A five-and-a-half-acre site at Fordham – that East Cambridgeshire District Council tried to stop from development – has been sold off a £2m asking price for 52 homes to be built there.

%image(15918579, type="article-full", alt="Jonathan Stiff, Director at Cheffins in Ely said of Fordham land sale: “By advising the landowners throughout the whole process, we maximised the value of the land and ensured that it reached its full potential." Picture; CHEFFINS")

The sale was handled by Cheffins of Ely who did not reveal the final purchase price by Newcastle upon Tyne based Ashberry Homes.

The 5.58-acre site is on Soham Road and won planning permission following a successful appeal.

“We advised the landowners from the inception of the scheme,” said Cheffins director Jonathan Stiff.

This included appointing Endurance Estates who secured the planning permission, through to marketing the site and negotiating a sale of it to Ashberry Homes.

%image(15918580, type="article-full", alt="Jonathan Stiff, Director at Cheffins in Ely said of Fordham land sale: “By advising the landowners throughout the whole process, we maximised the value of the land and ensured that it reached its full potential." Picture; CHEFFINS")

Mr Swift said the land market for housing has “bounced back after lockdown and this site generated interest from developers from across the UK”.

Phil Standen, regional managing director of Ashberry Homes, said the site will include 40 per cent affordable housing as well as open spaces and a play area.

It is also subject to a section 106 which secures monies for infrastructure including £37,680 towards improvements to the A142/A1123/ Fordham roundabout.

In allowing the appeal the planning inspector noted at the time of the appeal – October 2018 – that East Cambs Council was unable to show it had a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites.

He ruled that the framework for new housing “sets out the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

“For decision making this means that where policies are out of date, permission will be granted unless any adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”

He felt there would be limited negative effect on the area’s character and appearance.”

The inspector said any other “potentially adverse effects” would be overcome or satisfactorily mitigated by planning conditions. he also gave weight to the affordable homes to be built there.

“Given the severe shortfall in housing and the chronic shortage of affordable homes, this is a significant social benefit carrying very substantial weight,” he said.