Plans to demolish a four-bedroom family home in Histon to build four new properties on the site have been approved. The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service has now given the green light to the scheme at 122, Cottenham Road.
The plans were originally submitted last autumn, and revised versions returned to H&I Parish Council’s planning committee earlier in the spring.
Documents supporting the proposals explained the 1960s chalet-style bungalow had been owned by the same family for 70 years. Once demolished, one five-bed, two four-bed and one three-bed home will be built on the site. A “shared access lane” will be created for the development.
Design
Referring to the two proposed homes facing Cottenham Road, the development’s architect Craft_Atelier explains the designs have been considered to “respond directly to the established built character of the village” and “reinterpreted through a contemporary lens”.
Meanwhile, the two rear homes that are closer to the neighbouring countryside will “take on a more rural and agricultural aesthetic”.
Speaking after the plans were officially approved, Hugh Craft, from Craft_Atelier, says he feels “the final scheme is considerably stronger as a result of the planning process” and that the Histon & Impington Design Guide was an “invaluable resource in shaping the design.”
Hugh said: “The clients were committed to taking the time to refine the proposals, working closely with the planning authority and responding positively to feedback throughout.”
He added: “The approved scheme creates four homes arranged within a landscape-led masterplan that seeks to preserve views through the site, respect neighbouring properties and strengthen the transition between Cottenham Road and the open countryside beyond.
“Rather than adopting a standard estate layout, the proposals draw on the existing character of Histon and the rural edge of the village to create a place that feels rooted in its setting.”
Approval
One neighbour objected to the proposals, raising concerns about overlooking, the access road serving the site and queried a report relating to trees on the plot. Nevertheless, the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service approved the application on 19 June 2026.
The official decision notice includes 28 conditions which explain works must begin within three years and they must be carried out in accordance with the approved plans. It also lists various requirements that must take place before any development gets underway.
