Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner considers 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.

Cambridgeshire County Council is seeking to promote development at Robinson Farm, Sawston (reference 40146). The site is located within the Green Belt, and in these representations it is requested that the site is released to accommodate housing and affordable housing with reference to Chapter 13 of the NPPF.

Paragraph 140 of the NPPF allows Green Belt boundaries to be altered through the plan-making process provided exceptional circumstances exist, and those exceptional circumstances should be based on evidence and justified. It is considered that exceptional circumstances exist to release land from the Green Belt, which are related to the significant need for housing and affordable housing in Greater Cambridge and the need to support economic growth. The exceptional circumstances to release land from the Green Belt applies to all parts of Cambridge covered by this designation, and it is proposed that other land in Great Shelford/Stapleford and within the Rural Southern Cluster is released from the Green Belt for these reasons.

The land at Robinson Farm, Sawston is contained on both sides by infrastructure and bordered by residential and educational development to the south. It is well related to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Unity Campus, and other employment opportunities within the Southern Cluster.

Paragraph 141 requires plan-making authorities to examine all other reasonable options to meet identified development needs before considering whether exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries i.e. make as much use of previously developed land, increase the density of development, and consider whether development needs could be accommodated in neighbouring areas. In the case of Cambridge increasing densities and reusing previously developed land is not straightforward and may be inappropriate because of heritage assets and the difficulty of finding alternative sites for existing uses. The adopted Local Plans for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire already identified previously developed land opportunities, and the emerging GCLP seeks to do them same. As such, previously developed land opportunities that are deliverable have already been identified within and on the edge of Cambridge.

Paragraph 142 requires any review of Green Belt boundaries to consider the need to promote sustainable patterns of development, and that where the release of land from the Green Belt is necessary, that priority is given to previously developed land or sites that are well-served by public transport. It is acknowledged in emerging GCLP and the associated Sustainability Appraisal that the edge of Cambridge is a sustainable location because of its close proximity to employment and the opportunity to travel by non-car modes of transport.

Sawston has rapid bus links to central Cambridge and is close to Whittlesford Parkway Station (which is proposed to become a new rural transport hub). The site borders Cambridge Road to the east and the A1301 to the west, with the potential for new bus links on both roads. The Cambridge South East Transport project by the Greater Cambridge Partnership includes a stop at Sawston. Sawston and the land at Robinson Farm are sustainable locations in transport terms, and additional development in this location would be consistent with Paragraph 104. Therefore, the release of Robinson Farm from the Green Belt would be consistent with the approach in national policy to give priority to those Green Belt sites that are well served by public transport.

Robinson Farm in Sawston makes a limited contribution to openness and the purposes for including land within the Green Belt, and does not contribute towards the wider landscape of Cambridge or Sawston, and should be released from the Green Belt in emerging GCLP.

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. Sawston is the largest settlement within the Rural Southern Cluster and has significant existing infrastructure, including a High Street, College, medical services, and employment parks. It is also centrally located for Granta Park, Babraham Research Park, the Biomedical Campus, and the newly approved Genome Campus at Hinxton. The promoted development of Robinson Farm, Sawston would support the existing services and facilities in the settlement. It would also provide housing and affordable housing for workers at these significant employment sites.

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 115 affordable dwellings in Sawston for those with a local connection to the village. This identified need cannot be met only by the allocation of site S/RSC/H/1 (c), which is for 260 dwellings. The promoted development by Cambridgeshire County Council at Robinson Farm, Sawston would include housing and affordable housing to meet local needs of the village, and there would be a policy requirement to include a proportion of self/custom build housing plots.

For all these reasons, additional allocations should be made in the more sustainable villages within the Rural Southern Cluster, including Sawston, 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. The affordable housing needs for Sawston would not be met by the single allocation for Sawston which is currently preferred.

Requested Change

It is requested that the development strategy for the Rural Southern Cluster includes an additional residential allocation at Robinson Farm, Sawston, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 14.8 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 300 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build plots
• Retain and enhance existing trees and hedgerows at site boundary
• New pedestrian and cycle links between Cambridge Road and the A1301
• Provide open space and green infrastructure
• Upgrade existing vehicular access on Cambridge Road