Policy S/RRA: Site Allocations in the Rest of the Rural Area
Policy S/RRA allocates sites for homes or employment that support the overall development strategy within the rural area, excluding the rural southern cluster.
Jesus College supports the principle of policy S/RRA in allocating sites for housing and employment in the rural area. However, the First Proposals document makes very few additional allocations in the rural area and Jesus College objects to this approach. This approach threatens the vitality of villages within the rural area and on the edge of Cambridge and stifles opportunities for further growth and supporting local services. As such, the Development Strategy should nclude for further allocations in the rural area to ensure that a sound spatial strategy is developed and delivered.
Sustainable development in rural areas makes an important contribution to ensuring the vitality of villages and supporting existing rural services and facilities. This approach is supported by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which at paragraph 79 states that to promote sustainable development in rural areas, 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, especially where this will support local services.
Notwithstanding this clear direction in national policy, the emerging Local Plan makes very few additional allocations in the rural area. This approach threatens the vitality of villages within the rural area and stifles opportunities for further growth and supporting local services. The allocation of additional small sites in the rural area will also help to ensure that the housing supply for the Local Plan is balanced and robust, reducing the reliance on strategic sites and the limited allocations in villages.
The ability of new development to support rural communities is especially important given the loss of rural services experienced in recent years. The impact of these service losses on rural communities is accentuated when considering pre-existing low service levels compared to better served, urban areas.
The approach of directing some growth to the villages should also take account of existing and proposed public transport improvements. With reference to Harston, whilst it is a relatively small village, it benefits from being within the A10 corridor, plus close proximity to further facilities and services available in nearby villages.