Question 8. How should the Local Plan help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050?

5.4 The increased focus on climate change is welcomed. Climate change policy and good practice is changing quickly, and the plan will need to build in suitable flexibility to accommodate these changes within the lifetime of the new Local Plan. Climate change scenarios predict extensive changes by 2050, much of which is dependent on government and human action so there is substantial uncertainty over outcomes. 5.5 A needlessly stringent policy may inadvertently impede progress towards later years in the plan, or undermine results by not allowing for site-specific refinement. Energy policies should include flexibility for changing legislation, and technology, as well as the opportunity to refine a plan-wide policy for site specifics. As the Zero Carbon Futures Symposium Report (2019) submitted within the evidence base notes on page 10: where targets are too limited, and without consideration of project contexts, policy can drive dysfunctional behaviour such as photovoltaic solar panels being installed on North facing roofs merely to achieve policy compliance not to produce effective carbon reductions. 5.6 If the new Local Plan is to achieve its ambitious targets on climate change the Councils should consider new ways of achieving net zero. It should recognise that seeking to achieve net zero on all sites regardless of their location and site-specific factors may not be feasible. Linked initiatives such as an offsetting scheme, secured through S106 financial contributions, could be an appropriate way of achieving net zero for small and medium developments. As recognised in the NPPF, small and medium developments, with their ability to be delivered early in the plan period at pace, will play an important role in meeting the Councils housing requirements and the needs of existing villages. Such sites may best secure net zero by contributing to an offsite initiative. 5.7 If an offsetting scheme is the preferred mechanism, then the Councils will need to set out a clear, appropriate and practical way to implement this, which will mean identifying strategic off-setting projects with Greater Cambridge, and potentially beyond, in collaboration with other key stakeholders. Any financial obligations towards an offsetting scheme will need to meet the statutory tests and considered in the context of viability. 5.8 Allowing for changing technologies and approaches should also help with viability as technology and approaches improve and are more widely adopted, thereby reducing costs. Escalating targets and policies may be able to accommodate these changes, while providing clarity to developers on the costs of development over time. 5.9 The local plan Sustainability Appraisal (SA) should address variable climate change scenarios, as we would expect that different climate change scenarios will be of interest at examination. Lack of rigorous assessment of these scenarios in the SA could lead to the plan being found unsound.

More sustainable transport. Prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over cars. Improved infrastructure for cycling - bicycle storage and cycleways New developments need to plan for cycle storage and existing developments should allow modifications that encourage cycle storage in a convenient easily accessible place to encourage its use. Keep schools away from major roads Shops, parks and entertainment areas need to be easily accessible by bike

Achieving net zero carbon by 2050 will only be possible if all development is planned with the objective of minimizing car use, in favour of safe, sustainable transport, such as walking, cycling, buses and trains. This must be a primary consideration in all proposals for new build: they must not increase, and if at all possible must decrease, the number of motor vehicles on the roads. Congestion charging in areas of heavy traffic such as Cambridge is an excellent way to reduce car use and should be seriously considered alongside improvements to public transport and cycling and walking infrastructure.

There There is a limit as to how much a Local Plan can achieve (as opposed to legislative or fiscal measures) but we suggest the Plan should concentrate on the following themes: • Locating new residential developments of any scale close to existing and proposed employment areas; • Locating development close to Cambridge and in key village settlements (i.e. Fulbourn); • Locating development in existing and proposed transport corridors; • Encouraging new tree planting in all new developments. is a limit as to how much a Local Plan can achieve (as opposed to legislative or fiscal measures) but we suggest the Plan should concentrate on the following themes: • Locating new residential developments of any scale close to existing and proposed employment areas; • Locating development close to Cambridge and in key village settlements (i.e. Fulbourn); • Locating development in existing and proposed transport corridors; • Encouraging new tree planting in all new developments.

Pigeon fully supports the Local Plan’s need to help the Councils achieve net zero carbon by 2050 in recognition of the Climate Emergency. In this context, a key, major factor for the Local Plan in helping to realise this objective is the choice of sustainable locations for development that encourage and enable lifestyle and travel choices that do not generate carbon emissions. Our proposed site is located on a strategic transport corridor which will allow new residents to travel sustainably, utilizing these new public transport links, helping to reduce carbon emissions and also reduce congestion and delay.

Since older properties etc may never be zero, all new must be carbon saving

• One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. • Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles.

* Electric bicycle charging facilities should be provided FOR FREE (electricity costs are minimal) in city centre areas to encourage people to make longish journeys by bicycle. * One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. * Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). Hybrid cars are barely better than pollution cars. * Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. This figure may not be reached but if we only plan for what is happening now then we have little chance of beating that figure, and we need beat it! * It is essential that new developments are not car focused. The majority of city dwellings should not have parking and should not make provisions for car ownership. * Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied to ensure that people do not feel the need to keep or buy a car, thereby starting a bad habit in their new home. * New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. Parking permits should be expensive * Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic but it is important that they are easy to navigate on a bicycle. Confusing mazes of streets with curves designed to slow cars are bad for cycling adoption. * Schools should never be on major roads. Pollution is toxic to everyone but our children do not deserve to carry the burden of our choking smog for the next 70 years even as they will have rejected the vehicles causing them by 2040. * All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles including large cycles designed for transporting children.

The plan should consider the methods and types of houses that are built to achieve a net carbon target. The plans could involve building passive houses which are far more energy efficient than what we build at the moment. Building of prefabricated houses could offer a way to reduce emissions in building of the units themselves as well as easy recycling of the materials as the end of the homes lifespan. Could the local plan require that the houses that are built by private companies meet higher environmental standards and included various features to improve their footprint and avoid emissions.

Carbon Neutral Cambridge identifies a number of actions to achieve net zero carbon, which in summary are as follows: • buildings – to reinstate zero carbon standards and require new buildings to be energy efficient; • transport – to phase out the use of petrol and diesel vehicles and improve facilities to encourage the use of public transport, walking and cycling; and • energy – to use low carbon and renewable energy. It is acknowledged that there are social, economic, ecological, and health benefits associated with a policy of net zero carbon. It is anticipated that the emerging GCLP will include policies to deliver net zero carbon. It is expected that decisions about the development strategy and which sites to allocate for development will also reflect the vision to achieve net zero carbon. It is considered that the emerging GCLP should support the following to achieve net zero carbon: • residential development that is located close to employment opportunities; • development that is accessible by walking, cycling and public transport; • development that provides green infrastructure including wildlife areas; and, development that includes high sustainability standards. It is considered the promoted development at South West Cambridge is a prime example of a prospective development that could contribute towards the net zero carbon aims and would represent a far more sustainable option than one based on dispersal of housing growth.

• One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. • Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles.

By ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (even electric cars). New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs. Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied.

• One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. • Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles.

One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. Schools should never be on major roads. All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles. This can all be done - see Eddington.

Plan for sustainable transport infrastructure to be in place prior to completion of major developments. Require new build to have energy efficiency standards equivalent to ‘Passivhaus Classic’. Facilitate low carbon retrofit. For example provide guidance on permissible installations for heat pumps; in particular air source heat pumps in terms of noise and visual screening. This guidance needs to be very simple with generic examples for domestic scale. For non-domestic larger scale some generic examples should also be given illustrating the local authority will facilitate the necessary additions to roofs in urban areas. Argue that the above policies are necessary if the plan is to conform with the Climate Change Act.

2050 is too late. The UN and most scientists believe we have to act now. Global warming is already happening, and accelerating, and could pass a tipping point and increase uncontrollably. We cannot risk that outcome. We have to act now. We should set a target date for carbon net zero by 2035. What ever target date is set, there must be a timed plan to achieve it, with progress monitored on an ongoing basis so that remedial action can be taken as necessary.

We must move away from the private motor car as a means of transportation. It is polluting, uses huge amounts of public space, it is not inclusive to those who cannot afford / are not allowed to drive, it endangers people, it creates noise and consequential effects on human health. Electric cars solve only one problem, which is air pollution in use. Walking, cycling and public transport must be prioritised in all areas of development.

• One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. • Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles.

• One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. • Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport for all abilities over private cars (including electric cars). • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 50% of trips by bicycle as well as electric mobility scooters, E-Mopeds in various forms, E-scooters. • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling/mobility networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles and mobility scooters.

There is no mention of substantial capital carbon costs that will arise in connection with the level of development required to double the size of the local economy within 25 years. This frankly undermines the credibility of a Plan that it is claimed will be sustainable.

There must be better public transport to allow many more people to travel into Cambridge without driving. This must provide reliable, affordable and green transport options. Cycling needs to be supported to make this an attractive option to as many people as possible to commute by bike. Homes need to be well insulated and it would be beneficial for homes and businesses to have affordable access to renewable energy and more efficient ways to heat homes, for example ground heat pumps for new homes.

• One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. • Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of short/medium-distance trips to be taken by pedal cycle or electrically-assisted pedal cycle, comparable to role model cities in the Netherlands (Sutton, 2017). • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycle. “If the EU cycling rate was the same as it is in Denmark, where the average person cycles almost 600 miles (965km) each year, then the bloc would attain anything from 12% to 26% of its targeted transport emissions reduction, depending on what forms of transport the cycling replaced.” (Walker, 2011) “[When] evaluating different transport modes, it is the bicycle that allows for important greenhouse gas savings. Although not a carbon free mode of transport, the bicycle’s [greenhouse gas] emissions are over 10 times lower than those stemming from individual motorized transport. pedelecs, despite their electric assistance, are also found to have greenhouse gas emissions in the same range as ordinary bicycles.” (Blondel, 2011) “Public transport, walking and cycling have a key role in tackling carbon emissions, as well as delivering the co-benefits of decarbonisation such as cleaner air and a healthier society.” (HM Government, 2019) “In 76 cities in the Netherlands (municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants), the inhabitants travel for trips up to 7.5 km more often by bicycle than by car. [. . .] At the larger distances, between 7.5 and 15 kilometers, the bicycle share of residents is still substantial. At longer regional distance, bicycles and e-bikes currently capture one-third of the bike/car mode split.” (te Avest, 2017) Evidence for our response to Question 8. • Walker, Peter (2011). EU could cut its transport greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% if every country’s cycling rate was the same as Denmark’s. The Guardian: Dec 12th, 2011. www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/dec/12/cycle-like-danes-cut-emissions • Benoît Blondel, et al (2011). Cycle more often to cool down the planet!. European Cyclists’ Federation. • HM Government (2019). Leading on Clean Growth: The Government Response to the Committee on Climate Change’s 2019 Progress Report to Parliament — Reducing UK emissions. • Sutton, Mark (2017). Netherlands further builds on cycling’s modal share, hitting 51% in Utrecht. cyclingindustry.news/netherlands-further-builds-on-cyclings-modal-share-hitting51-in-utrecht/ • te Avest, Richard (2017). Bicycle gains ground on car, also outside the big cities(translated). www.goudappel.nl/actueel/fietse-bike-verovert-terrein-op-auto-%C3%B3%C3%B3k-buitende-grote-steden/.

One of the best ways the Local Plan can help us achieve net zero carbon by 2050 is by ensuring a rapid transition to sustainable transport. How and where we plan our new developments and integrate them with existing developments will be critical to enabling that transition at the scale we require. Every development must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. Schools should never be on major roads. All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles.

Only certain things can be achieved at a local level to achieve zero carbon, however transport is a key one. Plans for sustainable forms of transport must be included from the start pf the planning process. The aim should be to provide infrastructure that encourages high levels of cycling, and should be in place before the first people move into new developments. Developments should be planned to prevent through movement by cars, and ensure cycling/walking provides the quickest and easiest way to move about.

All new developments must prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private cars (including electric cars). This involves providing excellent domestic cycle parking and frequent public transport with stops which serve communities. It means restricting the number of car parking spaces and limiting the conversion of gardens and green areas as car parking. • Developments in Cambridge and the surrounding area should be required to plan for at least 40% of trips by bicycle. • New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides). • Walking and cycling networks must be in place before dwellings are occupied. • New and existing developments should seek to minimise car usage, prevent rat-running, and keep neighbourhood streets compact to reduce their negative impact. • Housing should be on quiet neighbourhood streets that are good for cycling because they have very low levels of car traffic. • Schools should never be on major roads. • All employment, entertainment, shopping and community facilities should be easily accessed by cycling and have accessible cycle parking for all types of cycles.

Build the plan around a sustainable transport infrastructure. Require new build to have energy efficiency standards equivalent to Passivhaus Classic Facilitate low carbon retrofit. For example provide guidance on permissible installations of heat pumps; in particular air source heat pumps in terms of noise and visual screening. This guidance needs to be very simple with generic examples for domestic scale. For non-domestic larger scale some generic examples should also be given illustrating the local authority will facilitate the necessary additions to roofs in urban areas. Argue that the above policies are necessary if the plan is to conform with the Climate Change Act.

We need to protect our green spaces from gardens to fields, to airport land. We need to look at existing housing/office footprints and designate a small number of conservation areas and then redevelop and densify the rest. There may be more of us, but we need to take up less space. We should create lots of microapartments close to where people work, so they can walk or cycle to work or school. We should redesign Cambridge for bikes, while cars will have less space. Maybe a one way system. The Grand Arcade Car Park should become microapartments for people who work in the city centre. We could close the city centre to all motorised traffic between 8am and 3am. Buses could connect up with rickshaws at the entrance to the city centre. All roofs should be green or covered with solar panels.

• New developments must be planned around dense walking and cycling networks and local transport hubs (not car-reliant park & rides).

Plan for walking and cycling for easy access to local facilities and easy access to public transport for further distances at the outset. Infrastructure should be in place before homes/businesses are occupied so that people don't get used to using private cars through necessity. Prioritise sustainable transport over private cars. All new buildings from now should be energy efficient, water efficient (grey water recycling)

Significantly reducing car dependence in our villages that are not connected to major transportation infrastructure. We are still building housing in villages such as Cottenham, with very poor access to adequate public transportation (please note a bus that travels at an average of 10 mph is not adequate). This produces car dependent developments that simply add to the congestion and climate change issues. This needs to change, There is a failure to connect villages to major transportation infrastructure nearby (from Cottenham, there is no cyclepath to the guided bus in Oakington not a cyclepath to the Rail network at Waterbeach). There is a failure to take opportunities to promote and prioritise cycling opportunities. There is a need to be innovation to make our villages safe areas for cyclists and pedestrains - ridding our village centres of excessive traffic through pedestrianisation, 20 mph zones, more cycling parking, wider pavements, more pedestrian crossings.