Plans for a 5,100 home scheme in Cambridgeshire have been thrown out by the Department of Communities and Local Government
Brookfield, which acquired the project following its takeover of Multiplex last year, has been refused permission for the development near Stretham off the A10 in Cambridgeshire.
The scheme, on a 1,687-acre site which included the homes, a 490,000 sq ft office park and an 80,000 sq ft shopping centre - was thrown out in January 2006 by East Cambridgeshire council.
A public inquiry followed and the DCLG last week refused an appeal on the grounds it was ‘not in accordance with the development plan and the proposal has substantial deficiencies in terms of its failure to meet the locational policy set out in the East of England Plan.’
The report also said that, although secretary of state Hazel Blears ‘recognises that, on the basis of available evidence, there appears to be a minor housing shortfall in the CSR region’ she did not ‘consider this shortfall significant so as to justify permitting the appeal proposals.’
The report also said the ‘settlement would also clearly result in a physical change to the local landscape and, even with the proposed mitigation measures, the visual impact of the proposed development would be significant and with the additional traffic, there is bound to be some adverse environmental impact from the proposed development on other villages.’
