®Planning appeal decision
Trinity Cottages Cambridge Road, Madingley, Cambridge, CB23 8AJ
Planning appeal 3364735 at Trinity Cottages Cambridge Road, Madingley, Cambridge, CB23 8AJ (South Cambridgeshire District Council) was dismissed on 31 October 2025 by Inspector Tinsley F, 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 relevant development plan policies and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.
‘Erection of 2 No. 3 bed dwellings.’
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Minor Dwellings
- Inspector
- Tinsley F
- Postcode
- CB23 8AJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the relevant development plan policies and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework
- the effect on the openness of the Green Belt
- the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
- whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, would be clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify the proposal
What decided it
The proposal failed to meet the criteria in paragraph 155(a) of the Framework because it would fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt across the plan area by appearing as encroachment of urban development into the countryside.
The substantial harm to the Green Belt, harm to openness, and harm to character and appearance were not clearly outweighed by the limited benefits of modest housing supply, short-term economic benefits, and improved biodiversity, such that very special circumstances do not exist.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy S/4Policy S/7Policy NH/8Policy T/2Policy TI/2Policy S/11Policy H/9Policy H/11Policy HQ/1Policy NH/2
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 11Paragraph 110Paragraph 115Paragraph 143Paragraph 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.
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 2025
- Notice varied and upheld9 January 20263362958Dernford Farm, Dernford Farm Road, Stapleford, Cambridge , CB22 5DY
- Dismissed12 August 20253365536Four Acre Piggery, Teversham Road, Teversham, Cambridge, CB1 9AN
- Dismissed29 July 2025336423956 West End, Whittlesford, Cambridge, CB22 4LX
- Dismissed18 July 20253362504Land Between 4 and 14 Middlemoor Road, Whittlesford , Cambridge , Cambridgeshire, CB22 4PB
- 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.