Decision details

Members visited the site on 22 April 2017.

Alan Clarkson (objector), Dr Robert Wickham (for the applicant), Councillor Enid Bald (Linton Parish Council) and Councillor Henry Batchelor (a local Member)addressed the meeting. Mr Clarkson objected on the basis of ground levels, overlooking, and surface water drainage. Dr. Wickham highlighted the benefits as being affordable housing, allotments, and contribution to the local economy. He said the applicant was willing to reconsider the layout in order to address overlooking concerns. Councillor Bald said that the proposal would change the character of the village. Her specific concerns related to drainage and archaeology. The landscape buffer proposed was unworkable. Village facilities were already at capacity. Councillor Henry Batchelor objected on the bases of cumulative impact, ground levels and overlooking.

Councillor John Batchelor (the other local Member) said that the minimum requirement of an outline application was to show that the proposal was viable and deliverable. The applicant had not done so, given that the indicative layout failed to meet minimum separation standards, and that the applicant had failed to offer a viable scheme to address surface and foul water drainage issues.

Following further debate, and notwithstanding the absence of any technical objections from statutory consultees, the Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Head of Development Management. Members agreed the reasons for refusal as being the likelihood that the proposal would exert a harmful effect on the landscape and visual amenities of the area, contrary to Policies DP/1, DP/2, DP/3 and NE/4 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Development Control Policies DPD, 2007 and the adopted Design Guide.