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Cagmans Farm High Road Great Finborough Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 3AP

DC/24/04103Full Planning ApplicationRefused
Full

Refused on 25 November 2024

Delegated (officer decision)3 reasons for refusal

Approximate site (title boundary)
Boundary © HM Land Registry, © Ordnance Survey · details

This information is subject to Crown copyright and database rights 2026 and is reproduced with the permission of HM Land Registry. The polygons (including the associated geometry, namely x, y co-ordinates) are subject to Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey AC0000851063. Conditions of use.

Proposal

Full Planning Application - Change of Use of agricultural land and construction of access and hardstanding (retention of).

Received
16 September 2024
Decision level
Delegated (officer decision)
Public comments
13
Ward
Onehouse
Agent
Phil Cobbold Planning Ltd
  1. Received16 Sep
  2. Validated19 Sep
  3. Consult.12 Nov
  4. Target18 Nov
  5. Decided25 Nov

Decided in 67 days (council typically 49)

About this application

This is a full planning application for a change of use at Cagmans Farm High Road Great Finborough Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 3AP. Babergh Mid Suffolk has handled 5,907 applications of this type. This one was decided in 70 days, 3 weeks longer than Babergh Mid Suffolk's typical decision time. There have been 2 other applications at this address. In the past year there have been 29 applications across Onehouse. We hold 1,277 applications in total for the IP14 postcode area.

90% of full applications at Babergh District Council were approved. Across all application types, the council typically decides in about 7 weeks (median).

Based on decided applications received in the last 3 years.Planning something similar? See what gets approved on your street

Why it was refused

  1. The proposal represents new commercial development in the countryside. The proposed development is not within the strategic transport corridor and therefore, it does not fall within the criteria of policy SP05 of the Joint Local Plan. Consequently, the proposal is also contrary to policy SP03 which restricts development in countryside locations. There has also been no justification provided which explains the need for the development in this location and therefore, the proposal is considered unacceptable in principle. The proposal is contrary to JLP policies SP03 and SP05; and is not considered to represent sustainable development when assessed against the provisions of the NPPF, taken as a whole.
  2. The application site contributes to the surrounding area's rural, green character. The proposed hardstanding would result in an excessively large parcel of undeveloped grassland being lost; this resurfacing would not conserve or enhance landscape character, nor does it integrate with the existing landscape or reinforce local distinctiveness. The proposed use of fencing to surround the hardstanding, as well as the HGV vehicle parking, would further erode the intrinsic character of this countryside location. No justified reasoning for the hardstanding, fencing or vehicle parking has been provided. The proposal for these reasons would unacceptably and unjustifiably impact the rural landscape character in this location and would fail to delivery high quality design, contrary to the aims of policies LP17 and LP24 of the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan.
  3. Policy LP16 of the Joint Local Plan specifically requires all development proposals 'to identify and pursue opportunities for securing measurable net gains, equivalent of a minimum 10% increase in biodiversity'. The biodiversity metric submitted with the application is insufficient and further information regarding degradation is required. This has not been provided by the applicant and therefore, there is insufficient information within the submitted documents to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements set out within policy LP16. Therefore, the proposal is considered unacceptable in this regard. SUMMARY OF POLICIES WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO THE DECISION: NPPF - National Planning Policy Framework SP03 - The sustainable location of new development SP09 - Enhancement and Management of the Environment SP10 - Climate Change LP15 - Environmental Protection and Conservation LP16 - Biodiversity & Geodiversity LP17 - Landscape LP23 - Sustainable Construction and Design LP24 - Design and Residential Amenity LP29 - Safe, Sustainable and Active Transport SP05 - Employment Land LP26 - Water resources and infrastructure

From the council's decision notice.

Application details

Postcode
IP14 3AP
Application type
Full Planning Application
Scale / size
Medium
Parish
Great Finborough

Planning application dates

Date validated
19 September 2024
Consultation expiry
12 November 2024
Consultation start
29 October 2024
Consultation end
12 November 2024
Neighbour consultation start
20 September 2024
Neighbour consultation end
11 October 2024
Last date for comments
12 November 2024
Target decision date
18 November 2024

Applicant and agent

Agent
Phil Cobbold Planning Ltd
Agent address
42 Beatrice Avenue Felixstowe IP11 9HB United Kingdom

Planning decision

Statutory period
60 days

Publicity

Last advertised
2 October 2024
Advertisement expiry
23 October 2024
Site notice start
23 September 2024
Site notice end
14 October 2024

Appeal

Appeal reference
AP/24/00124
Appeal status
Appeal lodged

Appeal history

3356460
Dismissed
Type: Planning AppealProcedure: Written RepresentationsDecision: 16 March 2026Dev Type: Change of useReason: Refusal

Additional information

Planning Portal ID
PP-13406589
Documents
26
Constraints
6

Site constraints

Checking the site
2/3
Council recordsAppealsFlood risk

Designations that overlap or adjoin the site outline.

  • Flood zone 1: Low probability (rivers and sea)

Not published by this council, so not checked: Article 4 directions and tree preservation orders. Ask the council if these matter.

Also checked, none recorded (22)

flood storage areas, conservation areas, listed buildings, green belt, scheduled monuments, World Heritage Sites, World Heritage Site buffer zones, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields, Heritage at Risk entries, nutrient neutrality catchments, national parks, National Landscapes, SSSIs, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Ramsar sites, ancient woodland, national nature reserves, local nature reserves, heritage coasts and brownfield registers.

A guide only, from official open data; it is not a planning search. Flood zones cover rivers and sea, not surface water.

Data © Crown copyright and others · sources and licences

Contains public sector information from planning.data.gov.uk (MHCLG and local planning authorities), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The Historic England GIS Data contained in this material was obtained on 2026-11-03. The most publicly available up to date Historic England GIS Data can be obtained from HistoricEngland.org.uk.

© Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

© Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2026. All rights reserved. Flood Map for Planning, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source: Babergh Mid Suffolk

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