Concerns over daylight quash flats plan for former South Cambridgeshire opticians

A developer’s proposals to turn a former Swavesey opticians into six flats has been refused over concerns that not enough natural light would reach the rooms.

South Cambridgeshire District Council decided the flats would offer a “poor standard of living conditions”.

Ben Feldman applied to convert the former opticians in Station Road into six flats, following the refusal of previous proposals earlier this year.

In his latest application, Mr Feldman said he had addressed the concerns raised about the lack of information around transport and the concerns about daylight in the homes.

He submitted a light assessment which said the flats would have “good windows” and the amount of daylight to all rooms exceeded good practice guidelines and planning requirements.

Council officers raised concerns about the calculations for several of the units and said the assessment did not take into account any obstructions. They noted, for example, a window to the front of one flat would be “completely obscured” by a staircase - but the report did not state this.

Their report said: “It is considered that there would be inadequate levels of natural light to the living/dining/kitchen area of unit two on the ground floor as well as inadequate levels of natural light to the living/dining/kitchen area of unit three on the ground floor.

“There would also be inadequate levels of natural light to the bedroom of unit six on the first floor.

“A light assessment has been provided, however, the assessment is insufficient in proving that there would be the provision of light in all habitable rooms.”

The authority turned down the application.