South Cambridgeshire District Council has been partially overruled by a government planning inspector who has allowed extra mobile homes at Southgate Caravan Park, off Fen Road, to remain following an appeal by the site owner.
Background to the enforcement action
Planning permission granted in 2008 authorised 24 mobile homes and two chalets for occupation by Travellers at the site. In February this year the council issued an enforcement notice, alleging that additional mobile homes had been sited and that some units had been subdivided, creating further separate residences without planning permission.
What the appeal covered
The site owner, Amos Webb, appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. A hearing was held on 14 July, at which several points were considered including the number and use of units on site, the apparent subdivision of some mobile homes into multiple residences, and whether the council’s ability to take enforcement action was now time-barred for particular units.
- Inspector M Madge found insufficient evidence to show that only people identifying as Gypsies or Travellers had occupied some pitches.
- Two mobile buildings were accepted as having been in place for at least ten years without significant interruption, meaning enforcement action on those structures was no longer possible.
- A structure the council described as an "additional unit of accommodation" was instead identified by the inspector as a garage in aerial imagery dating back to at least April 2015.
Inspector's findings on disputed units
The inspector noted uncertainty over the purpose of one particular mobile home. The written decision says that while it is not clear what the unit is used for, it appears to contain facilities that could support day-to-day domestic living.
"not clear what purpose this mobile home serves" and "it would not be unreasonable to conclude it contains all the required facilities for day-to-day domestic existence"
Some larger mobile homes on the site were alleged by the council to have been subdivided into separate households. The inspector examined the evidence, including aerial photographs and the occupation history, in reaching conclusions about which units could be subject to enforcement.
Local implications
The decision means at least some of the additional units at Southgate Caravan Park may remain occupied. For the council, the outcome will raise questions about the robustness of the evidence used when issuing enforcement notices and about the practical challenge of enforcing planning controls where long-running occupation can establish time limits on action.
| Item | Inspector's finding |
|---|---|
| Units present for 10+ years | Enforcement time-bar accepted for two buildings |
| Alleged additional accommodation | Found to be a garage in historic aerial photos |
| Units of uncertain use | May contain facilities for domestic living; not clearly defined |
Councillors and local residents concerned about planning breaches and the character of Traveller sites locally will be watching closely to see how the council responds to the inspector's findings. The case highlights tensions between protecting authorised site capacity, enforcing planning controls and recognising long-term occupation.
South Cambridgeshire District Council and the Planning Inspectorate hold the detailed decision and reasons in the appeal record. Any further enforcement steps would be subject to the remedies available within the planning system and the specific terms of the inspector's determination.
