Object

Draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan

Representation ID: 54447

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

Representation Summary:

This policy seeks to ensure development would meet sustainability objectives thereby delivering a ‘low carbon development’. However in seeking to achieve this the operational requirements of all users must be considered and accommodated within the AAP. For example, many of the business operators currently occupying the units on the eastern side of Milton Road need car parking for customers as well as employees and often the hours of operation of these businesses means that there is a greater reliance on cars to access the site. The study commissioned by G L Hearn, Mixed Use Development: Overcoming barriers to delivery at North East Cambridge acknowledges that whilst commercial elements need to be managed to minimise effects there is a need to ensure that they are not operationally constrained. This is particularly the case for operators of trade counters or manufacturers of large items, where the use of public transport or ‘last minute hubs’ would not be practicable. Car parking provision adjacent to these types of commercial uses is essential in order for them to operate efficiently. This, along with vehicular access, is very important and if future proposals do not take account of and allow for this then the impact on the continued success of these businesses could be jeopardised particularly as they rely on being close to the City but due to affordability constraints are unable to relocate closer to the City Centre.

Full text:

This policy seeks to ensure development would meet sustainability objectives thereby delivering a ‘low carbon development’. However in seeking to achieve this the operational requirements of all users must be considered and accommodated within the AAP. For example, many of the business operators currently occupying the units on the eastern side of Milton Road need car parking for customers as well as employees and often the hours of operation of these businesses means that there is a greater reliance on cars to access the site. The study commissioned by G L Hearn, Mixed Use Development: Overcoming barriers to delivery at North East Cambridge acknowledges that whilst commercial elements need to be managed to minimise effects there is a need to ensure that they are not operationally constrained. This is particularly the case for operators of trade counters or manufacturers of large items, where the use of public transport or ‘last minute hubs’ would not be practicable. Car parking provision adjacent to these types of commercial uses is essential in order for them to operate efficiently. This, along with vehicular access, is very important and if future proposals do not take account of and allow for this then the impact on the continued success of these businesses could be jeopardised particularly as they rely on being close to the City but due to affordability constraints are unable to relocate closer to the City Centre.