Public inquiry over Darwin Green plans under way after councils said homes ‘should not be built due to water shortage’

An eight-day public inquiry is under way over the non-determination of plans for the next two phases of the Darwin Green development in Cambridge.

Developers Barratt David Wilson Homes and The North West Cambridge Consortium of Landowners want to build up to 1,000 new homes at the site off Huntingdon Road.

It lodged its appeal on the grounds of non-determination, as the planning authorities - Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council - did not issue a decision within the statutory time limit.

The council has said that had the appeal not been made then it would have refused the application.

At the time, councillors voiced their concerns after the Environment Agency objected to the application, stating that it had not seen evidence the new homes could be supplied with water sustainably.

The inquiry is being held at The Guildhall in Market Hill, Cambridge, and will be livestreamed on the city council’s YouTube channel. It began on Tuesday, 16 January and is scheduled to last eight days.