Buckden Land Ltd has lost its fight to try and build a new business park next to the A14.

A planning inspector said the development would “undermine the restoration efforts” to integrate the A14 back into the wider landscape.

Buckden Land Ltd, had wanted to build 15 new business units on land off Buckden Road, south of Brampton.

The company said the new business park would offer space for small and medium businesses and would provide “high quality, much needed industrial estate”.

The appeal was lodged by the developer due to non-determination by Huntingdonshire District Council, as the authority did not make a decision on the application in the required time period.

After the appeal was launched the district council set out a number of reasons as to why it did not support the development, including questioning whether the development is needed, and the impact on the landscape and character of the area.

The planning inspector recognised the developer had claimed there was a “strong demand” for small and medium business units in the area.

However, they said there was little objective data provided as evidence for this, aside from “anecdotal accounts” of new developments being occupied quickly.

They said: “The evidence before me is not persuasive of a significant unmet need for smaller commercial and/or industrial development that the [local plan] is failing to deliver, but I accept that there is demand in the area and the development would not be entirely speculative.

“As such, it would contribute towards the economic growth of the area by providing additional, modern facilities for new and existing businesses.

“In that respect, I afford moderate weight to the delivery of additional employment-generating facilities.”

The planning inspector did raise concerns about how the development would impact the landscape.

They said the new business park would become a “conspicuous block of development” alongside the A14 which would “draw the eye” of thousands of drivers every day.

The inspector said the development would “undermine the restoration efforts” being made to integrate the A14 into the landscape.

They said: “I acknowledge that industrial estates are often found alongside major roads, but there is little established development along the A14 road corridor in either direction, with drivers experiencing an overwhelmingly rural character to either side of the road.

“The site contributes to this green border to the A14 and is physically and visually connected to the Great Ouse Valley as one travels south-east along the road.

“In that context, and absent confidence that effective screening could be provided, the proposal would introduce an uncharacteristic urbanising form of development, not related visually or functionally to the countryside, that would stand out as an isolated and conspicuous feature in the rural landscape.”

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The planning inspector concluded that they did not believe the economic benefits of the development would be enough to outweigh the harm it could cause, and therefore dismissed the appeal.