A developer has been blocked from building a new ‘eco home’ near Soham after their appeal was dismissed.

Roseann Allum had proposed to build a new “single-storey highly efficient eco home” on a former campsite behind an existing bungalow in Eye Hill Drove.

East Cambridgeshire District Council refused to give permission for the new home to be built in the countryside.

The developer therefore appealed to the planning inspectorate to try and overturn this decision.

The home was proposed to include four bedrooms, a double garage, a games room, an open plan kitchen and dining area, as well as a living room, ensuites, and a gym.

To keep the building single-storey, the games room and garage were proposed to be underground.

The developer listed some of the ecological and sustainable features that wanted to include in the new home, such as a wind turbine, solar panels, an air source heat pump, a rainwater harvesting system, high levels of insulation, triple glazed windows, and an electric car charging point.

They also said sustainable and carbon neutral building materials would be used where possible and a pond would be created to improve biodiversity.

The plans said: “All of the proposed technologies combined will ensure the proposed development is future proof and will not only enhance the area, but also promote sustainable design in the area.

“With the recent droughts and extreme temperatures the UK has experienced lately it is vital that one off homes like this are proposed to champion and highlight how these technologies can be used to combat these results of climate change.”

However, the district council opposed the development of the new eco home in the countryside.

The authority said: “It is not of exceptional quality and would not fit within the overall form and layout of its surroundings.

“The design is not considered to be truly outstanding and accordingly fails to reflect the highest standards in architecture.”

The district council added that the lack of public transport, or any pathways and cycleways to link the site to Soham meant it was an “unsustainable location” for a new home.

The planning inspector who considered the application after the developer appealed ultimately sided with the district council.

The inspector said the new home would be car dependent and would not be a suitable location to build a new home.