Heron Farm, Long Drove, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 9LR

Planning appeal 3369306 at Heron Farm, Long Drove, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 9LR (South Cambridgeshire District Council) was dismissed on 12 January 2026 by Inspector Willows P, following an inquiry. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: The main issue is whether, at the time the enforcement notice was issued, it was too late to take enforcement action.

the permanent material change of use from a mixed residential and agricultural use to a mixed residential and motorcycle track use at Heron Farm. Long Drove, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire the alleged breach also relates to unauthorised engineering operations undertaken within 10 years of the date of this notice to facilitate the unauthorised use. These operations include the construction of an extensive formal track including several jumps and banked turns formed from compacted earth

Authority: South Cambridgeshire District Council
Appeal type: enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure: Inquiry
Development: leisure-sport · Not Applicable
Inspector: Willows P
Postcode: CB25 9LR

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

The main issue is whether, at the time the enforcement notice was issued, it was too late to take enforcement action

What decided it

The appellants failed to provide sufficiently precise and unambiguous evidence—particularly given aerial photographs showing the current track did not exist in April 2022—that either the operational development or the use had continued for long enough to gain immunity from enforcement action.

What the Inspector cited

Judgments: Thurrock BC v SSETR & Holding [2002] EWCA Civ 226

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

Quashed On Legal Grounds30 July 20263378207
Southgate Farm, Fen Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB4 1GJ
Notice varied and upheld2 February 20263370686
The Laurels, Fen Road, Cambridgeshire, CB4 1TU
Notice upheld12 January 20263369305
Heron Farm, Long Drove, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 9LR
Notice varied and upheld9 January 20263362958
Dernford Farm, Dernford Farm Road, Stapleford, Cambridge , CB22 5DY
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.