The proposed development strategy for Greater Cambridge directs the vast majority of growth to the Cambridge Urban Area, the edge of Cambridge and new settlements. Only a very small level of growth is directed to the Rest of the Rural Area. Of the allocations proposed, the majority of these are existing commitments (adopted allocations, sites with planning permission etc.). The Council are only proposing a need for an additional 11,640 homes to be allocated through the emerging Local Plan.

As part of their strategy, the Council have stated that their top priority is to reduce carbon emissions and to that end provide jobs and homes in close proximity to one another and major public transport routes. Some villages within South Cambridgeshire are in very close proximity to Cambridge; benefit from close proximity to employment opportunities; and are well placed in terms of existing and proposed public transport routes. Hauxton is such a settlement.

The allocation of the FWWTW for a greater quantum of housing and/or employment would help meet the needs of smaller settlements over the Plan period, providing greater variety in the types and location of development delivered and co-locating homes and jobs in close proximity to one another, reducing the need to travel.

With respect to the delivery of housing, it is important to highlight that the NPPF is clear in paragraph 69 that ‘small and medium sized sites can make an important contribution to meeting the housing requirement of an area, and are often built-out relatively quickly’ and that local planning authorities should ‘promote the development of a good mix of sites’. It is considered that the Council strategy focuses on the delivery of very large sites with a much lesser number of small and medium allocations.

Furthermore, paragraph 79 of the NPPF is clear that in order to ‘promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. Planning policies should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services.’ By delivering more housing and/or employment florrspace in settlements such as Hauxton, development will continue to support local services and facilities, supporting their retention and growth.

In respect of delivering employment provision, paragraph 85 of the NPPF is clear that ‘planning policies and decisions should recognise that sites to meet local business and community needs in rural areas may have to be found adjacent to or beyond existing settlements, and in locations that are not well served by public transport’. Whilst the Site is presently beyond the settlement boundary, opportunities close to the Site will significantly improve the public transport and sustainable modes of transport options to access the Site, not just from the City but from the surrounding settlements too. These same opportunities will also significantly change the Site setting and will place it instead, within a dynamic transport and growth corridor, linking directly to the City Centre and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

Paragraph 85 of the NPPF goes on to say that ‘the use of previously developed land, and sites that are physically well-related to existing settlements should be encouraged where opportunities exist.’ Bridgemere Land Plc consider that their Site at Hauxton represents such an opportunity and that it will also provide the opportunity to remediate a highly contaminated Site, which will have wider environmental and/or employment and housing benefits.

Bridgemere Land Plc are therefore of the view that the Council should look to deliver a greater number of smaller and medium allocations to ensure that there is a supply of housing that can be built out sooner within the Plan period, but that the FWWTW site is also highly suited to deliver employment floorspace, or a mixture of the two. The Site in Hauxton comes with environmental constraints which will need to be addressed in full and would constitute an environment benefit to the wider area. It could be remediated and developed within the first half of the Plan period.