OBJECT

The Greater Cambridge City Deal recognised the relationship between housing and economic growth, and that the shortage of available and affordable housing within Greater Cambridge has an impact on house prices, commuting patterns, and recruitment and retention of employees. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Devolution Deal committed to delivering substantial economic growth and to double economic output during the next 25 years. The 2018 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) identified that recent employment growth has been faster than anticipated, and the aim of doubling economic output in the area by 2040 was realistic. It was suggested in CPIER that economic growth could be achieved by attracting knowledge-intensive businesses that would not locate elsewhere in the UK, by delivering new housing, and by prioritising infrastructure projects. The National Infrastructure Commission, the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership acknowledge and support the economic growth potential of the Greater Cambridge area, and consider that there is a need to substantially increase housing delivery in order to support that economic growth and address the significant housing affordability issues that exist. At present there is an imbalance between rates of economic growth and housing delivery in Greater Cambridge. As set out below, the employment land evidence and emerging GCLP does not plan for sufficient economic growth.

All these factors support a significantly higher number of homes than are proposed in the preferred ‘medium plus’ growth option of Policy S/JH. It is considered that the ‘medium plus’ growth option makes insufficient upward adjustments to the housing requirement (from Section Id.2a of the Planning Practice Guidance) to take into account growth strategies, strategic infrastructure improvements and housing affordability in Greater Cambridgeshire. The ‘medium plus’ growth option also does not reflect the anticipated growth aspirations of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc Spatial Framework, or that the economic success of Greater Cambridge is of national significance.

Barton Willmore, on behalf of Endurance Estates, have assessed the preferred jobs and housing targets in Policy S/JH. Policy S/JH takes forward the ‘Central’ growth scenario, based on employment growth of 58,500 jobs 2020-2041, at an average annual growth rate of 1.1%. However, the CPIER report identified that Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Districts experienced average annual employment growth of 2.4% and 2.3% respectively according to Office for National Statistics data, between 2010 and 2016. This approach by CPIER results in an annual employment growth rate for Cambridge which is the same as the ONS rate (2.4%), but a significantly higher rate (4.2%) is calculated for South Cambridgeshire. Barton Willmore conclude that the Councils current objectively assessed need is far below the potential growth scenarios for the area and, therefore, will need to be revised up and supported by further site allocations in the development strategy.

Therefore, the emerging GCLP should have selected a higher growth level option to support economic growth, address housing affordability, and reduce in-commuting. The higher growth level option will require infrastructure funding, but there are existing transport improvements already planned for Greater Cambridge and further investment in infrastructure (e.g. water and electricity) will need to be secured as part of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc.

Requested Change

It is requested that the housing and jobs requirements in Policy S/JH are based on delivering a higher growth level option.