Object

Representation ID: 6917

Received: 15/09/2021

Respondent: Mrs Tina Mills

Manor Farm Site 455
When looking at the spatial approach to locating new development, the proposed site at Manor Farm would be located within close proximity to St Neots. Given the scale of the proposed development there would a potential coalescence to the existing settlement of St Neots. Spatially, this would be contrary to the Council’s adopted Local Plan which seeks to prevent coalescence of settlements. In addition, policy 37 of the Council’s adopted Local Plan makes clear that developments need to ‘Protect the landscape setting and contribute to maintaining the individual and distinct character, and separate identities of settlements by preventing coalescence…’.
In highways terms, it has been identified previously that Parish of Staploe is rural in character, with most of the road network narrow and single track. The inclusion of 300 homes would require significant infrastructure interventions, including the substantial widening of existing roads and junctions, which would lead to an urbanised appearance in what is a tranquil and idyllic countryside setting.
The landscape setting for the Parish of Staploe is one of a rural character, containing small hamlets, interspersed agricultural buildings, small holdings and arable agricultural land. As mentioned above, the roads are narrow and winding, and contribute to the rural setting.