Comment

Representation ID: 59362

Received: 17/01/2022

Respondent: South Cambridgeshire District Council

Policy FUL/12 – Employment Development

Part 1 – The first part of this section is simply repeating the Local Plan Policy E/12.

Part 1a - Should this be cross referring to FUL/16? This is stating that all development no matter the scale will have to clearly show its commitment. It is not clear how an applicant would demonstrate this and how a planning officer would know that it could be achieved? The policy is not explaining how to measure this clearly, for example through the submission of a Transport Assessment?

Part 1b - The requirement that there should be no increase in heavy goods vehicle movement is unreasonable given that developments outside the Neighbourhood Area could result in additional movements. Transport assessments should perhaps be used to demonstrate that the transport impact is acceptable.

Part 1c – Whilst recognising that heavy vehicles may impact the smaller roads within the parish is it realistic to expect new development to mitigate any adverse impacts associated with vans too. Surely this would restrict the types of employment that would be acceptable within the parish. There perhaps needs to be a definition of ‘heavy vehicle’ in the glossary and the supporting text.

Part 1d – Is it realistic to require no loss of character and visual amenity from an employment development with some level of car parking and transportation? Any new development is likely to require some car parking for workers and visitors and therefore will generate some traffic, so it is unreasonable to expect no increase in traffic movement because of new development?

Part 2a - This criterion does not define what is meant by heavy vehicles – it could be difficult for a development management officer to interpret what is meant by this term when determining an application for employment in the parish. Who would define what is meant by requiring regular heavy vehicles – once a week? one a day? What is regular? It is also open to interpretation what is meant by the ‘village boundary’ and ‘direct access to the road network’.

Part 2b - How would such a policy be achieved as banning heavy lorries from any streets is outside of the role of a planning policy.

Part 2c – How would you define adequate planted edges? How would a planning officer considering a planning application be able to determine if planting is adequate? How does it differ from other landscape policies in the Plan? FUL /01 part 1 or FUL/04 –parts 2a and 2b?