The response below is as per that ratified by the Economy and Environment Committee of 11th October 2018.
The SPD is supported by the Transport Assessment Team and this section provides key highlights with respect to transport.
There are several aspects of the SPD where the transport objectives and principles will have a significant role in shaping the future development of the New Town. This can be seen in the strategic development objectives of section 3.2, which places strong emphasis on walking, cycling and public transport.
Figure 13 sets out the spatial framework plan for the site setting out the key structural elements of the new town. The key transport proposals are shown in Figures 18, 19 and 20:
Figure 18 illustrates the primary movement network including the primary and secondary streets, and access points from the surrounding area into the town. The plan makes provision for a mass transit route (for instance, the CAM Metro System proposed by the Combined Authority). This plan also highlights that vehicle access will be tightly managed in the town centre - An approach that removes cars from the town centre would be supported by CCC. The primary streets will be the key movement corridors for walking, cycling, vehicles and buses around the town and will be designed to accommodate these modes appropriately.
Figure 19 illustrates the wider movement network, with the addition of key cycle routes (including the Causeway link), a bus only connection to Waterbeach village, and key walking, cycling and equestrian connections between the town and the surrounding area. The SPD highlights that the walking and cycling network within the town should provide a network of routes that are direct, safe, continuous and attractive. Cycling connections beyond the town to north Cambridge, Landbeach, Chittering, Cottenham, Lode, Horningsea, Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Research Park will be required.
CCC would also seek that the use of walking and cycling should be encouraged through the availability and design of cross town cycle routes, which would link all parts of the town, particularly the railway station. Whilst this is shown in Figure 19, this should be strengthened to enable cross town cycle and pedestrian movements over and above cross town vehicle movements. CCC have previously discussed with SCDC the potential for a perimeter vehicle route around the town, with each residential area to be self contained and only accessible by vehicle from the perimeter road. There is potential to favour cross town walking and cycling links by limiting cross town vehicle movements between residential areas. This is similar to the Cambridge Core Traffic Scheme which limits the ability for cross town vehicle movement. Consequently, the SPD layout and primary road plan should be amended to allow for the perimeter road, and with secondary roads serving self contained residential areas only.
Figure 20 shows the key public transport framework for the town including the relocated railway station, park and ride locations, bus friendly routes, and key public transport connections from the town to the surrounding area. This shows a potential public transport only link between the railway station, through the town centre and towards Cambridge, and safeguards a second public transport route between Waterbeach village and Cambridge Research Park.
Table 8 summarises the key infrastructure that will be required. A key aspect of the transport infrastructure for the new town is the relocated railway station. Table 8 notes that this should come forward at an early stage in the development, with its trigger to be set by the Transport Assessments submitted with both applications for the new town. Work is ongoing with both applicants on this trigger, with the emphasis being that this facility and associated access road should be provided as early as practicably possible within the development.
The SPD also highlights the key findings of the Ely to Cambridge Study strand 2 report. The SPD makes it clear that the full development of Waterbeach is critically dependent on the strategic solutions relating to this study.
The key infrastructure required for the town is set out in the Infrastructure and Delivery Plan in section 6. For transport this sets out the key infrastructure that will form the basis of a heads of terms for the S106 agreements for each outline application.
Additional references should be made in the SPD with regards to locating primary schools away from primary streets, and areas with higher air and noise pollution, but still with vehicle access for teaching staff. Reference should be made to the need for the location of bicycle parking close to dwellings which is easy to use to encourage the use of bicycles rather than vehicles.
Public Rights of Way Team Comments
The Public Rights of Way team in addition have the following comments. These require consideration and inclusion of the needs of PROW's within the SPD text and are also provided separately.
The redevelopment of Waterbeach Barracks provides an opportunity to connect and enhance the existing rights of way network that has been hindered by the presence of restricted MOD land for many decades. We welcome the outline proposals to create good pedestrian and cycle links as part of the development, as they are in accordance with the requirements of the County Council's adopted Rights of Way Improvement Plan to create links with new and existing communities and the existing Rights of Way network. Providing improved non-motorised user (NMU) infrastructure also encourages healthy lifestyles, in line with national and local policies on health and well-being, including those of the Cambridgeshire Health and Wellbeing Board. We are however disappointed that no indication has been made that off-road, leisure and utility routes will be designed and made available to all Non-Motorised Users (NMUs) in the SPD, including equestrian users. We therefore object to the SPD as it currently stands.
We would emphasise the importance of ensuring that good soft-user infrastructure is in place before first occupation and community facilities. Experience from other major developments where occupation of dwellings took place before infrastructure was in place showed that people quickly fell into poor habits, becoming reliant on their own private cars rather than walking or cycling. This was supported by a report entitled 'Lessons From Cambourne' in 2007 that stated:
"There is a lack of connection to surrounding villages and Cambourne is poorly integrated into the surrounding countryside. A new settlement should have good pedestrian and cycle links to local footpaths and bridleways and these rights of way need to be established well in advance of construction."
We expect this site to learn the lessons from Cambourne and ensure good NMU links are provided to surrounding villages, and that these links are delivered well in advance of any occupation.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that the SPD has adequately evaluated the needs of all NMU users, including equestrians. No reference at all is made to off-highway routes being made available to all equestrian users, choosing rather to make reference to 'Walking and Cycleway' links across the site. It therefore does not appear that this submission has met several local policies with regard to NMU provision.
General principles
The County Council's adopted statutory Rights of Way improvement Plan (ROWIP) contains an assessment of the extent to which the local rights of way network meets the present and likely future needs of the public, including the opportunities provided by local rights of way for exercise and other forms of open-air recreation and enjoyment and the accessibility of local rights of way network to new residents. Within the ROWIP there are a number of Statements of Action (SOA) which prioritise specific issues to be addressed and potential solutions and improvements which could be made.
The relevant SOAs in this instance include:
* SOA2 (5) 'Enable increased access to PROW to facilitate healthy lifestyles.'
* SOA3 (1) 'Ensure that RoW are protected from inappropriate use during development and that new facilities are provided to a good standard.'
* SOA3 (3) 'Liaise with planners and developers to provide new countryside access provision to link new development into an enhanced network catering for increased population. To include new routes, status upgrades, improved facilities and improved information, signage and interpretation.'
* SOA5 (3) 'Prioritise bridleway improvements on grounds that bridleway users currently suffer highest risk on roads and bridleway network is currently most disjointed. Ensure that bridleway improvements have least possible effect on pedestrians so as to maximise benefit to widest user community, subject to available funding. Support alternative mechanisms of delivery where necessary.'
The ROWIP would therefore strongly support the delivery of an upgraded Public Right of Way network across the Waterbeach Barracks development. The provision of bridleways instead of cycleways, where appropriate, would also satisfy the aims of the Cambridgeshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy. A copy of the ROWIP and Health and Wellbeing Strategy can be found on our website at https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/transport-plans-and-policies/local-transport-plan/ and https://cambridgeshireinsight.org.uk/jsna/health-and-wellbeing-strategy/ respectively.
Whilst there are no recorded public rights of way which cross the development site, we wish to draw your attention to the following points:
* Public rights of way are highways that must remain open and unobstructed at all times, including during site construction. Building materials must not be stored on the public rights of way and contractors' vehicles must not be parked on them (it is an offence under s 137 of the Highways Act 1980 to obstruct a public right of way). A Code of Construction methodology must be agreed with the County Council's Highways Team for any rights of way affected. A methodology was successfully implemented for the development of Greater and Upper Cambourne. Please see the attached document summarising the methodology and the Cambourne Design Guide for reference.
* No alteration to the surface of rights of way is permitted without our consent (it is an offence to damage the surface of a highway under s1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971).
* Landowners are reminded that it is their responsibility to maintain hedges and fences adjacent to public rights of way, and that any transfer of land should account for any such boundaries (s154 Highways Act 1980).
* The granting of planning permission does not entitle a developer to obstruct a public right of way (Circular 1/09 para 7.1).
* Legal orders to realign or create public rights of way take time and therefore need to be carefully programmed in well in advance to ensure that development can take place as planned. We would request that the developer sets up regular communications with the Asset Information Team to ensure the optimum outcome for this element of the development.
* The local communities should be kept informed as to proposed changes to the network, including any temporary closures that are necessary, as objections can significantly delay progress.
* The development should not only protect existing NMU highways (footpaths, bridleways, cycleways etc.) but should enhance them wherever possible. This should include an aspiration to not only improve NMU movement (including pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists) within the urban area not also to facilitate easy and convenient access into the countryside.
Request for improvements to the Rights of Way network
The improvements listed below would allow the communities of Waterbeach and the new development to have better direct links to communities further afield such as Cottenham, Lode, Wicken and Reach. These improvements when connected to the developer's proposed on-site routes would create an opportunity for a greater circular route in and out of the proposed site for those wishing to follow a longer recreational route beyond Waterbeach. These improvements would significantly add to the health and wellbeing of both communities and users from further afield, in accordance with the policies noted above. These improvements should be secured by direct implementation through the use of a Grampian condition in the first instance or through appropriate S106 obligations.
* The County Council supports the provision of well-established green routes throughout the development. The County Council recommends that the most strategic routes be recorded as Public Rights of Way with the expectation that other connecting routes within the site would remain privately maintainable. This approach has been successfully implemented in Cambourne and at Northstowe. The Masterplan for Cambourne included the provision of new public rights of way which are almost complete. This was an important blueprint and the County Council requests that the SPD be amended to include more PROW along the lines suggested.
* The PRoW network should become an integral part of the development and enhanced, directional signage will need to be incorporated into the development to ensure that future residents are aware of the network available. This could also include the installation of interpretation boards (which can link to wildlife and biodiversity aims) and sufficient inclusion within resident travel plans.
* New links should be provided to surrounding villages to the east and in particular Lode Public Footpath No. 4 which should be upgraded to Bridleway status to reflect its current and likely future usage. This would improve links to Lode from Waterbeach and enable use of the route by pedal cycles and equestrians.
* A Non-Motorised User (NMU) link towards Wicken Fen and Lode should be provided by a new or improved crossing of the River Cam. The crossing point should be suitable for all NMU users' especially equestrian users. This is currently a major barrier to east-west NMU links across the surrounding area and the delivery of a major piece of NMU infrastructure should be promoted when assessing the permeability of a development scheme of this size.
* Public Byway No. 14 (Bannold Drove) should be incorporated into the proposed site layout and improved as a green corridor route. The legal status of the route will require amending to reflect any change in the type of user the route is proposed to accommodate. - The applicant should be required to submit a scheme detailing the proposal for Bannold Drove, and how this is be achieved with a legal change in status by relevant condition.
* Additional NMU links should be provided to enable non-motorised users to travel between the new development and Denny Abbey, Chittering and Stretham to the north. This may involve enhancing the existing Public Footpath No. 15 for which an improvement to Bridleway status would be welcomed to ensure vulnerable users like cyclists and equestrians can travel safely between the development and locations to the north.
* Additional NMU links should be provided to enable non-motorised users to travel between the new development and the nearby villages of Cottenham, Rampton and Landbeach. This may involve enhancing the existing Public Bridleways No. 1 and 2.
* It is noted that the Masterplan indicates several green routes around the perimeter of the site, especially along the north boundary of the site. There should be an aspiration for establishing a circular perimeter route of Bridleway status around the Waterbeach New Town development. This is proving to be highly successful in other large scale developments in Cambridgeshire, such as Cambourne.
* A suitable S106 package should be agreed to enable the County Council to deliver mitigation measures and enhancements to the existing Public Rights of Way network where appropriate. The current picture is one of fragmented and inconvenient footpaths, with very few bridleways or restricted byways which enable wider access to and use of the countryside. There is also very poor linkage to the west of the River Cam and east towards Wicken Fen which should be addressed as part of this application.
The development should provide a green infrastructure scheme, setting out what mitigations and enhancements the development proposes both on and off-site. This should set out the principles of what routes will be promoted and the general standards that would be applied on the routes alignments, surfacing, boundary treatments and legal status. This scheme should be delivered as part of a reserved matters application and should be secured by S106 Agreement or Grampian condition.
The County Council's Asset Information Definitive Map Team therefore objects to the SPD for the reasons cited above. The County Council requests that the above changes are made to the SPD.
The County Council's Definitive Map team are happy to assist the District Council in their understanding of the needs and aspirations for the Public Rights of Way/NMU route network in this area. If you would like to discuss this objection with them, please contact James Stringer on James.Stringer@cambridgeshire.gov.uk