QUESTION: Do you agree that we should plan for an extra 550 homes per year, so that housing keeps up pressure with increased jobs in our area?
We agree that it is very important that housing delivery keeps up for demand for increased jobs within the area.
As part of the preparation of the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan, the Shared Planning Service has identified a need for 2,321 dwellings to be built per year. A significant proportion of this growth is made up of existing allocations within the Local Plan.
The initial evidence base and spatial options assessment for the emerging Local Plan, set three growth options; ‘minimum’ (40,300 dwellings - based upon standard methodology); ‘medium’ (46,200 dwellings- based upon economic forecast based upon long term historic employment) and ‘maximum’ (67,700 dwellings – based upon fast economic growth in the recent past). In view of this, the housing delivery target of 44,400 new homes over the plan period alongside 58,500 new jobs would fall between the ‘minimum ‘and ‘medium’ growth scenarios previously suggested.
The Development Strategy Topic Paper that accompanies this consultation acknowledges that the Greater Cambridge economy is dynamic and does not readily align with national or regional forecasts for job growth. In particular, it has a world-renowned life sciences cluster which has the potential to drive growth beyond typical regional or national rates. It is also acknowledged that in the recent past employment growth within the region has been significantly higher than predicted.
Accounting for the evidence set out within the Development Strategy Topic Paper, it is not clearly justified why only 44,400 new homes and 58,500 new jobs are proposed over the plan period. It is considered that this approach should be re-visited to increase both housing and employment allocations within the Local Plan. It is considered that the delivery of housing should be significantly increased, in line with the ‘maximum’ growth forecast, to align with economic growth within the recent past. The case for maximum growth forecast is further supported by significant transport investment within the area over the plan period. This includes schemes such as East-West Rail, Cambridge South Station and the delivery of a number of Rapid Transit Routes proposed by the Greater Cambridge Partnership.
The provision for lower growth scenarios does also not appear to be consistent with the Government’s objectives for the Ox-Cam Arc as a focus for housing and employment growth with associated infrastructure.
Concern is also expressed in relation to the types of sites which have been allocated. Recently the St Albans Local Plan was withdrawn in November 2020 following a number of serious concerns raised by the Inspectors which included an overreliance on a small number of large strategic allocations (500 dwellings or more, or over 14 ha) at the expense of smaller scale subareas. The Inspectors noted that such sites, provide choice and flexibility in the housing market and secure affordable housing more immediately as advocated in national planning policy. The findings of the Inspector in 2020, in respect of the examination of the Uttlesford Local Plan were very similar and also resulted in their Local Plan being withdrawn.
The current GCSPS housing growth strategy is reliant on a handful of very large allocations to deliver the proposed proportion of the growth in predominantly urban areas. It is considered that it would be more sustainable to distribute a wider range of housing growth/allocations across the Greater Cambridge area, as this will provide sustainable benefits for the existing settlements and communities in terms of existing businesses, facilities, and give people greater choice over where to live. National planning policies recognises that rural communities need to be able to grow and thrive to avoid decline. The inclusion of smaller sites will also aid delivery and more competition in the housing market.