The Planning Inspectorate process
What happened at the planning committee meeting on 12 February when the Beehive plans were discussed? Here’s our summary of what we expect to happen next.
The application was heard and a ‘minded to refuse’ decision was given unanimously by Councillors at the Planning Committee meeting on 12 February 2025.
Just before that meeting commenced, we learnt that the Secretary of State (SoS) had called-in the Beehive Centre application, much to our surprise and disappointment. The call-in letter and email can be found on the planning portal.
We have made a Freedom of Information request.
This means that the application will go to appeal and a review and judgement made by a planning inspector. That judgement will be taken into consideration when the SoS makes her final decision.
The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is now ultimately responsible for managing the appeal. Any further input into the process will be through them. Full details of the PINS case handling officer and Inspector will be made known shortly.
Anyone who wrote in on the application will be notified by the council of the impending appeal, the process involved and how to engage.
It is anticipated that the inquiry itself will likely commence in the summer with a decision made by SoS by autumn. The City Council/Greater Cambridge Shared Planning will be in touch in due course to advise further.
Important, and urgent! Do you live on St Matthew's Gardens and your home backs onto the Beehive site? Can you help daylight and sunlight reporting and having someone check your rooms and garden for light measurements? Drop Better Beehive Cambridge an email via the contact page, and we'll connect you to the surveyor.