Objection is raised to the proposed changes to the settlement hierarchy as set out in the emerging Policy S/SH. Whilst Waterbeach new town is proposed to be included within the ‘Towns’ category the Plan does not make it clear whether the existing settlement of Waterbeach will also be included within this category. It is considered inappropriate and ineffective to identify just the ‘new town’ element of Waterbeach within this category in the settlement hierarchy the plan should make clear that the existing settlement will also be defined as a ‘Town’. Within the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 Waterbeach is identified as a ‘Minor Rural Centre’ this is now considered an inappropriate category for a settlement that has experienced such large growth to the north. This is particularly pertinent given the sustainable pedestrian and green links from the settlement to the new town and the linked trips associated with the facilities and services between the two areas.
Objection is also raised to the re-categorisation of Cottenham from a ‘Rural Centre’ to a ‘Minor Rural Centre’. The justification within the First proposals Local Plan states that this reflects the revision to the criteria for Rural Centres to have high quality public transport in the form of a segregated public transport route such as the Greater Cambridge Partnership schemes or the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. It is considered that this should not be the only consideration in respect of categorising settlements within the hierarchy indeed other considerations including the size and levels of services and facilities afforded to a settlement should be a major and primary factor. Given the size of Cottenham, its population, the fact it has a good level of services and facilities afforded to it including a Primary School, GP surgery, pharmacy, library, Post Office, dentist, ATM/bank, community facility, public house and good level of shops and services the proposed re-categorisation to a ‘Minor Rural Centre’ is not appropriate. It is instead considered that more funding should be provided to the bus service in Cottenham and the increase in home-working and less reliance on travel for work should be a consideration in categorising settlements within the Settlement Hierarchy.
The First Proposals Local Plan identifies that within Rural Centres there is no limit on an individual scheme size but within Minor Rural centres there will be an indicative maximum scheme size of 30 dwellings. Both the existing settlement of Waterbeach and the village of Cottenham are capable of providing larger schemes of more than 30 dwellings given the sustainability credentials afforded to them.