Question 32. Do you think we should plan for a higher number of homes than the minimum required by government, to provide flexibility to support the growing economy?
Why build houses for growth that may not happen?
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No answer given
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No answer given
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Only if the infrastructure can support this and done in an environmentally sound manner. Hopefully the next 20 years sustainable building technologies will improve.
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Yes – strongly agree – we should aim for as rapid growth of housing as can be done at high quality and with great transport infrastructure, as long as this is supported by the continued growth of knowledgebased industry
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A higher number of homes should be planned for to ensure that the Local Plan meets the first test of soundness; that being that the plan should be positivbely prepared and at a minimum should meet the Council's objectively assessed needs. Planning for a higher number of homes ensures that delivery is safeguarded (in the event that some sites are delayed due to contraints to delivery), demand is met and this in turn keeps homes at an affordable level. Smaller sites with no constraints such as land north east of Woodside, Longstanton should be looked upon favourably for allocation
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Not Specified.
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No.
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Yes. As set out in the response to Question 31, upward adjustments to the minimum figure derived from the standard method are required to take into account growth strategies, strategic infrastructure improvements and housing affordability in Greater Cambridgeshire. The National Infrastructure Commission, the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership acknowledge and support the economic growth potential of the Greater Cambridge area, and consider that there is a need to substantially increase housing delivery in order to support that economic growth and address the significant housing affordability issues that exist.
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We would support the objective to increase the number of homes to be built to around 2,900 homes a year in Greater Cambridge – an indicative total of 66,700 homes over 2017-2040 in order to create a balance between jobs and housing. It is important a mix of housing tenures are delivered so appropriate targets should be set for affordable tenures.
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Paragraph 91 of the NPPF seeks to deliver healthy, inclusive and safe places, and identifies a number of approaches to support healthy lifestyles. It promotes social interaction through mixed-use developments, strong neighbourhood centres, street layouts that include pedestrian and cycle connections, and active street frontages for example. It enables and supports healthy lifestyles, by providing green infrastructure, sports facilities, local shops, access to healthier food, allotments, and layouts that encourage walking and cycling for example. NHS England Healthy Towns Initiatives identified ten principles to deliver healthy places, which relate to the provision of health services, meeting local and community health needs, and development design matters. In terms of design matters it is suggested that compact neighbourhoods, active travel, healthy eating opportunities, play and leisure facilities would contribute towards the delivery of healthy places. It is considered that the promoted development at land off Leaden Hill in Orwell would be consistent with guidance and initiatives to support healthy lifestyles. The promoted development is accessible to the services and facilities within Orwell by walking and cycling. There are outdoor play and recreation facilities at Town Green Road, which is within walking distance of the site.
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The Issues and Options document sets out that the next Local Plan period will be from 2017-2040. The currently allocated sites and planning permissions are likely to provide 36,400 new homes and a further 9,660 new homes may be built after 2040. A number of sites are already planned which will contribute to future housing need for the next Local Plan. However, the current calculations using the Standard Method indicate a minimum need for 1,800 homes per year or 40,900 for the plan period 2017-2040. In addition, economic growth has been faster than expected and is likely to continue to grow further. Over the past two decades demand for housing has been exceptionally high but housebuilding has not kept up with this demand. The Issues and Options document identifies that if full jobs growth is to be achieved then 2,900 homes a year would need to be built, equating to a requirement for 66,700 new homes during the period 2017-2040. There is therefore likely to be an additional need (beyond the local housing need derived solely from the standard method) of an additional 30,300 homes. Continued economic growth within the Greater Cambridge area is a key priority for the new Plan and the implication of this growth is the demand for more housing to meet the needs of those employed in the area. In this regard the Councils acknowledge this in the Consultation by reference to the higher requirement figures. It is clear that the need for housing and the ambition for economic growth are therefore inherently linked and in order to boost the economic output of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough over the next 25 years, additional housing at the upper end of the scale will be required.
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Yes – see the response above in respect of Housing Requirements.
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No not at the moment – we will run out of water and all the homes particularly to the east and north east of Cambridge will become vulnerable to flooding. You need to sort out water first.
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Previously, the Housing Delivery Test (HDT) measurement result published in February 2019 for Cambridge City Council is 388% therefore there were no required consequences. The HDT measurement result for South Cambridgeshire was much lower, scoring 78% with a consequence of a buffer. However, this had no consequences as MHCLG is recommending for housing trajectories for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire to be considered jointly, including future calculations for the 5 year housing land supply. MHCLG acknowledges that the sequences for development involves more development in Cambridge initially in the plan period and more development later in the plan period in South Cambridgeshire. Altogether, it has been estimated that there are more than 30,000 extra homes above those already in the pipeline that could be built in the Greater Cambridge area by 2040. These new homes need to be supported by sites, which provide jobs and leisure facilities. The Clifton Road Area site allocation could positively contribute towards these goals.
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It is essential that the Greater Cambridge Local Plan exceeds the minimum annualised local housing need generated using the Government’s standard methodology calculation. The PPG is clear that the standard method for calculating local housing need identifies a minimum annual housing need figure. It does not produce a housing requirement1. Councils can (and should) exceed the minimum figures to deliver a marked improvement in the availability and variety of new homes at a price that is affordable to those who live and work in the area. Household projections, which form the baseline data informing the standard methodology calculation, are trend-based, meaning they provide the household levels and structures that would result if the assumptions based on previous demographic trends in the population and rates of household formation were to be realised in practice. The projections are constrained by historic supply and under delivery; and take no account of changing social preferences and factors such as interest rates and credit availability. Household projections do not and cannot predict future growth. The PPG recognises, therefore, that the standard methodology provides the minimum starting point in determining the number of homes needed in an area. It does not attempt to predict the impact that future government policies, changing economic circumstances or other factors might have on demographic behaviour. There will, therefore, be circumstances where actual housing need is much higher than the figure identified by the standard method. In addition to the above, the Government recognises that the standard methodology does not achieve its national target to deliver 300,000 homes a year on average by the mid-2020s let alone the significant number of new homes required to support the ambitions for the Oxford to Cambridge Arc. When the revised NPPF and updated PPG were published in 2018 it was caveated with the commitment to keep the standard methodology under review in order to ensure that the outputs associated with the method are consistent with the Government’s clear aim to ensure that more homes are being built. Following the publication of the 2016 Household Projections in September 2018, the Government took the decision that, in the short term, the 2014based demographic baseline should be used for assessment of local housing need. A longer-term solution to the shortcomings embedded within the standard method is still awaited. Affordability remains a critical issue in Greater Cambridge and constrained housing delivery serves to compound rather than solve this issue. By planning for more homes, the Councils will enable a more responsive supply of homes that will help address the effects of increasing demand, such as declining affordability, relative to a housing supply that is less responsive. The above factors combined with economic ambitions for the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, which include the delivery of up to one million high-quality new homes by 2050 to address the severe housing affordability issues faced by many within the area, give rise to a clear and compelling reason to plan for significantly more homes than the minimum required by Government and to provide flexibility to support the growing economy. 1 PPG: Paragraph: 002 Reference ID: 2a-002-20180913 National planning policy recognises that the supply of large numbers of new homes can often best be achieved through planning for larger scale development, such as new settlements or significant extensions to existing villages and towns. Experience suggests that medium to larger scale developments that are well located and designed, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and facilities, can facilitate and/or contribute towards strategic infrastructure improvements required to support the sustainable delivery of new homes and jobs. M&M’s emerging proposals to the south of Papworth Everard illustrate a key opportunity that can deliver new homes in the short term; can contribute positively to local infrastructure needs; and are also capable of forming a component of a much wider strategic corridor of growth between Cambridge and St Neots along the A428. Working with developers, local communities and stakeholders, strategic policy-making authorities can identify suitable locations for such development to meet identified needs in a sustainable way.
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To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 7.4 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a wellevidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”1
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10.1 It is considered important to ensure that additional provision over and above the local housing need derived from the standard method is included within the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. This will provide flexibility to support the significant economic growth in the area. 10.2 The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER 2018) has shown that job growth has been faster than expected and that this growth is likely to continue. The report concludes that: "it is indisputable that high rates of employment growth have put great strain on the housing market in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, particularly around Cambridge. The result is exceedingly high living costs, longer commutes, social stratification, and extra cost for business. Ambitions for house building should be increased to deal with a housing deficit that has grown up following under-projections of growth". 10.3 In view of these conclusions, it is obvious that housing growth needs to catchup with job growth in the area in order to redress the balance between affordability and availability. It is considered that the housing provision in the forthcoming Local Plan period should be towards the top range of 2,900 homes per year as suggested by the CPIER report as opposed to the 1,675 current Local Plan target (2018) or the 1,800 per year standard method calculation.
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6.3 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 6.4 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a wellevidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”1 6.5 There is an underlying and systemic affordability issue that is making it increasingly difficult for those on lower incomes to afford to live in the Greater Cambridge area. Alongside, the Cambridge economy has seen a prolonged and steady increase, which has attracted a larger workforce and increased the pressure on the housing market; availability and affordability. Alongside this trend is a clear political aspiration to see the Cambridge economy grow further; mostly clearly expressed by the Combined Authority that has a growth target as set out in its Devolution Deal of doubling GVA over 25 years. All of this clearly points to the need to plan for an amount of housing well above the minimum housing requirement.
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6.2 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 6.3 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a wellevidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”1 1 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13
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Southern and Regional Developments(Joscelyn) consider that the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan must plan for a higher quantum of housing. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review has recognised that the Combined Authority Area (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) has experienced a higher rate of economic growth than forecast. This is a significant indicator that the new Plan for Greater Cambridge must consider actively planning for through delivery of a significantly higher number of homes. Furthermore, if implemented into the spatial strategy, an increase in the number of homes to be delivered will allow a better degree of flexibility that will otherwise not be available if the Plan only provides for the minimum. Given the evidence that is available, it would not be an appropriate or sound approach if the Plan were to avoid strategising for a higher number of homes than the government figure suggests - instead the government figure should be consdiered the minimum level required. If the economic trend is to continue within the Plan area, which the CPIER report establishes, it would be a failure of the Plan's statutory requirement to "make sufficient provision" for housing numbers and boost delivery, as asserted in the NPPF. If the Plan is to support the economic growth of the area over the new Plan period, a higher housing quantum will need to be incorporated into strategic policy. If insufficient homes are delivered over the new period, this will supress any potential for economic growth within the Plan area and result in diminishing the expansion of the jobs market in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. Summary of Comments: Higher quantum of housing is needed to assure flexibility and to support the significant economic growth experienced in the Plan area.
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6.2 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 6.3 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a wellevidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”1 1 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13
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4.6 Yes, we strongly agree. 4.7 In accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the starting point for deciding how many homes need to be planned for in the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan is a local housing need assessment, conducted using the ‘standard method’ unless exceptional circumstances justify an alternative approach which also reflects current and future demographic trends and market signals (NPPF, paragraph 60). 4.8 The standard methodology is set out in Planning Practice Guidance (PPG)( Housing and economic needs assessment ) and uses a formula to identify a minimum annual housing need figure, calculated by setting the baseline household growth projection and then adjusting it to take account of affordability and finally capping the level of any increase. The standard method does not produce a housing requirement figure and neither does it reflect economic growth requirements. 4.9 Compared with the adopted 2018 Local Plans’ combined target of 1,675 homes per year, the standard method calculation for Greater Cambridge indicates a minimum need of around 1,800 homes per year. This alone reflects a minimum of +17,950 new homes than is currently planned for between 2017 and 2040. 4.10 Reflecting paragraph 60 of the NPPF, PPG (paragraph 10) explains that, “The standard method for assessing local housing need provides a minimum starting point in determining the number of homes needed in an area. It does not attempt to predict the impact that future government policies, changing economic circumstances or other factors might have on demographic behaviour. Therefore, there will be circumstances where it is appropriate to consider whether actual housing need is higher than the standard method indicates.” 4.11 PPG includes reference to circumstances under which housing need should be higher than derived using the standard method, including growth strategies, strategic infrastructure improvements and authorities agreeing to take on unmet need for neighbouring authorities. 4.12 Greater Cambridge is strategically located within the key economic corridors of the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford (CAMKOX) arc, the London-Stanstead-Cambridge (M11) corridor and the Cambridge-Norwich (A11) tech corridor. 4.13 The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) published a report into the CAMKOX arc in 2017 ( Partnering for Prosperity: A new deal for the Cambridge - Milton Keynes - Oxford Arc ). This recommended that the current housing delivery rates will need to double up to 2050 to realise the Arc’s economic potential. This level of growth would also require significant investment in new transport infrastructure, including East-West Rail and an Expressway connecting Cambridge and Oxford. 4.14 At the sub-regional level, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has ambitious growth strategies for the area, with the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) tasked to deliver infrastructure and a City Deal including £500m funding. The Combined Authority established the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Commission to develop an evidence base and inform policy decisions. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) was published in 2018 and it reported (page 9): “Growth in employment has not been matched by corresponding house-building, or developments in infrastructure. Consequently, house prices haves soared and journey times have increased as congestion has intensified. This has meant that many have been forced to endure unpleasant commutes, or been priced away from the city altogether due to the unaffordability of rents. This is bad for both people and business, and we believe is an unsustainable approach to growth.” 4.15 The CPIER provided some recommendations. With direct reference to housing requirements, Key Recommendation No. 5 states: “There should be a review of housing requirements based on the potential for higher growth in employment than currently forecast by the EEFM. This review should take into account the continuing dialogues between ONS and the Centre for Business research on employment numbers as well as the impact of the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford Arc. This should be used to set new targets which are likely to be higher than those already set – at the very least adding on accumulating backlog.” 4.16 The CPIER indicates that housing supply across the whole area (the Combined Authority Area) should be in the range of 6,000-8,000 homes per year over the next 20 years. For the Greater Cambridge area this translates into a CPIER figure of around 2,900 homes per year, which results in an indicative total of 66,700 homes over the period 2017-2040. 4.17 Following the recommendations of the NIC report (2017) and the CPIER (2018), Hill and Chivers strongly agree with the approach of planning for a higher number of homes than the standard method minimum. In order to support the growing economy, and key national, strategic and sub-regional growth strategies, a step-change in housing delivery is needed in Greater Cambridge to ensure that growth is sustainable. 4.18 Hill and Chivers reserve the right to provide appropriate evidence to justify the objectively assessed housing need (OAN) and housing requirement figure through the Local Plan process, as considered necessary.
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6.2 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 6.3 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a well evidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”1 1 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13
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2.15 The Issues and Options document sets out that the next Local Plan period will be 20172040. The currently allocated sites and planning permissions are likely to provide 36,400 homes, and a further 9,660 may be built after 2040. A number of sites are already planned which will contribute to future housing need for the next Local Plan. However, the current calculations using the Standard Method indicate a need for 1,800 homes per year or 40,900 for plan period 2017-2040. 2.16 In addition, job growth has been faster than expected and is likely to continue to grow meaning demand for housing has been exceptionally high and housebuilding has not kept up with the demand. In the Issues and Options document it is set out that if job growth is achieved then 2,900 homes a year will need to be built, equating to 66,700 homes between 2017-2040. There is therefore likely to be an additional need beyond the local housing need derived from the Standard Method of an additional 30,000 homes. 2.17 As has been set out earlier in this report, continued economic growth within the Greater Cambridge area is a key priority. The resulting implication of this is a significant demand for more housing to meet the needs of those employed in the area. The Councils clearly acknowledge this in their Issues and Options document by providing the higher end figures set out above in paragraph 2.16. 2.18 The need for housing and the ambition for economic growth are inherently linked. Therefore in order to double the total economic output of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough over the next 25 years, the delivery of a higher number of homes than the minimum required by government is required.
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Yes. As set out in the response to Question 31, upward adjustments to the minimum figure derived from the standard method are required to take into account growth strategies, strategic infrastructure improvements and housing affordability in Greater Cambridgeshire. The National Infrastructure Commission, the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership acknowledge and support the economic growth potential of the Greater Cambridge area, and consider that there is a need to substantially increase housing delivery in order to support that economic growth and address the significant housing affordability issues that exist.
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6.3 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. 6.4 Furthermore, housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a well-evidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”4 6.5 The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. This is also supported in the Housing Market Report prepared by Bidwells LLP that accompanies these representations. 6.6 The Greater Cambridge area has experienced economic success which generates a need for a labour greater than its resident population can serve, and so places an increasing pressure on the housing market. A lack of housing supply in the face of such demand has reduced the affordability of homes, particularly for those in lower incomes. 6.7 The housing requirement for the Greater Cambridge area for the next Local Plan period must take into account the economic and affordability context; to reflect the housing-pressure already in the system arising from economic growth already experienced and to take account of the aspiration to see that economic growth continue, which is most clearly expressed by the CPIER to double the GVA of the Combined Authority area, which itself is driven by the success of Greater Cambridge. This will be further fuelled by the extensive infrastructure improvements planned or committed for the area. 6.8 Without a significant increase in the volume of house building, to serve all employment locations, economic growth in Greater Cambridge will stall. In the words of the IEC: “it is indisputable that high rates of employment growth have put great strain on the housing market in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, particularly around Cambridge. The result is exceedingly high living costs, longer commutes, social stratification, and extra cost for business. Ambitions for house building should be increased to deal with a housing deficit that has grown up following under-projections of growth.” (CPIER, p 77) 6.9 It is clear from a number of different and objective housing studies and models that the quantum of land required for new housing must be significantly above that currently planned for; this is certainly the case to be able to meaningfully address the worsening affordability issue and to support the planned economic growth. 4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13
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2.10 The Issues and Options document sets out that the next Local Plan period will be 20172040. The currently allocated sites and planning permissions are likely to provide 36,400 homes, and a further 9,660 may be built after 2040. A number of sites are already planned which will contribute to future housing need for the next Local Plan. However, the current calculations using Standard Method indicate a need for 1,800 homes per year or 40,900 for plan period 2017-2040. 2.11 In addition, job growth has been faster than expected and is likely to continue to grow meaning demand for housing has been exceptionally high and housebuilding has not kept up with the demand. In the Issues and Options document it is set out that if job growth is achieved then 2,900 homes a year would need to be built, equating to 66,700 homes between 2017-2040. There is therefore likely to be an additional need beyond the local housing need derived from the standard method of an additional 30,000 homes. 2.12 Continued economic growth within the Greater Cambridge area is a key priority. The resulting implication of this is the demand for more housing to meet the needs of those employed in the area. In this regard the Councils’ clearly acknowledge this in their Issues and Options by providing the above higher end figures. It is therefore considered that the need for housing and the ambition for economic growth are inherently linked, and in order to double the total economic output of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough over the next 25 years, additional housing will be required.
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3.36 The Councils current supply side analysis for housing for the older population does not show the true extent of what is needed. Furthermore, it only forecasts needs to 2035. The new Greater Cambridge Local Plan will need to plan for a greater level of older people housing than currently anticipated by the Councils. Further detail is provided within the Greater Cambridge – Specialist Accommodation for the Elderly (February 2020) prepared by Healthcare Property Consultants.
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6.3 Yes, strongly agree – The Councils correctly recognise that housing is one of the most important issues in planning and one that for Greater Cambridge must extend beyond considerations of meeting the minimum needs as calculated using the standard method. Using the Governments approach results in a local housing needs assessment of circa 1,800 dwellings per annum (dpa). However, it is important to recognise that the Government state in the PPG that this is the minimum number of homes that must be planned for and that it does not attempt to predict the impact of other factors. Therefore, in an area with strong economic growth, and aspirations to maintain this growth, as well as the affordability of its housing stock continuing to decline it will be important for the Greater Cambridge Plan to establish a housing requirement that seeks to address both these concerns. 6.4 What is evident from the evidence base supporting the local plan is that 1,800 dpa minimum established using the standard method will not be sufficient to support the economic growth expectations of Greater Cambridge. The work of the Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) sets out a compelling case for higher levels of housing growth within the Greater Cambridge area and warns of significant negative impacts on both the local and national economy should housing needs continue to be constrained. It is noted that the consultation document recognises this fact and it must play a significant factor in the decisions regarding this local plan. The economy of Cambridge is too important nationally for the Council to plan for the minimum number of homes required by the standard method. 6.5 However, the increased demand for housing arising from the economic success of Cambridge also makes the area increasingly unaffordable. Whilst this is an undoubted concern for all residents of Cambridge looking to meet their housing needs, it is also an issue for businesses looking to move to the area. It is interesting to note from the CPIER report that the Greater Cambridge area would seem to have been underestimating jobs growth and its impact on the demand for new housing. Whilst the insufficient supply of housing does not appear to have, at present, impacted on economic growth, the ramifications of under provision can be seen in the housing market where affordability has worsened significantly over the last 10 years. Housing that is available at a reasonable price is key to attracting and retaining skilled employees. Without it there must be a concern that Greater Cambridge may not be able to achieve its aspirations for continued economic growth and that it may actually suffer if this issue is not addressed. 6.6 Coinciding with the above point, a Housing Needs Report accompanies this representation that undertakes an objective review for what the future housing needs of Greater Cambridge are. It finds that there is an underlying and systemic affordability issue that is making it increasingly difficult for those on lower incomes to afford to live in the Greater Cambridge area. Alongside, the Cambridge economy has seen a prolonged and steady increase, which has attracted a larger workforce and increased the pressure on the housing market; availability and affordability. Alongside this trend is a clear political aspiration to see the Cambridge economy grow further; mostly clearly expressed by the Combined Authority that has a growth target as set out in its Devolution Deal of doubling GVA over 25 years. All of this clearly points to the need to plan for an amount of housing well above the minimum housing requirement. 6.7 All these factors will require the Councils to establish a housing requirement far in excess of the minimum number of homes that results from the application of the standard method. It is evident that the Greater Cambridge area has been providing too little housing in recent years and the substantial uplifts being suggested are clearly necessary. The option of delivering at least 2,900 homes per annum within this local plan is supported.
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