Comment

Representation ID: 168251

Received: 29/07/2019

Respondent: Cambridgeshire County Council

4.2 SPATIAL FRAMEWORK PLAN

At the earlier stages of the SPD preparation the County Council responded from an education perspective to the three spatial options for Bourn Airfield SPD. Whilst Option A was ultimately adopted by the draft SPD, the County Council's preference in terms of education was Option B which brought the spine road further into the site with the effect of re-locating the secondary school and primary school south of the spine road. The Council's response stated "This option (B) seems to provide a good balance between accessible links within the site for pupils and external links for staff. The A428 is further away and therefore the noise and air quality impacts would be much less severe than Option A. This option responds better to the issues raised by the Council's earlier submission to the planning application consultation".

In respect to Option A, the Council's concerns relating to noise and air quality impacts from the adjacent A428 dual carriageway remain and therefore is not the optimum location for schools within the development. Option A could only be considered acceptable if the environmental concerns could be adequately addressed.

It is acknowledged that Option A is the preferred option for the SPD and the reason for this is set out in the Consultation Statement. This states "area there will be significant landscaping which may be bunded to reduce the visual, noise and air quality impacts of the A428. Advice from air quality and noise experts within the Council have suggested the impacts of the road could be mitigated by the detailed orientation and design of the buildings, in addition to the delivery of a significant landscape belt".