Developer appeals refusal of plans for 22 homes

A developer has hit back at criticisms of its plans to build 22 new homes on the edge of a village and has lodged an appeal with the planning inspectorate.

South Cambridgeshire District Council had refused permission for its plans to demolish a warehouse and to build the new homes off the High Street in Meldreth.

The authority argued it would be an "overdevelopment" of the site.

The developer, Talbot Homes Ltd, had proposed to demolish a warehouse in Station Yard and replace it with the properties.

The authority raised concerns about the potential for some of the proposed new homes to be overlooked by existing homes in Victoria Place, as well as concerns over a lack of landscaping.

It argued some of the private gardens would be overlooked to the extent that people living there would "not benefit from a private amenity space, resulting in a poor quality of life".

But in its appeal statement, Talbot Homes disputed the district council's conclusions, saying there would be "some incidental overlooking [of] rear gardens from two bedroom windows, one study window and one kitchen window at Victoria Place.

"However, this is not considered to be an unusual relationship in suburban density developments, where it is quite common to be able to see into more than one rear garden from first floor windows."

The developer argued the plans would offer people a "good level of amenity and quality of life".

The district council will need to set out its own case to the planning inspector before a final decision is made on whether the development can go ahead.

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