An application to construct an additional 1,000 homes at Cambridge's Darwin Green development has been granted to a developer.

The Environment Agency had objected to the outline proposal for the subsequent stages of the development.It said that because there were issues with providing water to the homes, the project shouldn't move forward.

The developers countered that there was time to work out any problems because the new homes weren't expected to be constructed for a few years.

The outline planning application proposed to build up to 1,000 homes, a new primary school, secondary school, shops, community facilities and a country park.

An inquiry was held in January to hear arguments from both sides, and the government announced on Wednesday that it would allow the appeal and grant planning permission.

The decision report said it did agree "abstraction pressure is contributing to ecological deterioration." However, it also said there was "insufficient evidence" to show that this development alone would contribute to it.

It acknowledged it would "cumulatively add to any existing pressure on the ecology of surface waterbodies.”

The inspector said a new water resources management plan would “offer a viable solution to the issues of water supply to the appeal development”.

On behalf of Secretary of State Angela Rayner MP, Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Building Safety and Homelessness, then accepted the plans.

The Secretary of State had "carefully considered" the effects of the development on the water supply and agreed with the inspector's findings, according to the government-published letter.

A challenge to the Secretary of State's decision may be made within six weeks by filing an application with the High Court.