Comment

Representation ID: 58400

Received: 13/12/2021

Respondent: Trinity College

Agent: Sphere25

Cambridge Science Park (HELAA site 59390)

Whilst the principle of the draft JLP is supported, as an employment destination of local, regional, and national importance, TCC would like it on record that it has deep concerns relating to Cambridge Science Park’s removal as an Employment Allocation within the JLP.

The evidence base is inconsistent, difficult to follow, and in places flawed; CSP is recognised as a crucial element of the Greater Cambridge Economy, and yet excluded from the HELAA and ultimately inclusion within the JLP.

The silence afforded to Cambridge Science Park (other than via removal) is unjustified by the evidence base, and inconsistent with the vast number of strategic and less than strategic employment locations specifically mentioned and supported within proposed policy.

The exclusion of a draft allocation places an undue reliance on an emerging North-East Cambridge
Area Action Plan (NECAAP) being adopted and the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the
relocation of the existing Cowley Road Waste Recycling Centre being achieved. This conflates the delivery of new homes reliant on the DCO with the ongoing growth of employment associated with the existing Cambridge Science Park cluster.

Transport capacity is a key constraint to the delivery of the NECAAP and to date this issue remains unresolved. The deliverability of NECAAP is untested. Whilst TCC supports the successful conclusion of the DCO process and the broad principles of a NECAAP, it is crucial that CSP’s importance is recognised in the emerging JLP.

An allocation provides the supporting policy and development management framework to recognise and harness CSP’s continued evolution and regional role as a significant contributor to employment, research and development for the Cambridge and UK economy. The policy wording as set out above should therefore be (re)instated into the emerging JLP.