363755 at East of 38A Chapel Lane, Wicken, CB7 5XZ (East Cambridgeshire District Council) was dismissed on 15 August 2025 by Inspector Storey P, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed development would have an acceptable effect on the character and appearance of the area.
Appeal A: Erection of 3 terraced two-bedroom dwellings with off-street parking and associated landscaping. Appeal B: Erection of 4 terraced one-bedroom homes with off-street parking and associated landscaping.
- Authority
- East Cambridgeshire District Council
- Appeal type
- other · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Unknown
- Inspector
- Storey P
- Postcode
- CB7 5XZ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed development would have an acceptable effect on the character and appearance of the area
- whether the appeal site is a suitable location for housing, having regard to the spatial strategy of the development plan
- Appeal A only: whether the proposed development would be acceptable in terms of highway safety, with particular regard to the provision of off-street turning areas
- Appeal B only: whether the proposed development would include adequate parking provision
- Appeal B only: whether it would make appropriate provision for biodiversity
What decided it
The harm to character and appearance arising from the introduction of terraced housing that conflicts with the established grain and density of the surrounding area, combined with the conflict with the spatial strategy under Policy GROWTH 2, was decisive in dismissing both appeals.
The benefits of housing delivery and housing mix were outweighed by the significant harm to character and appearance and conflict with the spatial strategy of the development plan.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy GROWTH 2Policy ENV 1Policy ENV 2Policy COM 7Policy COM 8Policy ENV 7
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11.d
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 East Cambridgeshire
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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- Dismissed18 May 20266005887Land Adj To 1 Victoria Place, Sutton, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2NP
- Dismissed5 January 20263372470Land to the Nw of Harlocks Farm, Stuntney, CB7 5TR
- Allowed15 August 20253357194Site to the East of 38A Chapel Lane, Wicken, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5XZ
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.