Developer wins appeal to build 110 homes in Fulbourn despite council’s flooding concerns

A developer has won an appeal to build 110 homes in Fulbourn after it was ruled the risk of flooding to existing homes would not rise.

Outline plans for the site off Teversham Road were approved in 2017, but the more detailed ‘reserved matters’ application was refused by South Cambridgeshire District Council in October last year after neighbours and councillors raised concerns over flooding.

The plans feature homes with from one to five bedrooms and include 33 ‘affordable’ properties.

One neighbour told the planning meeting last year that the development site was a “swamp” and said there was visible standing water in the field for around five to six months of the year. The resident argued it could render their home “uninsurable and unsustainable”..

Cllr Dr Tumi Hawkins (Lib Dem, Caldecote) agreed that potential flooding was a “big issue”.

She said: “I think it is unfortunate that it was granted outline permission when it is obvious to everyone it is going to be a problem.”

The applicant, Castlefield International Ltd, said it was “very confident” the development would not increase the flood risk on neighbouring properties.

The planning inspector noted that the reserved matters application was only intended to deal with details relating to appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the plans.

The inspector notes one of the conditions originally approved meant surface drainage and management details had to be submitted to and approved by the district council, before work could start.

The inspector added: “I am content, at least in principle, that the appellant has suitably demonstrated that the reserved matters scheme could be delivered while also providing a satisfactory scheme of surface water drainage.

“I am also satisfied that the proposal would not result in flood risk to neighbouring land or properties.”

There were other reasons for refusal given at the time by the district council, including that the size of the proposed two-and-a-half storey apartment building would result in “significant harm” to the character of the area.

The plans were also refused on the basis that it failed to provide “measurable net gain” in biodiversity, and that the affordable housing properties were not distributed throughout the site.

At the appeal stage, the council said it would not be defending these reasons for refusal.

Meanwhile, extra homes have been approved for a development in Impington by councillors.