LAND NORTH EAST OF THE GATES, COLNE ROAD, SOMERSHAM, PE28 3DQ

permission in principle for 2no self-build custom dwellings

Authority: Huntingdonshire
Appeal type: minor · Planning
Procedure: Written
Development: residential
Postcode: PE28 3DQ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

whether the appeal site is a suitable location for the proposal regarding the spatial strategy
the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area
the effect of the proposal on pedestrian highway safety

What decided it

The site's location would be detrimental to pedestrian highway safety with no potential alternative means of access evidenced, and this harm, combined with conflict with the spatial strategy and character harm, significantly and demonstrably outweighed the housing and economic benefits.

The moderate benefits of housing supply, self-build provision, economic advantages and efficient land use were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the heavy harm from spatial strategy conflict, character and appearance harm, and pedestrian highway safety concerns.

Framework references: 11

Plan policies cited: Policy LP2, Policy LP10, Policy LP9, Policy LP11, Policy LP12, Policy LP17

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.