Sustainability Appraisal

A key aim of the Sustainability Appraisal process is to make a plan more sustainable. It tests the social, economic, and environmental impacts of various plan options, to help choose the most sustainable options. It also seeks to determine the extent to which the principles of sustainable development are integrated into the plan and its policies.

It is considered by Mr Francis that the Sustainability Appraisal has not sought to make emerging GCLP more sustainable, and in respect of villages it appears that the assessment against sustainability objectives is not robust because it does not critically review the evidence provided by the Councils. For example, some villages have good access by sustainable modes of transport and contain a good range of services and facilities, there is an identified need for affordable housing in most villages which is ignored in the assessment process, and there is limited capacity within existing settlement boundaries for villages to accommodate additional development.

The sustainability objectives that are relevant to Mr Francis’ representations to the Sustainability Appraisal are: SA1 Housing; and SA2 Access to Services and Facilities.

Mr Francis’ representations and requested amendment to the assessment of policy options in the Sustainability Appraisal are as follows:

• Table 5.4: Policy S/DS: Development Strategy: A ‘significant positive effect/uncertain’ score is identified in the assessment for the housing sustainability objective (SA1). However, as set out in Mr Francis’ representations to Policy S/DS, there are no housing allocations made in most villages, including fen Ditton, and as such the identified needs for affordable housing in the villages would not be met by the preferred development strategy. South Cambridgeshire District Council's 'Housing Statistical Information Leaflet' (December 2019) identified affordable housing needs for those with a local connection in all villages – see https://www.scambs.gov.uk/media/18316/affordable-housing-housing-statistical-information-leaflet-december-2019.pdf. That information is not reflected in the assessment contained in Table 5.4. The identified need for 12 affordable dwellings in Fen Ditton will not be met by the preferred development strategy, which must be a negative outcome for the housing related sustainability objective. Mr Francis has requested that land off Ditton Lane in Fen Ditton is allocated for housing and affordable housing to deliver positive housing related sustainability outcomes.

• Table 5.6: Policy S/SB: Settlement Boundaries. A ‘mixed significant positive and minor negative effect’ score is identified for the housing sustainability objective (SA1). As set out in Mr Francis’ representations to Policy S/SB the settlement boundaries at most villages have remained largely unchanged since 2004 and there has been no assessment of capacity within settlement boundaries to accommodate additional development. The assessment in Table 5.6 does not consider whether any capacity exists within the settlement boundaries to accommodate the identified needs for affordable housing. Fen Ditton is an example where there are no opportunities within the boundary to accommodate major developments that would require affordable housing i.e. 10 or more dwellings. As set out above there is an identified need for 12 affordable dwellings in Fen Ditton. It must be a negative outcome for the housing related sustainability objective if affordable housing needs of villages, including Fen Ditton, will not be met by the currently defined settlement boundaries.

It is requested that land off Ditton Lane in Fen Ditton is allocated in emerging GCLP to deliver better and more positive sustainability outcomes compared with the preferred development strategy.