OBJECT

These representations are submitted on behalf of Endurance Estates, who has promoted land at Crow Green to the north-east of Caxton Gibbet for employment uses. The promoted development comprises mid-tech and advanced manufacturing employment uses and strategic logistics development. The site is located to the north of Cambourne, and the promoted development would increase employment opportunities at Cambourne. The site located at a junction that is due to be upgraded as part of the proposed A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements project being brought forward by National Highways. The site would also be well-related to the Cambourne to Cambridge Better Public Transport project being delivered by the Greater Cambridge Partnership and the preferred routes for the East West Rail project including the proposed station at Cambourne.

These representations to Policy S/DS are focussed on the part of the development strategy that relate to Cambourne because of the location of the site promoted by Endurance Estates; separate representations are submitted to Policy S/CB: Cambourne. The development strategy for Cambourne states “For our new settlements, we propose: Evolving and expanding Cambourne into a vibrant town alongside the development of the new East West Rail station, which will make it one of the best connected and most accessible places in the area”. The principle of expanding Cambourne to make it a vibrant town is supported. However, the delivery of additional employment land at Cambourne must be part of any strategy to make it more vibrant.

In summary, there is a need for additional industrial (Class B2) and storage and distribution (Class B8) land in Greater Cambridge, but a limited supply and strong market demand. The promoted development by Endurance Estates at Caxton Gibbet would meet the demand for mid-tech and advanced manufacturing units and strategic logistics units, and would provide a range of unit sizes to meet the needs of different occupiers. The promoted development is well-related to Cambourne and to the strategic road network, and would provide employment opportunities for current and future residents closer to where they live. It is requested in these representations that the development strategy for Cambourne makes specific reference to increasing the supply of employment land at Cambourne. The representations to Policy S/CB: Cambourne seek an allocation of the land at Caxton Gibbet for industrial and storage and distribution uses. The representations to Policy J/NE: New Employment Development comment on the employment land evidence prepared for emerging GCLP and specifically the decision to not allocate land for warehouse and distribution centres in Greater Cambridge despite the identified need and demand.

Paragraph 8 of the NPPF identifies the three objectives of sustainable development. The economic objective specifically identifies the need to build a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right types is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation and improved productivity. Paragraph 20 notes that strategic policies should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and quality of development, and make sufficient provision for employment and other commercial development amongst other matters. Paragraph 81 expects planning policies to create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand and adapt, and to support economic growth and productivity and to meet the needs of business. Paragraph 82 expects planning policies to have regard to local industrial strategies and other local policies for economic development and regeneration, and to identify strategic sites to meet economic strategies and anticipated employment needs. Paragraph 83 expects planning policies to recognise and address the specific locational requirements of different sectors including high technology industries and storage and distribution operations. Paragraph 031 (ID: 2a) of the Planning Practice Guidance explains how local planning authorities should identify the need for logistics and allocate land to meet that need. The Greater Cambridge Employment Land and Economic Development Evidence Study (November 2020 GL Hearn) was prepared to inform the economic development and employment land needs for emerging GCLP, including the approach to the provision of land for Class B2 and B8 uses. As explained below, it is considered that the evidence base for the emerging GCLP underestimates the need for Class B2 and B8 uses, and does not reflect the market demand for these uses in Greater Cambridge.

The Need for Employment Land Report (prepared by Savills on behalf of Endurance Estates) assessed the employment land evidence for emerging GCLP; the Report is attached to the representations to Policy S/CB: Cambourne that includes a request for land at Caxton Gibbet to be allocated for industrial (mid-tech/ advanced manufacturing) and storage and distribution (logistics) uses. In summary, Savills conclude that the employment land evidence base underestimates the actual need for Class B2 and B8 uses, does not properly take into account existing supply or market signals, and ignores the wider region/functional property market area relevant to Greater Cambridge. The current and emerging policies for industrial development are restrictive, and suppress demand. Savills estimate that between 270,000 sqm and 461,000 sqm of industrial floorspace is required over the plan period.

The Market Demand Report (prepared by Carter Jonas on behalf of Endurance Estates) assessed the supply, demand and need for high technology manufacturing and logistics floorspace; the Report is attached to the representations to Policy S/CB: Cambourne. In summary, Carter Jonas conclude that there is limited supply of floorspace suitable for high technology manufacturing and logistics uses, and the supply is not being provided in Cambridgeshire. There is strong demand for floorspace in Greater Cambridge and along the A428 corridor, but that demand is not being met.

The Savills and Carter Jonas reports identify the benefits of the logistics sector and of the promoted employment development at land at Caxton Gibbet, which are explained in more detail in the representations to Policy S/CB: Cambourne.

Paragraph 104 of the NPPF expects transport issues to be considered at an early stage of plan-making, so that impacts and opportunities can be assessed. Paragraph 105 seeks to ensure that development is located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. Paragraph 106 expects planning policies to support an appropriate mix of uses across an area, and within larger scale sites, to minimise the number and length of journeys needed for employment, amongst other matters.

There are a number of transport infrastructure projects already planned at an in the vicinity of Cambourne that will improve accessibility along the A428 corridor in South Cambridgeshire. Those transport projects are the proposed A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements project, the preferred routes for the East West Rail project including the proposed station at Cambourne, and the Cambourne to Cambridge Better Public Transport project. Therefore, in due course Cambourne and the promoted development at Caxton Gibbet will be very well connected by road, rail and bus. The improvements to the A428 include the delivery of pedestrian routes and connections across the Caxton Gibbet junction, south to Cambourne West, as well as improvements further east at the ‘Cambourne Junction’. In all respects, additional employment development at Cambourne/Caxton Gibbet would deliver on the sustainable transport objectives of national policy.

Cambourne has a good range of services and facilities, but it lacks land for employment which means that residents need to travel elsewhere to access job opportunities. Cambourne with approved expansion will have 6,600 dwellings and a further potential 1,950 dwellings in the future proposed through the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan, and Bourn Airfield will have 3,500 dwellings. . Cambourne is currently the largest settlement in South Cambridgeshire. A more sustainable outcome would be delivered if a higher proportion of Cambourne’s existing and future residents could access employment opportunities locally, commuting via sustainable modes and reducing commuting into Cambridge. Irrespective of potential future housing growth at Cambourne there is already a significant case to be made for providing more jobs close to existing houses in this location. The promoted development by Endurance Estates at Caxton Gibbet would provide some of those employment opportunities.

In conclusion, the development strategy ignores the opportunity for additional employment to be provided at and in the vicinity of Cambourne, and does not properly reflect the need and demand for Class B2 and B8 uses.

Requested Change

It is requested that the development strategy for Cambourne makes specific reference to increasing the supply of employment land at and in the vicinity of Cambourne, including at land at Caxton Gibbet as promoted by Endurance Estates.