Comment

Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

Representation ID: 59124

Received: 13/12/2021

Respondent: L&Q Estates Limited and Hill Residential Limited

Agent: Barton Willmore

Representation Summary:

The need for biodiversity net gain (BNG) is supported but we have concerns that the proposed 20% net gain requirement has not been fully tested in the Council’s development viability appraisal. The First Proposals Viability Report assumes separate costs for greenfield and brownfield developments that will deliver 20% BNG on site. However, there will be several sites that cannot achieve this level of net gain on site and will require higher cost assumptions for off-site delivery. It is also not clear how the report has costed off-site delivery S106 contributions.

Full text:

The need for biodiversity net gain (BNG) is supported but we have concerns that the proposed 20% net gain requirement has not been fully tested in the Council’s development viability appraisal. The First Proposals Viability Report assumes separate costs for greenfield and brownfield developments that will deliver 20% BNG on site. However, there will be several sites that cannot achieve this level of net gain on site and will require higher cost assumptions for off-site delivery. It is also not clear how the report has costed off-site delivery S106 contributions.

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