Countryside support the inclusion of a policy which seeks to ensure that health considerations and principles are applied to new developments. Health and wellbeing is a key issue and high quality new development can contribute positively to the physical and mental health of individuals through delivering high quality housing, well designed and laid out streets and spaces and access to transport, shops, community services and facilities and green and open space.

Land to the west of Cambridge Road, Melbourn presents an opportunity to deliver a healthy new development. The site is located adjacent to one of the largest employment sites in the village, the Melbourn Science Park, and is within walking and cycling distance of a range of services, facilities and public transport modes. Future residents and employees will benefit from easy access to employment, on-site green space, shops and education and community facilities, maximising opportunities for positive influences on their overall health and lifestyle.

The proposals also seek to deliver affordable housing which would be tenure blind, providing a significant amount of affordable housing in a sustainable location.

In addition, as part of their sustainable business approach, Countryside have developed a ‘Building Communities’5 strategy, which Land to the west of Cambridge Road, Melbourn will benefit from. This approach seeks to create places where people love to live, with sustainable communities built to last. It looks beyond building houses to also thinking critically about social and digital infrastructure and transport and green spaces to meet local needs, engaging and empowering communities.

The strategy incorporates four principles: Engagement; Empowerment, Partnership and Stewardship, which are followed from masterplanning through to building and aftercare. The principles enable Countryside to:

● Build a stronger sense of community by delivering solutions tailored to the local area
● Increase local economic growth and maximise social value
● Improve community prosperity and resilience
● Foster better public and community relations which are based on trust
● Facilitate the management and nurturing of the communities over the long term

The approach helps in delivering inclusive, vibrant and sustainable communities which positively impact on the health and wellbeing of residents.

5 https://www.countrysideproperties.com/sustainable-business/building-communities