The South Cambridgeshire District Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on 8 October 2025 to discuss planning applications and general enforcement items. The committee will consider applications for a change of use at Fowlmere and Thriplow United Reformed Church and for the retrospective change of use of land near Church End, Arrington. The committee will also receive a compliance report and a report on appeals against planning decisions and enforcement action.

Planning Applications

Fowlmere and Thriplow United Reformed Church

The committee is scheduled to discuss an application for a change of use at Fowlmere and Thriplow United Reformed Church, 2 Chapel Lane, Fowlmere. The application seeks permission for a change of use from Class F1 (place of worship) to a sui generis¹ use comprising Classes F1 and F2. This would allow the building to be used more flexibly as a community facility.

The existing the building has been used as a place of worship, whilst hosting the village playgroup and the occasional community-based activity such as a polling station as part of the existing F1 use. Whilst, the existing use of the building allows some community use activities to take place in the building, following the decline of the congregation, the opportunity has come forward for the Parish Council to expand the use of the building for further community uses with F2 use.

The report notes that the building is a registered community asset, and that the proposal would prioritise sustainable transport methods and local connections to the site, rather than introducing additional car parking provision. The applicant has also produced a noise management strategy.

The Planning Committee will consider the application with regard to the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2018), in particular policies S/7, S/10, HQ/1, NH/2, NH/14, SC/3, SC/10, TI/2 and TI/3.

Land West of Church End, Arrington

The Planning Committee is scheduled to discuss a retrospective application for the change of use of land to leisure and tourism near Church End in Arrington. The application also includes the siting of 4 temporary buildings, 1 portable horse trailer bar, 6 afternoon tea pods, and the provision of hardstanding.

The applicant, Highland Cow Cottage Limited, is seeking permission for a sui generis use to support a highland cow petting farm enterprise.

The report notes that customer car parking is located at The Hardwicke Arms, approximately 650 metres from the application site. A Public Right of Way (PRoW) runs across the site.

The Planning Committee will consider the application with regard to the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2018), in particular policies S/1, S/2, S/3, S/4, S/5, CC/6, CC/7, CC/8, CC/9, HQ/1, NH/2, NH/3, NH/4, NH/14, E/16, E/18, E/19, SC/9, SC/10, TI/2, TI/3 and TI/8.

General and Enforcement Items

Compliance Report

The Planning Committee is scheduled to receive a compliance report. As of 1 October 2025, there were 436 open compliance cases in South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City, with 279 of these cases specifically in South Cambridgeshire. Since 1 January 2025, the compliance team has received 528 referrals. Councillors receive weekly electronic updates detailing opened and closed cases in their respective areas, including case reference numbers, location, case officer, and the nature of the reported problem.

The report also provides updates on service delivery, including staffing changes within the Planning Compliance Team, which is part of the Development Management service of the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service². Oscar Langford is on secondment with the Development Management Team until April 2026.

The report outlines the case priorities:

• High priority (Priority A): Cases involving irreversible or irreplaceable work, such as damage to listed buildings or protected trees, are investigated within 1 working day.
• Medium priority (Priority B): Cases involving activities that have or can cause harm, such as adverse effects on conservation areas or breaches of conditions, are investigated within 10 working days.
• Low priority (Priority C): Cases involving development that may cause some harm but could be made acceptable by implementing conditions or simple correction action are investigated within 20 working days.

Appendix 1 of the report lists public enforcement notices served in September, July and June 2025.

Appendix 2 provides caseload statistics for both South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council.

Appeals Against Planning Decisions and Enforcement Action

The Planning Committee will note the current appeals, decisions, and local inquiry dates, as detailed in the Appeals Report.