The Draft Local Plan identifies Melbourn as falling within the policy area ‘Rest of the rural area’.
As previously mentioned the Councils’ state at page 122 of the Draft Local Plan that the strategy for this area is as follows:
“…..propose some development in and around villages that have good transport links and services, while in smaller villages, we propose that only small-scale infill development and affordable housing would be permitted. Any development in and around villages needs to be well-designed for the rural setting, with a strong relationship to landscape”
Policy S/RRA of the Draft Local Plan sets out the site allocations in the rest of the rural area. For the entire area, which covers 3 rural centres and 12 Minor Rural Centres, the Council have identified only four sites for housing as follows:
•The Moor, Moor Lane, Melbourn – 20 homes
•Land to the west of Cambridge Road, Melbourn – 120 homes
•Land at Mansel Farm, Station Road, Oakington – 20 homes
•Land at Highfields (phase 2), Caldecote – 64 homes
The Plan states that the top priority is to reduce carbon emissions and to that end provide jobs and homes in close proximity to one another and major public transport routes. Given its superior range of facilities and excellent public transport services to Cambridge, Miller are strongly of the view that the development strategy should be seeking to identify further growth to the north east of Melbourn, where there are opportunities to locate development close to the A10, a well-established public
transport corridor.
As shown on Figure 11 of the Draft Local Plan, the section of the A10 between Cambridge, Melbourn and Royston is identified as forming part of the Greenways programme, to encourage commuting by sustainable transport modes into Cambridge city from South Cambridgeshire villages. In June 2020 the Greater Cambridge Partnership approved plans for improvements along the route of the A10 to provide a dedicated cycleway between Cambridge and Royston.
The Site is considered worthy of being an allocation. The development of the Site is acknowledged by the Council as in keeping with the pattern of growth to the north east of Melbourn, whilst also being in close proximity to a range of services and facilities in the village itself and existing and planned public transport links to Cambridge and other centres. In accordance with national planning guidance, the inclusion of the Site will help the village to ‘thrive and grow’, whilst also ensuring a more appropriate balance of sites, specifically smaller and medium sized sites which can make an important contribution to meeting the housing requirement of an area.