Section 3.2 – Biodiversity and Green Spaces

OBJECT

As highlighted in the submitted Vision Document, the promoted development at land at Caxton Gibbet includes substantial areas of green infrastructure and ecological enhancements. It is considered that this approach would be consistent with the aims of the following policies in Section 3.2: Policy BG/BG: Biodiversity and Geodiversity; and Policy BG/GI: Green Infrastructure. It is the large-scale development with sufficient land available that can deliver significant benefits for all these policy areas.

Figure 54 in the GCLP Preferred Options document identifies green infrastructure initiatives, including one at Western Gateway Multifunctional GI Corridors, which is located around Cambourne and Bourn and along the A428 corridor. One of the objectives for this green infrastructure initiative is to “Provide opportunities to improve biodiversity by expanding and joining up the existing woodland, hedgerow and grassland habitat network. This will be delivered through new woodland planting, natural regeneration, hedgerow extension and management, and habitat restoration. Ensure opportunities for biodiversity offsets from East West rail are sought”. – see pg.8 of Greater Cambridge Green Infrastructure Opportunity Mapping Part 2 Recommendations Report (LUC September 2021). The green infrastructure proposed for the promoted development at land at Caxton Gibbet would be consistent with this initiative, in terms of providing additional woodland and retaining and enhancing hedgerows.

There is a real opportunity to deliver green infrastructure improvements to the north of Cambourne in conjunction with employment development at land at Caxton Gibbet, and complement the Western Gateway green infrastructure initiative.

Requested Change

It is requested that the promoted development at land at Caxton Gibbet is allocated in emerging GCLP for employment development to deliver substantial green infrastructure benefits and complement the Western Gateway Multifunctional GI Corridors initiative.