This policy rightly recognises that Cambridge Green Belt plays an important role in maintaining the special qualities of Cambridge as a historic city and the surrounding area. National planning policy reiterates the importance of protecting Green Belt for its openness and permanence and it is recognised that Cambridge's capacity for growth is constrained by its Green Belt designation. The NPPF is clear that Green Belt boundaries can be reviewed in response to the need for sustainable development where exceptional circumstances exist and that the process for doing so should be through the preparation of a Local Plan (Paragraph 140 of the NPPF). In addition, Paragraph 141 of the NPPF states that exceptional circumstances for releasing Green Belt land may exist where all other reasonable alternatives for meeting identified needs have been fully examined. This includes the following:
“a) makes as much use as possible of suitable brownfield sites and underutilised land;
b) optimises the density of development in line with the policies in chapter 11 of this Framework, including whether policies promote a significant uplift in minimum density standards in town and city centres and other locations well served by public transport; and
c) has been informed by discussions with neighbouring authorities about whether they could accommodate some of the identified need for development, as demonstrated through the statement of common ground.” (NPPF Paragraph 141)

Marshall’s representations to the ‘Development Strategy’ section identify that the Greater Cambridge Local Plan could go further and be more ambitious in relation to its growth targets if the economic potential of the Greater Cambridge area is to be truly realised, in line with the commitments in the Devolution Deal and as outlined in the CPIER. In the first instance, in accordance with NPPF Paragraph 141, the GCSP should seek to optimise the density of development on non-Green Belt land and, as identified in our representations, there is an opportunity to further optimise the development on the safeguarded land at Cambridge East.

In the longer-term, Marshall considers there is potential to build on the excellent accessibility of the location and to extend development to the east of Airport Way without causing harm to the character of the City of the function of the Green Belt. The development would be landscape-led and will incorporate a green infrastructure strategy that responds to the site’s setting and protects surrounding Green Belt land.

If land is to be released from the Green Belt to accommodate future needs, land to the east of the Airport is a primary candidate due to the accessibility of the site and the excellent sustainability benefits that could be generated. Although the Green Belt Assessment (2021), which supports the Local Plan, identifies areas east of Airport Way as ‘Very high’ harm rating to the Green Belt, this is the same of land on all sides of Cambridge. Actually, when the contribution that land east of Airport Way makes to each of the separate purposes that were considered in the Assessment, it is clear that land on other sides of the City are more sensitive and are of a higher landscape quality. The Green Belt studies / assessments that were prepared from 2002 onwards in support of the previous and current adopted Local Plans all recognised that land to the east of Airport Way has landscape value and is important to the setting of Cambridge. This was true, however, of all Green Belt land around Cambridge. What these studies appeared to indicate is that releasing land to the east of the city would have a lesser impact in Green Belt terms than directing development towards more sensitive edges of the City. It is felt that perhaps the rating of ‘very high’ level of harm in this latest Green Belt Assessment is not wholly accurate or consistent with previous Green Belt reviews, and should be re-considered, particularly taking into account the GCP’s intention to relocate the Park and Ride into this area.

Marshall are very mindful of the need to respect the setting and separation of existing communities surrounding the site, particularly Teversham and Cherry Hinton. Proposals for Cambridge East will be sensitive to this and will be compatible with Green Belt objectives in this regard. However overall, when considering the sensitivities of Green Belt land around Cambridge as a whole, the east of Cambridge is considered to be less sensitive in Green Belt terms than other locations around the edge of Cambridge and the release of land here, as part of a comprehensively planned urban expansion, would maximise the scale of the opportunity and secure additional benefits from the synergy which the land can have with development of Cambridge East.