LVA believe the Local Plan should not be restrictive in terms of providing new housing in villages and instead encourage the Council to utilise this process to permit proportionate, blended growth of open market led developments to provide a wide range of living opportunities in rural areas and settlements through the form of allocations. Associated policies should be worded to allow for Infill Villages to grow and allocations should be made within the Local Plan to compliment this. Paragraph 78 of the NPPF requires that “…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…”.

The allocation of additional developable sites in suitable locations especially in the rural areas will ensure the required levels of growth are delivered in the plan period whilst providing flexibility and certainty in the event that the large-scale extensions do not come forward as expected.

If the Local Plan is to be drafted to restrict development in Infill Villages such as Caxton for example, it could inevitability impede suitable, developable and deliverable sites in sustainable villages such as Land off Ermine Street, Caxton from being developed. The Local Plan must have a mechanism in place to deliver growth in villages where there is no ability or appetite to do so through community led planning (for example Neighbourhood Plans where there is no requirement for their production).

As such, LVA believe Land off Ermine Street, Caxton, located on the northern edge of the settlement of Caxton to the east of Ermine Street extending to 1.5ha, should be allocated for development through the Local Plan process. LVA consider the site represents a logical opportunity for development in the rural areas.

For background, LVA is an investor and planning project manager in UK land and property, with a concentration of projects around the south of the UK. We focus on forming responsible alliances with all stakeholders, including Local Planning Authorities to create developments which add value to communities. We believe our approach of creating working ‘alliances’ leads to better development. LVA are acting on behalf of the Caxton LVA LLP who own Land off Ermine Street, Caxton.

In terms of the suitability for development, Land off Ermine Street. Caxton has been subject to an outline planning application submitted in May 2018 for up to 30 dwellings. The application was refused on 14 August 2018 (Ref: S/1849/18/OL), however it is important to note that there is no demonstration from the refusal of permission and consultee responses provided of an adverse impact which would arise from the grant of planning permission. There are no technical constraints that would prohibit the site from being developed.

The village of Caxton lacks recent development and opportunities would be very limited due to the tight settlement boundary. Due to the concentration of development focusing on Ermine Street; the majority of businesses and services in the village are within close proximity to the street. This village area comprises of:
• A restaurant and bar;
• The village hall;
• Two children’s equipped play areas;
• Informal open space;
• Allotments;
• A church;

Caxton Gibbet, is approximately 1 mile north of Caxton’s northern boundary; and is situated off the A1198 and A428. This includes a Costcutter convenience store, petrol station, car wash and ATM, McDonalds, Subway and Costa. There is also a pet store (Cambridgeshire Hunt) and soft play centre (Giggles and Wiggles) for young children located 1.1miles south of Caxton, outside the settlement boundary. Caxton provides a frequency of busses daily to Cambridge and to St. Neots (with the common exception of Sundays). This is above and beyond the frequency of services in larger settlements.

It is also important to consider the interrelationships between villages and their surrounding settlements. The sustainability of each village is also influenced by the surrounding settlements and their connectivity. Caxton benefits from its close location to Cambourne which is easily accessible by all modes of transport within a short distance. Cambourne is the largest town within the South Cambridgeshire district, comprising the villages of Lower, Great and Upper Cambourne, with an approximate population of 12,000 people and 4,250 homes. Services and facilities currently present within Cambourne include:

• Local centre with supermarket, shops and a number of eateries;
• Community facilities (including sports centre, multiple pavilions, Multi Use
• Games Area and youth club);
• Public houses;
• A nursery and pre-school;
• Four primary schools;
• One secondary school;
• A business park;
• Increased number of bus services;
• Cycle-ways within Cambourne;
• Services (including fire station, police station, GP, dentist, pharmacy, vet
• and library)
• Public open space (including a variety of recreational spaces); and
• Landscaping and recreational uses present within the area.

Cambourne is confirmed to see continued growth more specifically on its western side in the direction towards Caxton. Once developed, the site off Ermine Street, Caxton will be approximately 0.4km from the first phase of the West Cambourne development which will provide:
• 2,350 new houses (including affordable housing);
• Two Primary Schools;
• One Secondary School;
• Retail uses;
• Indoor community facilities;
• Two sports pavilions;
• Office/ light industry;
• Open space; and
• Improved accessibility (including linkages to existing PROWs leading directly to Caxton and LVA’s site itself).

Further, Cambourne is also due to be served by a new rail station which will be situated on the central section of the proposed East West Rail Oxford–Cambridge line.

In conclusion, LVA consider that the village of Caxton is an appropriate and sustainable location for new housing over the plan period, and that the Local Plan should not restrict growth in such a location. The allocation of a site/s in Caxton would be appropriate. Land off Ermine Street, Caxton can be considered a suitable, developable and deliverable site (this has been demonstrated through planning application Ref: S/1849/18/OL) that in LVA’s view should be allocated for housing development within the Local Plan. LVA strongly endorses a plan-led approach to development and would welcome the opportunity to work with the Councils and the Local Plan process to achieve high quality development on the site. Land off Ermine Street, Caxton is suitable, available, and immediately developable.