House plans would harm rural area, says inspector

Plans to build new homes on the outskirts of a village would "harm" the rural character of the area, a planning inspector has said.

Fieldgate Nurseries Ltd wants to build seven new homes, a replacement farm shop and new commercial units at Station Road, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire.

Its initial application was rejected by South Cambridgeshire District Council last year, after it raised concerns about the development's "unsustainable location".

The company appealed against the decision, saying the site was close to existing infrastructure, but the planning inspector dismissed its appeal.

The district council concerns included a lack of "safe pedestrian crossings to the villages and public transport modes", as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In Fieldgate Nurseries Ltd's appeal, it argued the site was well connected to Meldreth and Melbourn, two villages just north of Royston, Hertfordshire.

It also argued there were established paths and transport links, including bus and train travel, which connected the site "to local facilities, as well as larger neighbouring settlements, such as Cambridge and Royston".

"Furthermore, the development aligns with the broader objectives of the local plan to promote sustainable growth by enhancing underutilised sites and improving infrastructure where necessary," it said.

The planning inspector rejected its arguments, saying the proposed homes would still "rely heavily on private motor vehicles to access employment, retail and other necessary day-to-day services and facilities further afield".

It would also cause "harm to the character and appearance of the area" and was at "odds with the site's rural low-key character and appearance", as well as being in conflict with planning policies, according to the inspector.

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