(Education) The Council notes the further development of this area subsequent to it being ‘safeguarded’ under the 2018 Local Plans and the existing permission granted to Land North of Cherry Hinton (LNCH) within the site. The Council is already working on proposals for the delivery of a primary and secondary school in the context of the outline permission for 1,200 homes at this location.
The Council notes a further 2,900 dwellings are anticipated at Cambridge East to 2041, with a total of 7,000 once the site is completely developed. The Council would find it valuable, in the context of the existing schools’ proposals, to understand at the earliest possible opportunity where the 2,900 dwellings are planned within the site; whether adjacent to the current LNCH site south of the airport/green corridor or to the north along Newmarket Road and adjacent to Marleigh, etc., or both.
Based on the Council’s approved general multipliers, the level of additional development proposed to 2041 (2,900 dwellings), would generate approximately 580-870 early years’ children, 870-1,160 primary-aged pupils (4.1FE-5.5FE) and 520-725 secondary-aged pupils (3.5FE-4.8FE).
In theory, Cambridge East could require the equivalent of three 2FE/two 3FE schools to accommodate site development until 2041, with a further possible 3FE school required (630 places) to cater for the 640 places (max multiplier) for the residual 1,600 dwellings post 2041.
Further, assuming the landowner/developer(s) may wish to bring forward smaller land parcels across the site for development at different stages, the Council recommends adoption of an up-to-date area action plan for the holistic development of both the remaining site and integration with existing communities at Cherry Hinton, LNCH and Marleigh.
One reason for this is around timing. LNCH currently includes provision for a 2FE Primary School (420 places i.e. 60 places in each of the 7-year groups of the primary phase) and a 2FE Wave 12 free primary school is in build, in conjunction with DfE, for Marleigh. The current expectation, given housing mixes understood at the time of writing, is that Marleigh Primary will open in September 2022 with a published admission number of 15 for entry in year Reception. It will accept in-year applications for all year groups and will build gradually to 1FE (30 places in each year group) and eventually 2FE (6 places in each year group) to meet the needs of the development as it grows.
Timing is also important to avoid surplus places at existing primary schools within the local area, factoring in demographic basic need, which could have implications for effective curriculum delivery and financial sustainability.
Timing of primary place provision is going to be critical for school sustainability both within Cambridge East and for schools in communities surrounding it.
For Early Years, additional sites would also need to be allocated and marketed for full day care provision. This is partly to ensure sufficient places which would not be met by the schools alone, but also to promote choice and for families who are not entitled to funded childcare but still wish to access provision.
Regarding secondary provision, a Wave 12 free secondary school is currently being planned in consultation with DfE, the Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) which will run the school and the developers (Bellway) at LNCH. The secondary school is to be located at the eastern gateway to LNCH, off Airport Way and will be south of the ‘green corridor’
DfE is proposing it will be a 4FE capacity (600 place) secondary to begin with. The Council has proposed that this should be built with the ability to expand on the same site to 6FE (900 places). The permitted development at LNCH, on current housing mix proposals, will see a demand of approximately 1FE, Marleigh potentially 2.5FE. Bearing in mind the 2,900 additional dwellings to 2041 of approximately 520-725 secondary-aged pupils, 3.5FE-4.8FE, this school, as currently envisaged, could potentially absorb much, but not all possible demand, with a possible deficit in places of 1-2.3FE by 2041, unviable for a second 11-16 school. However, the residual post-2041 build-out implies a further 1,600 dwellings still to come at Cambridge East. This would not yield a sufficient number of secondary age children for another viable secondary school, however the allocation of land for a second campus prior to 2041 would enable necessary expansion beyond the current 6FE envisaged to cover a 1-2.3FE deficit by 2041 and the additional need requirements beyond 2041, which could stretch that deficit to as much as 3-5FE.
In the immediate to short-term, the situation of other existing local secondary schools needs to be borne in mind, particularly in circumstances where basic need has dropped in the past few years.
Therefore, the Council recommends a further site for secondary provision should be identified at Cambridge East to accommodate capacity closer to 2041 and the post 2041 residual build-out.
Again, for school effectiveness and financial sustainability purposes, timing of both this first secondary and further 11-16 provision are critical.
Assuming the LNCH secondary school remains the main local secondary school for the majority of the period to 2041, consideration needs to be given to student, family and wider community access to it across the ‘green corridor’ from the northern part of the site and Marleigh. Public transport as well as walking and cycling routes will need to bear this in mind.
At this stage, all figures provided here are for illustrative purposes only. The Council will not be able to confirm its education requirements, land and contributions until later in the planning process when the housing mix is finalised.

(Minerals and Waste) All of the site is within a MSA for chalk; part within a MSA for sand & gravel. MWLP Policy 5.