Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX

Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX — East Cambridgeshire District Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 4 March 2025 by S Simms BSc (Hons) MA MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 27 March 2025 Appeal Ref: APP/V0510/W/24/3355673 Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham CB7 5LX • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Mr Alan Nash against the decision of East Cambridgeshire District Council. • The application Ref is 24/00441/FUL. • The development proposed is a 5 bar timber entrance gate and associated walls. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Preliminary Matters 2. It was evident at the site visit that walls and gates have already been installed, which would appear to be different to those shown on the proposed drawings. In any event, this decision is based on the proposed drawings and description of development for which the appellant applied. Main Issue 3. The effect of the walls and gates on the character and appearance of the area. Reasons 4. The site is the entrance to a recent development of bungalows on Fordham Moor, a narrow lane that leads from the village of Fordham into open fields immediately beyond the site.

Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX — East Cambridgeshire District Council — Appeal Decision The walls are in flint render with brickwork quoins and copings, like those of houses further along the lane and elsewhere within the village. The gates presently on site appear to be of powder coated metal and have thick posts containing motors and access controls. 5. Policy ENV 1 of the East Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2015 (ECLP) requires proposals to complement existing development and protect their wider landscape setting. ECLP Policy ENV 2 requires designs to have regard to local context, preserve character, appearance and quality and be of a scale and form which relates sympathetically to the surrounding area. Fordham Neighbourhood Plan (FNP) Policy 2 requires proposals to respond to characteristics of the area. 6. Whilst the walls are in materials found elsewhere in the village and wider area, they appear unusual as a boundary treatment in this location and would remain so, even at the reduced height proposed. This is exacerbated by their juxtaposition adjacent to open fields, from which they appear as an uncharacteristic feature.

Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX — East Cambridgeshire District Council — Appeal Decision Whilst they complement the materials of existing development, they harm their landscape setting, fail to have regard to the totality of the local context and do not https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX — East Cambridgeshire District Council — Appeal Decision Whilst they complement the materials of existing development, they harm their landscape setting, fail to have regard to the totality of the local context and do not https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX — East Cambridgeshire District Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/V0510/W/24/3355673 relate sympathetically to the surrounding area. These are harms, contrary to ECLP Policies ENV 1 and ENV 2 and FNP Policy 2. 7. Whilst both the form and the materials of the proposed gates are acceptable as characteristic of the area, it is not clear that they would be freestanding. Indeed, it appears that they would be hung from the walls and therefore not severable from the rest of the proposed development. Other Matters 8. I acknowledge that, if the walls were set further back from the highway, they may be permitted development. However, their height in proximity to the lane causes at least part of their impact to its character and that of the wider landscape, so I attach limited weight to this as a material consideration. Conclusion 9. The proposal would appear out of keeping in this location and harm its landscape setting, contrary to the development plan. This is not outweighed by other material considerations, including the potential fall-back of setting the walls further back from the road, and so the appeal is dismissed.

Land at the entrance of Arthurs Way, Fordham, CB7 5LX — East Cambridgeshire District Council — S Simms INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2