Stapleford planning news

Question mark about next steps for new 120 homes in Great Shelford and Stapleford

Could the 120 homes proposed for land behind Hinton Way and Mingle Lane be blocked?

The new Draft Local Plan has been made available for consultation on December 1 2025.

The land between Hinton Way and Mingle Lane, on which it has been proposed that 120 homes be built, is no longer marked for removal from the Green Belt. This is expected to weaken the case for development.

The 2025 Draft Local Plan is here:

https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/local-plan

The Policies Map is here:

https://consultations.greatercambridgeplanning.org/draft-greater-cambridge-local-plan-consultation/policies-map

If you zoom in you can see that the land on which the development has been proposed is now included the Green Belt

Within the Rural Southern Cluster there are several large new site allocations(Spicer's site, Hinxton, Babraham) which provide sufficient housing without the need to remove Green Belt between Great Shelford and Stapleford.

For reference, the 2021 Local Plan had identified the land between Hinton Way and Mingle Lane under Policy S/RSC/HW:

https://consultations.greatercambridgeplanning.org/greater-cambridge-local-plan-first-proposals/greater-cambridge-2041/rural-southern-cluster/policy-1

Posted Dec 1 2025

Stapleford planning news

More than 100 new homes come a step closer

Proposals for up to 120 new homes off Mingle Lane in Stapleford and Hinton Way in Great Shelford have been made public.

120 homes and open green and play spaces are now planned. Half the homes would be affordable with the majority being three bedroom homes. Six bungalows are proposed.

"It is expected that the Site will be served by a simple priority-controlled junction on the northern side of Mingle Lane, with access provided by the strip of land between properties no.27 and no.31," the consultation document stated.

"Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to utilise the main vehicular access from Mingle Lane as well as an existing link that is currently situated between properties no.42 and no.44 on the eastern side of Hinton Way."

The consultation leadflet can be read here.

Approximately 40% of the land will be designated as green space. Although 120 homes would normally require 0.6 hectares of open space, this proposal includes 1.84 hectares.

Carter Jonas Planning is preparing an outline planning application on behalf of The Hill Group and Nightingale Land for a residential development of up to 120 new homes.

The scheme would also include open space and play areas.

A special public session was held on Nov 15 by Hill Group and Carter Jonas.

An outline planning application is expected to be submitted soon.

Posted Nov 28 2025

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Stapleford Planning news

Stapleford and Shelford Neighbourhood Plan verdict

Villagers have given a big thumbs up to the proposed Neighbourhood Plan for Stapleford and Great Shelford.

Of the people that voted, 95% said yes on a turnout of 25%, which the returning officer said was very respectable for a neighbourhood plan area of our size (i.e. large).

1189 people voted "yes" and 62 voted "no". The turnout was 24.87%.

Our neighbourhood plan will be officially 'made' (i.e. adopted) at SCDC's full Council meeting on 2nd October.

Posted September 22 2025

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

Neighbourhood planning is a way for communities to take a proactive approach to deciding the future of the places where they live and work and help protect the character of their area. Communities can use a Neighbourhood Plan to help shape the future development and use of land in their neighbourhood reflecting their local pride. This includes the development of homes, green spaces, amenities and infrastructure.

Nearly 1,500 neighbourhood plans have so far been adopted in England. Nine of these are in South Cambridgeshire.

Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan is at its final stage

South Cambridgeshire District Council has agreed that the Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan can proceed to a community referendum. This is the final stage of the Neighbourhood Plan process, and it is now up to residents to vote on whether you would like the Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan to come into force.

What am I voting for?

You are voting whether you think the proposed Neighbourhood Plan should become reality. If you think the character of Stapleford should be protected, vote yes. If you don't care about the character, vote no. If I lives in Stapleford, I would vote yes for the Plan.

Arrangements for our community referendum

The referendum will take place on 4 September 2025. Everyone aged 18 and over who is registered and entitled to vote in local elections and lives in either the parish of Stapleford or Great Shelford can vote. Voting may be done in person (with ID), by post or by proxy. In-person voting will take place between 7am and 10pm at:

Stapleford residents: Sheltered Housing Communal Building, Cox’s Close (off Church St), Stapleford, CB22 5SP
Great Shelford residents: Memorial Hall, Woollards Lane, Great Shelford, CB22 5LZ.

Look out for your polling card for more details.

A simple yes/no vote

If you choose to vote, you will be asked the following question:

Do you want South Cambridgeshire District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Stapleford and Great Shelford to help decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

You will be able to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’. If more people vote ‘yes’ than ‘no’, then South Cambs Council will adopt the Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan and it will become part of the development plan for South Cambridgeshire. Our Neighbourhood Plan will be used when making decisions on all planning applications in our area. If more people vote ‘no’ than ‘yes’ in the referendum, then planning applications will be decided without regard to our Neighbourhood Plan.

How can I find out more about the Neighbourhood Plan?

You can view the Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documents on South Cambs Council’s website at https://bit.ly/4lyPrkE.

Why have a Neighbourhood Plan?

We can't stop development coming to our area but - if or when it does - a Neighbourhood Plan is our best way to shape it in line with our community's expressed needs and priorities.

What you told the Plan organisers is important to you about our villages has been turned into 20 new planning policies covering housing, green spaces, countryside access, amenities and infrastructure. The new policies will protect, enhance and improve these aspects of life in our villages, now and for future generations.

Cumulatively, they offer: a blueprint for the affordability, type, size and look of new housing; sustainability and biodiversity standards for new development; protections for our rural landscape; and proposals for new countryside routes.

Benefits of a Neighbourhood Plan

Neighbourhood planning enables communities to play a much stronger role in shaping the areas in which they live and work and in supporting new development proposals.

A Neighbourhood Plan gives a local community power to decide the future of their area, setting out where new homes, shops, and offices should go, and how they should look, while also protecting green spaces and local character. It allows communities to shape development to meet their specific needs, offering more specific, local planning policies that complement the wider local authority's plans and grant legal weight to community-driven development proposals.

The plan can identify and protect important local green spaces, ensuring they remain for community benefit.

They are a testament to the principle that local people should not simply be told how their community will look by central Government, but be empowered to shape the future of the places they call home.

A plan creates a shared vision for the neighbourhood's future, setting objectives for development over the next 5 to 20 years.

They are optional but can be used to show how a community wants land to be used and developed in its area.

There is also a potential financial benefit. The UK government's Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge developers may pay to help fund infrastructure. If we have a Neighbourhood Plan in place, we will receive a higher percentage of CIL revenue—25% instead of 15%—from developments in our area. This money can then be spent on local priorities identified in the Plan.

Downsides of a Neighbourhood Plan

Downsides of Neighbourhood Plans include the extensive time, resources, and commitment required for their creation, which can be a significant burden on communities. There's a risk of creating plans that don't satisfy everyone.

What difference will a Neighbourhood Plan make?

A Neighbourhood Plan is not about preventing all development, but rather about guiding and shaping it in a way that benefits the community and aligns with South Cambs Council’s broader strategic goals.

Why should I vote?

Voting in a neighbourhood plan referendum allows you to directly influence the future of your local area, impacting decisions on everything from new housing to local infrastructure. Your vote decides if the neighbourhood plan is officially adopted and used to guide planning decisions in your community.

A majority 'no' vote on 4 Sept would mean that our Neighbourhood Plan would be disregarded in all planning decisions in our area.

David Martin

Posted August 26 2025