6. QUESTION: What housing, jobs, facilities or open spaces do you think should be provided in and around these villages?

6.1 It is important that a range of housing, jobs and facilities are provided within larger villages as part of new allocations to allow them to thrive and remain vibrant. CALA Homes are responsible for the promotion of Land of Water Lane, Melbourn, and have a track record of delivering high quality housing developments, which provide a mix of dwellings to meet Objectively Assessed Housing Needs. CALA Homes are fully committed, to engagement with the GCSPS and Melbourn Parish Council regarding the mix and type of housing to be delivered on Land off Water Lane, Melbourn. The site also has the potential to provide open space to serve the new and wider local community and would trigger contributions towards improvements towards local facilities.

7. QUESTION: Are there any sites which you think should be developed for housing or business use, which we haven’t got on our map so far?

7.1 Yes, Land off Water Lane, Melbourn should be allocated for development and would be a sound allocation as part of the emerging Local Plan. The Land off Water Lane, Melbourn site was promoted originally at Call for Sites stage. We have also demonstrated with the agreement of Cambridgeshire County Highways that access from the site to the adopted highway can be achieved without any significant impact.

7.2 To the north of the Site, Water Lane gives access to increasingly recent housing development as it runs south from its junction with Melbourn High Street. From the High Street until its junction with Greengage Road, Water Lane is a metalled road bounded by a footway on one or both sides of the carriageway. South of its junction with Greengage Road, the lane changes in character to a rough surfaced track bounded on both sides by mature hedgerows.

7.3 CALA’s access arrangements to serve the proposed development is to provide vehicular access via Water Lane, in effect extending the road southwards along the lane from the junction with Greengage Road to a point of access to the development formed at an appropriate point along the eastern boundary of the site.

7.4 While the lane is classified as BOAT 15 (Byway Open to All Traffic), it is highway maintainable at the public expense and capable of being upgraded to an appropriate standard for its subsequent adoption by the highway authority to serve CALA’s housing development.

7.5 The fact that BOAT 15 is presently only roughly surfaced and very lightly maintained, with the boundary hedges being allowed to encroach into the highway, is simply indicative of the fact that it has hitherto been maintained to a standard that is commensurate with its present use by the public. Its current condition does not preclude Cambridgeshire County Council’s from entering into a section 278 agreement to upgrade the lane in order to serve the site. Therefore the principle of providing a safe highway connection to the adopted highway on Water Lane is acceptable for the quantum of development proposed (circa 100 dwellings).

7.6 The Technical Note (2021) includes the results of a speed survey carried out in November 2021, approximately 75 metres north of the access into Greengage Rise. 12 The results concluded an average north bound speed of 24mph and a speed of 25mph for south bound. As a result, based upon Manuel for Streets, the required visibility splays are 31.4 metres to the south for north bound traffic, and 33 metres to the north for south bound traffic. These visibility splays can be achieved within the highway land as shown in Appendix F of the note.

7.7 In terms of pedestrian access, it was originally proposed in the TPA design that a 2 metre wide footpath could be provided on the eastern side of Water Lane with a 5.5 metre wide carriageway. However, upon reflecting on the Highway Authority’s feedback, where advised it would be preferable for the pedestrian access to be created on the western side to avoid pedestrians having to cross two carriageways to connect to the existing footpath, the design was amended.

7.8 A 2 metre wide footpath along the western side of the site within the highway boundary can be achieved and provision for two crossing points has been included. Therefore, safe pedestrian access can be provided from the site into the village.

7.9 In summary, as the principle of a safe and adoptable access can be provided from the site to the adopted highway including a 2 metre wide pedestrian link, this should be sufficient to overcoming the access concern with this site. The next stage would involve preparing detailed concept plans in agreement with GCSPS and the Highways Authority before preparing a detailed application. Beyond the application process, further work would be required to iron out the highways details through a S278 agreement. Developer funding through an obligation in the S106 could be used to make a contribution towards the highway improvements. Response to HELAA

7.10 The key concern raised in the HELAA towards the site’s allocation was with site access and not being able to connect to the adopted highway. It has been clear demonstrated through in the Technical Note provided by Peter Brett that a connection to the adopted highway on Water Lane.

7.11 The Technical Note includes a plan showing how a 5.5 metre wide (with 1.8 m footpaths either side) access can be provided including visibility splays to link the site to the adoptable highway on Water Lane. The proposed access, its design and the quantum of development off the proposed site was also considered acceptable to the Highways Authority during our initial pre-application discussions. The Technical Note includes correspondence from the Highways Authority confirming this.

7.12 Therefore, unless officers are able to demonstrate otherwise, the site allocation has resolved the key concern with site access and as such the site is suitable for development.

7.13 A detailed review of the HELAA assessment in respect of the Land off Water Lane, Melbourn site is set out below (IN ATTACHED DOCUMENT).