Section 2.6: Rest of Rural Area / Policy S/RRA: Allocations in Rest of the Rural Area

It is considered that the growth of the more sustainable villages must be part of the development strategy for emerging GCLP, and particularly those villages that contain a very good range of services and facilities, are accessible by a range of modes of transport, and where there is an identified need for affordable housing for those with a local connection to the village. Histon fall within this category.

Paragraph 79 of the NPPF seeks to promote sustainable development in rural areas and acknowledges that housing can enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and support local services. The promoted development at off Cottenham Road in Histon would support the existing services and facilities in the village, including the supermarkets and other small convenience stores and shops, post office, library, public houses and restaurants, bank, and bus services.

Paragraph 69 acknowledges the role that small and medium sized sites can make towards meeting the housing requirements, and that such sites are often built-out relatively quickly. Small and medium sized sites typically only require limited new physical infrastructure and amendments to the access arrangements. The housing monitoring data from Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire confirms that small and medium sites are delivered quickly i.e. within two to three years. It is considered that small and medium sized sites make a significant contribution towards the short term housing land supply and the five year housing land supply position in Greater Cambridgeshire. It is requested that small sized sites such as land off Cottenham Road in Histon is allocated to meet the requirement for a mix of sites including those that are easily deliverable.

Paragraph 104 of the NPPF expects transport issues to be considered at the earliest stages of plan-making. Those issues include opportunities created by existing or proposed transport infrastructure in terms of the scale, location and density of development, and opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use. There is a stop at Histon on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. Histon is connected to Cambridge and Ely by a frequent bus service. There are existing on and off-road cycle routes within Histon and to and from neighbouring areas. Histon is a sustainable location in transport terms, and additional development in this location would be consistent with Paragraph 104.

Paragraph 62 of the NPPF expects the size, type, and tenure of housing needs of the community to be assessed and reflected in planning policies, including for example those with an affordable housing need, students, renters, and self-builders. South Cambridgeshire District Council's 'Housing Statistical Information Leaflet' (December 2019) identified a need for 58 affordable dwellings in Histon for those with a local connection to the village. This identified need would not be met without allocations in the village. The promoted development by Mr Meadows at land off Cottenham Road in Histon would include housing and affordable housing to meet local needs of the village, and could include a proportion of self/custom build housing plots or community land trust housing.

For all these reasons, additional small scale housing allocations should be made in the more sustainable villages within the rest of the rural area, including Histon, because it is accessible by sustainable modes of transport, it is well related to employment opportunities, there is a need to support the existing services and facilities within the village, and there is an identified need for affordable housing in the villages which would not be met via other means.

Mr Meadows’ representations to the assessment of the land off Cottenham Road in Histon site in the HELAA (Site Ref. 40526) comment on the potential constraints identified with the promoted development and explain how those constraints would be addressed. In summary, there is an existing access to the site, but as an alternative No.113 Cottenham Road could be demolished to create a vehicular access. The site makes limited contribution to the landscape character, and makes limited contribution to the purposes for including land within the Green Belt.

Requested Change

It is requested that the development strategy for the rest of the rural area includes an additional residential allocation at land r/o 113 Cottenham Road in Histon, with the following policy requirements:

• Site Area of 0.72 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 22 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build plots or community land trust housing
• Retain adjacent woodland
• Provide green infrastructure
• New vehicular access following demolition of No.113 Cottenham Road
• Retain existing access