Decision Maker: Planning Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: October 8, 2025

Purpose:

Content: The Committee unanimously refused the application for the reasons set out below with minor amendments to the reasons as drafted delegated to officers:   1.    The development, by virtue of the application site’s considerable distance from the designated customer parking (approximately 650 metres), the lack of sufficient footway width along Church Lane to allow customers to pass, the lack of lighting along Church End/Church Lane and the narrow and shared surface along Church End, is considered to fail to provide a safe, convenient, and inclusive walking route between The Hardwicke Arms and the application site (Highland Cow Cottage), particularly for carers with pushchairs, and other vulnerable groups. As a result, the development fails to be well-conceived, does not ensure safe and suitable access for all users and would lead to unacceptable highway safety impacts. It also fails to prioritise pedestrian movements, contrary to Policies HQ/1, TI/2, E/18 and E/19(e) of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018, and Paragraphs 115, 116, and 117 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024. 2.    The application fails to provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the largest vehicle size through a swept path analysis can be accommodated and manoeuvre within the application site and exit in forward gear. As such the development fails to provide safe, secure convenient and accessible provision for waste management and collection contrary to Policy HQ/1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and Paragraph 115 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024. 3.    The application lacks sufficient detail regarding pedestrian and transport arrangements, including the volume of pedestrian and vehicle movements and the duration of vehicle parking. Without this information, the application fails to comply with Policies HQ/1 and TI/2 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018, and Paragraphs 115, 116, and 117 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024. 4.    The development when considering the existing parking demands of other uses at the Hardwicke Arms (including The Tea Room) and potential overlapping uses does not provide adequate parking to meet the needs of its intended use. As a result, the lack of sufficient on-site car parking may lead to overflow into nearby residential streets, increasing pressure on local parking and negatively impacting the living conditions of nearby residents. Therefore, the development fails to ensure car parking is integrated into the development and fails to protect the amenity of surrounding occupiers, contrary to Policies TI/3 and HQ/1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018. 5.    The application does not provide sufficient information to demonstrate the biodiversity net gain required to offset habitat loss resulting from the development. Without clear evidence of the habitats affected and the proposed mitigation measures, the proposal fails to meet the requirements of Policy NH/4 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018, the Biodiversity SPD 2022 and the Environment Act 2021. 6.    The development has, through the lack of submission of a tree survey or arboricultural impact assessment, failed to demonstrate that there is no short and long-term effects on tree canopies and root systems from the siting of the pods, nor demonstrated appropriate management measures will be implemented to mitigate these impacts. As such the development is contrary to Policies NH/4 and HQ/1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018.