Controversial housing project for Potton rejected after two previous applications withdrawn

Hallam Land Management submitted its latest outline proposals for the housing, open green space and a children’s play area in August on nearly 23 acres of agricultural land.

There were 112 objections to the application, while Potton Town Council opposed the project as the site “wasn’t included in CBC’s Local Plan or its own Neighbourhood Plan” and would represent “an extension of the town into open countryside”.

It also noted: “The land is within the Greensands Ridge nature improvement area and outside the settlement envelope for Potton, views on local footpaths and bridleways would be lost, while the access road would become dangerous for vehicles entering and leaving.”

A planning statement prepared by design and development consultancy Marrons on behalf of the applicant explained: “Hallam Land Management submitted outline applications in 2017 and 2018, both of which were subsequently withdrawn.

“The company has completed further environmental surveys and assessments since then to develop the revised master plan, for which it seeks outline planning permission.

“A fundamental change to the scheme concerns the green infrastructure and landscape-led design now proposed, which seeks to provide a robust, defensible and attractive landscaped edge to the west of Potton.

“This will help deliver recreational routes for walking and cycling, new green infrastructure and landscaping, and the delivery of new habitats central to the Greensands Ridge nature improvement area.

“The scale and extent of development has been reduced from 178 to 125 properties. Built development wouldn’t extend further west than the haulage yard to the south.

“This site is also sustainably located with opportunities to encourage a modal shift to walking, cycling and public transport, proximity to Sandy train station and frequent bus services a particular advantage.”

The properties would be 30 per cent affordable and ten per cent self-build, with seven bungalows included.

In CBC’s notice of refusal, service director development and economy, Andrew Davie said: “The application site is located within the open countryside outside of the settlement envelope for Potton.

“These proposals don’t fall within any of the listed types of development permitted outside settlement envelopes within Local Plan policy. This isn’t representative of controlled, gradual and sustainable growth of the town and creates expansion which conflicts with the development strategy for the area.

“In the absence of a completed legal agreement securing the provision of affordable housing and custom or self-build housing, as well as financial contributions to offset its impact on local infrastructure, the development would have an unmitigated and unacceptable impact on the locality.”

Independent Potton councillor and CBC council leader Adam Zerny expressed his “delight with the decision to turn down the application”, telling the local democracy reporting service: “It’s a real victory for people power and the many residents who opposed this development.

“Potton has seen much housebuilding in recent years and this proposal would have been an inappropriate huge western extension of the town.”