The barn was previously used for farming

A plan to convert an agricultural barn into seven houses has been refused permission over fears of traffic and highways impacts. A prior approval application was submitted to Peterborough City Council on behalf of Horrell Farm Company to convert St Vincents Cross Farm on Crowland Road into seven houses.

The proposed developments are for the change of use of the eastern building to form seven houses. Each floor space of the proposed houses were proposed to have less than 150sq m. The plans show that five of the seven houses proposed would have two bedrooms, and the other two would have three bedrooms.

The case officer said that the proposal “fails to provide sufficient information” to demonstrate there would not be any highways impacts. The case officer added: “In particular, insufficient detail has been provided to demonstrate that the site curtilage can accommodate adequate car parking and turning, and that vehicles can enter and leave the site safely.

“Furthermore, given the constrained and substandard nature of the existing access track from Wisbech Road, the submitted information fails to demonstrate that vehicles would be able to pass, wait and manoeuvre within the site without queuing back onto and obstructing the public highway.”

Therefore, it was recommended that the prior approval application be refused. In the required amendments, the planning authorities said to “demonstrate a minimum of 16 parking spaces” and show a “safe access route and width from the highway” including for wheeled or vulnerable users.

The site, which has 958sq m of floor space, is currently agricultural and is in flood zone 3, which means there is high risk of flooding. The flood risk assessment for the application said there was no historic evidence of flooding at the site, but increased rain due to climate change could have an impact.