The proposed Development Framework sets out a strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of the homes and economic land provided in Greater Cambridge. To ensure that the distinctive character of towns and villages is protected, the council place emphasis on approving developments which are well-integrated with existing settlements (Policy S/DS, page 29-30 of the draft Local Plan).

The council have proposed to concentrate development in the City of Cambridge to accommodate for its growing number of jobs (as set out in Policy S/JH). Housing provisions for rural areas beyond the Green Belt (as outlined in Policy S/DS) are mainly in large rural towns. As a result, the plan does not provide development opportunities at numerous settlements within the Plan area, despite settlements like Meldreth, which offers an obvious development opportunity through the redevelopment of the Bury Farm site within/contiguous with the settlement, and has the potential to achieve highly sustainable patterns of development due to its infrastructure and connectivity to employment areas. The proposed Development Strategy cannot therefore be supported in its current form, as it does not promote sustainable development in highly sustainable locations at rural settlements beyond the green belt.

Areas where there is significant infrastructure to sustain rural communities and simultaneously a lack of new housing, such as Meldreth, represent an ideal opportunity for the new Plan to positively promote development opportunities on sites containing existing buildings at locations contiguous with existing settlements. It is therefore requested that the development strategy increases its provision of housing for rural areas where redundant farm buildings exist, contiguous with a settlement and where suitable infrastructure exists to support sustainable living and working patterns.