Great places

Good

The Trumpington Residents' Association notes that one of the descriptions of a great place is that it locates jobs near to homes, rather than the usual description of locating homes near to jobs (page 205, top bullet point).

This proposal recognises that the Local Plan covers an area that is both urban and rural. It suggests that across each policy area proposed, the plan sets a priority for delivering high quality and well-designed places. It is not considered however that the Plan as currently drafted meets this objective as it seeks to focus primarily on Cambridge, the edge of Cambridge and new settlements for growth with the rural area being left behind.

This proposal recognises that the Local Plan covers an area that is both urban and rural. It suggests that across each policy area proposed, the plan sets a priority for delivering high quality and well-designed places. It is not considered however that the Plan as currently drafted meets this objective as it seeks to focus primarily on Cambridge, the edge of Cambridge and new settlements for growth with the rural area being left behind.

Cambridge Centre one of UK's most beautiful areas. Development in whole area must not be allowed to detract and destroy that. Modern developments do not mix well with beautiful old buildings.
Residential and business property extension or development designs must be high quality & in line with surrounding architecture.
Essential landscape character is maintained. Not enhanced beyond its natural beauty.
Green Belt definitely protected.
Heritage conservation & enhancement definitely a priority over growth and development of all kinds in the area. Wherever possible preserving the assets against certain damage from climate change
Only protect Public House with genuine historic value

Huntingdonshire District Council has no comment on this matter.

The Stapleford proposed site destroys the Landscape Character of the village.
It goes totally against the statement for protection and enhancement of the Green Belt.
It does not establish the conservation of high quality landscape or the public realm

Support the ambition - Note: Fulfilment of S/NEC Policy through relocation of a fully operational and future proofed waste water treatment plant to the Green Belt within close proximity to Conservation areas , Heritage Assets PROW’s etc. is contrary to the majority of Policies in this Section.

Some areas of the city, like the Babraham Road end of Queen Ediths, seem to be particularly underserved by community infrastructure. It would be good if the plan can rebalance any identified shortfall in areas by mandating investment in community infrastructure like local pubs, shops and community centres when new developments are permitted. This not only makes great places for new inhabitants, but existing members and communities also benefit.

Great places policies

4.46. MGH recognises that maintaining and creating great places is crucial to sustaining the quality of the area for people who live, work, study in, and visit Greater Cambridge. The overall policy aims for Great Places; for design to be responsive to people and place, to protect and enhance important landscape and heritage assets, and to achieve high quality development that meets climate change requirements, are all supported by MGH.
4.47. We recognise the importance of the recent changes to the national planning policy guidance and the introduction of a national design guide, which envisage that development will be led by local ‘design codes’ and which are informed by the traditions of an area, assisting in creating identity and distinctiveness. MGH endorse this approach to design as well as the involvement of local residents and other stakeholders via an open and transparent consultation process. We expect that developments on key sites, such as North Cambourne, should be prepared in accordance with a development brief or design code.
4.48. A significant issue for North Cambourne is demonstrating the ability to create a successful level of connectivity, and to ensure that existing and new neighbourhoods function successfully. The new crossing points need to be designed for a high degree of permeability, including easy access for active travel on foot and by cycle, and making sure that that A428 is not perceived as a barrier in any way. We consider this in more detail in our vision document.
4.49. Elsewhere in this representation we have also highlighted how consolidation of development at Cambourne, that supports its recognised role as a highly sustainable location, can assist the aims of making great places. The ability to create a scale of development that is supported by a range of services and community infrastructure, including a choice of schools and leisure facilities, can have a positive impact on the overall location.
4.50. Cambridgeshire already has a great track record in delivering well-designed new neighbourhoods. Emerging guidance in the form of the national design guide and updates to the PPG has re-enforced this process, and the implications of the work carried out by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission will inform revisions to the NPPF. The Greater Cambridge authority will need to ensure that resources are in place so that proposals that come forwards are well considered, maximising the benefits that new development can bring, including those delivered by high quality design that relate to all aspects of health, social inclusion and wellbeing.

In relation to ‘The Local Plan covers an area that is both urban and rural, and the proposed spatial strategy aims to support the individuality and distinctive qualities of Cambridge and the surrounding villages both large and small’ the importance within the city boundary of the ‘semi-rural’ eg in West Cambridge Conservation Area from the Backs to the M11 as a one of the distinctive characters of the city should formally recognised and protected

see attached

Support ensuring historical buildings are maintained to extend there life.

Updating the buildings which do not change the general façade should be supported to extend there life and usefulness (eg allow insulation, double glazing, modern updates) but to repeat, as long as does not alter there appearance in any way.

The Ninewells development was promised as a "soft edge" to the city, with green spaces permeating the edge of the development. If that green space is now replaced with development as proposed by the Plan, that promise is broken. It would go against almost all of the admirable statements in the three paragraphs above. Ninewells and the southern edge of the city will cease to be a "great place".

Hallam Land Management (HLM) support the Councils aims in respect of great places.

Support. High quality design needed. Sustain character of the areas.

Marshall supports the principle of this policy to create great places where people want to live, work and play whilst sustaining the unique characters of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. Cambridge East has a significant role to play in the creation of an extraordinary new place that complements and adds to the existing surrounding built development and communities. The creation of great places is embedded at the heart of the vision for Cambridge East and the scale and the significance of the site provides an opportunity to implement place-making. Cambridge East will be a place in itself, complementing the role and services offered by other city quarters – but also a place integrated with and completing the city. Further detail will be developed through the masterplan in collaboration with the GCSP.

The Church Commissioners for England strongly advocate the Councils’ aim of sustaining the unique character of Greater Cambridge and complementing it with beautiful and distinctive development, creating a place where people want to live, work and play.
As discussed in response to Policy S/CB, the Commissioners’ vision for the Site is the realisation of a new place that exemplifies how people and nature can co-inhabit the landscape sustainably, in a place where they want to be. The Commissioners’ accompanying Vision Document details how it envisages this will be achieved.

We agree that creating Great Places intersects with other themes. This must also include:
A great place is somewhere which sits well within its landscape (as covered by policy GP/LC).

The Great Places paper refers to Heritage Assets, but does not adequately recognise that the city of Cambridge is a heritage asset of worldwide significance which meets UNESCO’s Outstanding Universal Value criteria for World Heritage status. This significance derives from the combination of its built and natural heritage. We would like the draft Plan to recognise the vital role which this special character plays in making Cambridge a great place to live in, work, study, and visit.

The structuring of the consultation creates a separation between Landscape and Townscape (Objective 6) and Historic Environment (Objective 7), which for Cambridge creates a risk that there is not adequate consideration and valuation of the historic city in its historic landscape setting, with historic landscape and open spaces considered as green infrastructure but not as historic environment.

Cambridge’s special character (which is what makes it a great place) will be put under significant pressure by the scale of growth proposed (73,000 extra residents). Cambridge Past, Present & Future is very concerned about the “limits to growth” capacity in trying to accommodate the 21st century demands this will create within the built fabric and spaces of a medieval market town. The fundamental conflicts between growth on the one hand and environmental capacity and special character on the other must be recognised as a key challenge for the draft Local Plan. We are concerned that the evidence base does not include an assessment of the cumulative impacts on the historic centre and what the likely impacts of this might be – without this it is impossible to reach a judgement. Para 3.2.4 of the Strategic Heritage Impact Assessment: baseline includes the statement that “3.2.4 Future growth in Cambridge has the potential to strengthen and reinforce these characteristics, enabling the City to meet contemporary environmental, economic and social drivers without undermining its economic identity" but we could not find any evidence to support this statement.

We support the aim to sustain the unique character of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, and complement it with beautiful and distinctive development, creating a place where people want to live, work and play.

CBC Limited and the landowners support the principles of the proposed approach to sustain the unique character of Cambridge and to complement it with beautiful and distinctive development. The creation of great places is embedded at the heart of the CBC Vision 2050 and a shared objective of the landowners. The growth of the Campus into the identified Area of Major Change will aid its transformation into an exemplary neighbourhood and extension to Cambridge. Further detail can be developed through the principles which can be established through joint working.

The Great Places Policies in the GCLP are generally supported. The proposed policy approach towards the enhancement of landscape character is supported, although it is important to recognise that there are variations within broadly defined landscape character areas. Many areas, particularly those on the edge of existing settlements, or which are well-contained by existing physical features, will have a much more limited visual impact than areas which are also subject to the same broad landscape designation. Provided these policies enable the site-specific circumstances are taken into account when assessing the visual impact of any particular location, these policies would represent an important aspect of maintaining high quality environments in the GCLP area.

Please see additional written representations for further details.

COMMENT

North BRLOG is promoting land at South West Cambridge as an exemplar, landscape-led, and highly sustainable new neighbourhood. A Vision Document, informed by a number of technical reports, has been prepared for the promoted development.

The Masterplan for the promoted development has taken into account the significance and setting of the identified heritage assets and landscape character, in order to ensure that any impacts are mitigated wherever possible. In summary, the promoted development includes a substantial central east-west open corridor through the site which takes into account some of the primary viewpoints towards the City from the west, retains existing landscape features, and locates development to avoid potential adverse effects on the setting of landmark/taller heritage assets in the City. This approach of detailed heritage and landscape assessments followed by careful and sensitive design is consistent with the design policies in Section 3.4. The Masterplan demonstrates that heritage and landscape assets within and on the edge of Cambridge can be protected in conjunction with a strategic site allocation at South West Cambridge.

There is little reference to Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in the proposals including the use of off-site manufacture. Given the development opportunities identified within the Oxford to Cambridge Arc it will be important to create a supply chain for off-site manufacture close to Cambridge. The volumes of housing to be provided within the Greater Cambridge Local Plan should create the economy of scale to implement off-site manufacture factories. There should be a consideration given to the implications of MMC for design policies as a whole.

It is apparent that great places are more likely to be achieved through plan policies if comprehensive planning is enabled at a sufficient scale to provide a full range of facilities and to integrate development within a strong landscaped framework. Cambridge South is an outstanding opportunity to achieve exemplary development.

Food is an essential part of family and community life. Opportunities for growing and sharing food enhance the growth and cohesiveness of a local community and promote wellbeing, equality and resilience. We believe that great places are places that are designed and built for people and food and all great places promote good food spaces that are good for people and good for the planet. Provision in any new development should also include
• Space for start up food businesses that enhance local choice, utilise local produce and provide jobs and training

We support high quality design which understands and responds to the wider determinants of health and promotes healthy and green lifestyle choices through well designed places.

We have some concerns about heritage sites and conservation areas which are due a review. We would like to see proper protection for many of the great places in our district.

Cambourne Town Council supports the theme as it addresses the aims contained in the vision.

Preservation of the rural character and identity of the villages is essential to the quality of life. Shepreth Parish Council (SPC) is opposed to disproportionate development that damages such character and identity.