Plans to expand an industrial park in Huntingdon have been branded as “cramped” and have been refused. 

The application had proposed to build new industrial units to create space for start-up businesses in the area. 

The developer said they were ‘frustrated’ at the planning process after new information they sent to Huntingdonshire District Council in the summer to address flooding concerns was not considered. 

One councillor said the plans were a “casualty” of the authority’s policy not to accept amendments on planning applications. 

Proposals had been put forward by the applicant Martin Coulson to build 11 new business units in the Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate on land to the north of Latham Road. 

The site had previously been used as an overflow car park. 

The 11 units were proposed to be split across two main blocks that would face inward to the site with car parking in the middle. 

Huntingdon Town Council had voiced its support for the expansion saying the new units would “bring valuable employment to Huntingdon”. 

However, planning officers at the district council had recommended for the application to be refused due to concerns about the design and because incorrect rainfall data had been used to model the potential flood risk. 

The officer report said: “By virtue of the design, scale and separation distances of the two blocks, the dominance of car parking and hardstanding with limited soft landscaping, the proposal is considered to represent a cramped form of development and of poor design that would result in visual harm to the site and would be uncharacteristic of the surrounding area.” 

At a meeting of the district council’s development management committee this week (October 16), Mr Coulson said the new buildings would bring “real benefits for Huntingdon” by creating new jobs and space for start-up businesses. 

He said he was ‘frustrated’ by the length of time the planning process had taken, highlighting that the district council had accepted the application back in February. 

Mr Coulson also said a revised flood assessment had been submitted to the district council in the summer using new data to address the concerns that incorrect data had been used. 

However, he said this was not dealt with by planners. 

He said: “This scheme will be surrounded on three sides by woodland and greenery, which equates to 33 per cent of the site area. 

“This provides a pleasant working environment and screens the buildings from surrounding roads. 

“This is an industrial area, the layout is not uncharacteristic of the surrounding area. 

“We provide affordable units for local people using an optimum design and layout that is well received by industry professionals, tenants and visitors. 

“The application is for much needed small scale, sustainable development using a previously approved successful design layout that complies with recognised and measurable guidelines. 

“This site will provide local business opportunities, employment and council additional revenue.” 

Officers highlighted that the district council currently has a policy not to accept amendments for planning applications and said this would have been why the data was not passed on. 

Cllr Lara Davenport-Ray said the decision by the authority not to accept amendments had made it more “efficient”, but said this application was a “casualty” of that decision. 

Cllr Sam Wakeford said he could see there was potentially an application for industrial units on the land that would be able to secure the authority’s approval, but said he was “struggling” to see how he could support the current proposals in “good faith”. 

Cllr Eric Butler said the design of the proposed industrial units was ‘not to his liking’, and raised concerns about the shared parking in the middle of the site, suggesting it could be “mayhem” when all the units were occupied. 

When the decision on the application was put to a vote, the committee councillors voted unanimously in favour to refuse the plans.