Morden Farm 32 Trap Road Guilden Morden Cambridgeshire SG8 0JE

1. 1.The site sits in the vicinity of suitable foraging and commuting habitat for protected species such as bats. No ecological surveys by qualified ecologists have been provided to assess the impact of the proposal on protected species, which have a reasonable likelihood of being affected by the development. As such, it is impossible to conclude that the location and siting of the building is not impractical or undesirable for a change of use from agricultural to C3 use, as set out in Class Q2. (1) (e).
2. 2.Owing to the close proximity of the proposed dwelling to the existing dwelling at Morden Farm, the amenities of the proposed dwelling and future occupiers would be detrimentally harmed through loss of privacy and overlooking of outdoor amenity space from existing ground and first floor windows. In addition, the amenities of the occupiers of Morden Farm would be detrimentally affected by loss of privacy through interlooking of windows to habitable rooms and over amenity space. As such the location and siting of the proposed dwelling is undesirable and does not accord with Class Q2. (1) (e).
3. 3.The General Permitted Development Order (GPDO), Class Q requires a prior approval application to be submitted before any development begins. Applications for Prior Approval cannot be made retrospectively. If works have already started without obtaining Class Q prior approval, the development cannot be regularised under Class Q permitted development rights and may be treated as unauthorised development, potentially leading to enforcement action or the need for a full planning application instead. The works required to facilitate the conversion of the barns under Class Q appear to have been substantially completed some time ago, externally at least, with the remaining works comprising the insertion of an upper floor and associated roof windows in the largest of the barns, and the replacement of a casement window with a door with glazed side panels. Subsequently, it is considered that the proposal would not sufficiently accord with the provisions of Class Q.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

SG8 0JE

Application type

Prior Approval

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Guilden Morden CP

District

South Cambridgeshire District Council

Date validated

29 December 2025

Last date for comments

10 February 2026

Target decision date

23 February 2026

Agent

Cantab Design Ltd

Architect profile

CANTAB DESIGN LTD

Agent address

184 East Road Cambridge CB1 1BG

Statutory period

56 days

Site notice start

20 January 2026

Documents

24