J/RW: Enabling remote working

support

This is now a reality and should be supported.

West Wickham Parish Council support this policy. We consider that home and remote working are important aspects of keeping rural communities economically sustainable in a manner compatible with reducing carbon emissions.

Huntingdonshire District Council has no comment on this matter.

The policy in the SCDC Local Plan should be considered for wider implementation.

We support the proposal to make it easier to work from home, or from local employment hubs. Enabling remote working (whether full time or part time) reduces carbon emissions and benefits the economy.

I would support investment in communications infrastructure across the city to support the increase in remote working. Policies to support work hubs where "remote" workers from different companies can comingle also seems like a good idea, especially if close to residential sites.

I support the plan to build community work hubs.

Modern infrastructure is essential for remote working. Low speed broadband will result in home working not been practical no matter what space they have.

Not everyone will be able to live in premises with a spare bedroom hence ensuring new homes have space for a desk is a minimal requirement to support home working.

We support the proposal to include policy to positively enable remote working at hubs and from home. The University has embraced remote working as a response to the pandemic restrictions, and will continue to support agile working in the longer term, where appropriate to roles. This will include the creation of agile working hubs on the University’s estate, for its operational purposes, but a successful permanent transition will also depend on the ability of staff to work remotely at home and/or at hubs.

Countryside support the approach under this policy to take account of the current and likely future trend for working at home, largely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bourn Airfield proposals will make appropriate provision to achieving the objectives of this policy through the provision of co-working space and provision of fibre broadband to all homes.

Jobs policies
74. It is clear that the draft Local Plan is focused on the continuation of ‘growth’ in the Cambridge area. CPRE
believes this is a mis-guided approach. The Greater Cambridge area is one which DHSS would consider to
have effectively full employment, with just the usual rotation of people out of work or seeking work.
Therefore, any growth in jobs will require inward migration to fill them. Inward migration creates pressure
on local housing availability and prices, and hence pressure for more house-building. It is an anti-climate
cycle.
75. As stated above CPRE would like to see the skills and resources of Cambridge-based organisations used to
encourage employment and redevelopment in other regions of the country where housing and water
capacity already exist and, in doing so, greenhouse gas emissions would be minimised.
76. CPRE are concerned by policies J/RE: Supporting the rural economy and J/AL: Protecting the best
agricultural land. We think both of these policies should be strengthened and properly enforced. The rural
economy can be diversified but at its core are farmers and their interests must be protected. For example,
the opening up of tracks and bridleways on the scale proposed by the Greater Cambridge Partnership will
cause increasing levels of damage to farms and farm equipment and increased security risk to farm
properties. It will make illegal activities such as hare-coursing easier and the police enforcement job
harder.
77. We think it is in the national interest to stop building on South Cambridgeshire farm land, most of which is
Grade 2 with some Grade 3a. http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/127056 This land is already needed to assist the minimisation of food imports and it will be even more needed when the Fens
flood and national food supply is reduced by an estimated 20 – 25%.
78. According to the NFU, the Fens produce one third of England’s fresh vegetables, 20% of England’s potatoes,
more than 20% of England’s flowers and bulbs, 20% of England’s sugar beet as well as a significant
percentage of the country’s cereal, oilseed rape and protein crops. Agriculture in the Fens employs 80,000
people and produces £3bn pa for the rural economy.
79. The government recognises that the UK currently imports 45% of its food; however, some sources estimate
this to be as much as 80%. The Environmental Audit Committee has already warned government that the
UK cannot continue to rely on food imports on this scale because climate change is going to damage foodgrowing areas further south.
80. Building on good Cambridgeshire farm land just does not make sense. There may be short-term economic
pressures to do so but it is not in the national interest.
81. CPRE supports Policy J/PB: Protecting existing business space and Policy J/RW: Enabling remote working.
We also recognise that local affordable workspace can reduce commuting and increase local employment
opportunities, Policy J/AW: Affordable workspace and creative industries. We are concerned to ensure
that existing buildings which could be used for employment are not demolished to make way for maximum levels of housing and maximum profit for developers as we are aware has occurred in some districts.
82. With respect to Policy J/RC: Retail and centres, CPRE are aware of increasing levels of internet shopping
and decreasing footfall in retail centres. This may lead to re-purposing for housing under “Permitted
Development”. CPRE is believes that all such development should be brought back under local authority building control and not be the appalling low-quality free-for-all that it is now.

Introduction
Thank you for consulting Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) on the first proposals consultation for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan 2041. Please accept this letter as our formal response. We welcome the opportunity to respond to the proposals in this consultation and look forward to continuing the good working relations that CBC has already forged with the two substantive authorities. We have provided some comments below on the consultation documentation which we hope are useful. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

General Comments on Strategy

Overall, the Council supports the approach you have taken in terms of undertaking a joint local plan to ensure a consistent approach to planning and building across both Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council up to 2041.

We support the proposed Vision for the Greater Cambridge Plan especially as it places climate impacts at the heart of key decisions. It states that Greater Cambridge will be a place where a big decrease in your climate impacts comes with a big increase in the quality of everyday life for all your communities. It also promotes new development minimising carbon emissions and reliance on the private car; creating thriving neighbourhoods with the variety of jobs and homes you need; increasing nature, wildlife and green spaces; and safeguarding your unique heritage and landscapes. CBC considers this to be a laudable, succinct overarching Vision that we hope you will be able to carry through to effective policy and decision-making on the ground.

CBC considers that the proposed strategy outlined within the First Proposals could help ensure that Greater Cambridge makes a valuable contribution to the Oxford to Cambridge Arc and to the overall delivery of the Government’s ambitious growth aspirations. However, the Council considers that it would be useful to include reference to the emerging Arc Spatial Framework, identifying that alongside the NPPF, this will set the overarching strategic framework for the area with which all local plans within the Arc must accord. CBC would be keen to understand the timescales for the delivery of the Greater Cambridge Plan and how the emerging Spatial Framework will be taken into consideration to inform future iterations of the plan.

We appreciate that the Plan is at an early stage of development, and at the current time you are considering locations that could be delivered alongside allocated sites being carried forward from the adopted 2018 Local Plans for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, as well as sites which already have planning permission.

We note that you are proposing to meet in full your objectively assessed needs of 44,400 new homes to 2041, which is supported by CBC and is necessary to ensure needs can be met across the area.

CBC recognises that Cambridge has seen significant economic and jobs growth in recent years and that there is an ambition to maintain this direction of growth as the impacts of the recent pandemic subside. As stated in our comments made in response to your Issues and Options Consultation in February 2020, we would not support a level of jobs growth that could detrimentally impact upon the ability of neighbouring authorities, such as Central Bedfordshire, to meet and deliver their own economic ambitions and growth aspirations. CBC therefore supports the housing numbers proposed to meet the OAN and the identified buffer and welcomes the move away from the higher job number which were put forward in your Issues and Options consultation. We agree that the higher jobs forecast previously considered would not be the most appropriate scenario to pursue. Overall, CBC considers that the proposed level of housing of 44,400 new homes and complementary economic growth of 58,500 new jobs across all sectors including business, retail, leisure, education and healthcare, is an appropriate level of growth to deliver for over the plan period.

The First Proposals have suggested 19 new possible locations that might be suitable for additional development to meet your needs across the Greater Cambridge area up to 2041. Overall, CBC supports the proposed approach taken to the geographical spread of these sites and welcomes the inclusion of sites in the most sustainable locations around the Cambridge urban area and on the outskirts of the City, where existing and future residents can take most advantage of the proximity to jobs and services using public transport and active travel options. The proposals to direct development to where it has the least climate impact, where active and public transport is the natural choice is logical and fully supported.

It is noted that the consultation material suggests that the majority of your objectively assessed need can be provided for in the core preferred strategic sites of North East Cambridge, Cambridge East and Cambourne. This approach is supported as the locations will reduce potential climate impacts through the delivery of well connected, sustainable, compact development where active and sustainable travel can be maximised.

CBC have not provided detailed comments on all of the proposed 19 sites included within the consultation material but note the proposals for new strategic scale development at Cambourne which lies in close proximity to Central Bedfordshire. It is noted that in total, there are 3 development sites proposed for Cambourne - two of these are existing allocations; Cambourne West which has capacity for 2,590 units and Bourn Airfield which has capacity for 2,460 units, alongside a new proposed broad location for growth at Camborne - expected to deliver 1,950 homes.

CBC recognises that whilst a final decision has not yet been announced, the preferred East West Rail route between Bedford and Cambridge will likely result in a new stopping station at Cambourne and that this will transform the area, maximising sustainable opportunities for growth. Whilst we support the opportunities that the proposed new station would potentially bring, CBC would suggest that any future transport impact assessments and traffic modelling associated with the proposals should consider the cumulative impacts of both existing and proposed development at Cambourne and any implications for the wider area, including potential impact upon the strategic and local road network within Central Bedfordshire. It is likely that there will be cumulative impacts from growth at Cambourne on communities within CBC related to an increase in demand on the A1, particularly if / when the A428 dualling and Black Cat works are carried out, and also the more minor roads through areas like Potton, Sandy, Biggleswade. Whilst outside of the Greater Cambridge plan area, the capacity of the A1 in this area is already a key concern that affects a much wider area and must be considered carefully and comprehensively when decisions are being made in relation to future growth.

We would, therefore, welcome further engagement to understand the scale of those impacts and their likely implications for Central Bedfordshire communities as the work on the local plan and the sites themselves, progresses. We would welcome being involved in early engagement with National Highways in relation to these impacts. We would also be keen to look at opportunities to secure sustainable links (via public transport) between CBC and the development areas to the west and south of the Greater Cambridgeshire area.

As noted above, whilst a formal decision is yet to be announced in relation to EWR between Bedford and Cambridge, or indeed the location of a new stopping station at either Tempsford or to the south of St Neots, CBC consider it essential that the Greater Cambridge Plan considers the wider context of strategic growth within the Arc, particularly in terms of future connectivity opportunities that will undoubtedly arise as proposals within neighbouring authority areas emerge. Your approach to enabling some development within smaller villages is supported as this will support rural services and the vitality and viability of villages and their shops and services contributing to overall sustainability. We appreciate that it is unsustainable to encourage high levels of growth where car travel predominates and that therefore, in smaller villages you will continue to support infill development and affordable housing on suitable sites only. This approach is supported, especially given the very rural nature of the areas close to the Central Bedfordshire border.

The 7 Themes
We welcome the approach taken in this consultation to identify 7 key themes and we have provided some high-level comments on each of them below. It is understood that each of the themes will influence how you will plan homes, jobs and infrastructure and ultimately where growth will be directed. In our previous response to the Issues and Options stage of consultation (February 2020) we suggested that “connectivity” both within and beyond the Greater Cambridge area should perhaps be considered as an additional theme. Whilst we note this suggestion has not been taken onboard, CBC considers that connectivity is the ‘golden thread’ that runs through all the key themes and could potentially be referenced as such within the Greater Cambridge Plan.

Climate Change
We support your aim to help Greater Cambridge to transition to net zero carbon by 2050 through a number of comprehensive measures including ensuring that development is sited in places that help to limit carbon emissions, is designed to the highest achievable standards for energy and water use and is resilient to current and future climate risks. It is clear that responding to climate change has influenced the shape of the plan as an important factor in determining where future development should be located and how it should be built. CBC would be keen to have future conversations to share experiences and to understand how net zero carbon can be achieved in terms of viability, and to explore how this can be monitored to ensure the approach is successful. In terms of detailed policy, Policy GP/QD could benefit by also referring to building orientation to maximise the opportunities for renewables.

Biodiversity and Green Spaces
We support your aim for biodiversity and green space policies to increase and improve your extensive network of habitats for wildlife and green spaces for people, ensuring that development leaves the natural environment better than it was before. We also welcome confirmation that the Oxford to Cambridge Arc Environmental Principles have informed your approach to this theme, in particular, we welcome and support the ambitious policy to require 20% Biodiversity Net Gain. As this will be an issue for all Local Authorities within the Arc, CBC would also be keen to discuss how this could be delivered and the impacts this might have not only on site viability, but
the delivery of other key services and facilities across the Arc .

Wellbeing and Social Inclusion
We support your aim of helping people in Greater Cambridge to lead healthier and happier lives ensuring everyone benefits from the development of new homes and jobs.

Great Places
We support your aim for the delivery of great places through policies that sustain the unique character of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire and compliment the area with beautiful and distinctive new development, creating a place where people will want to live, work and play.
The themes from the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth covering the four “Cs” of Community, Connectivity, Climate and Character is a sensible approach consistent with the National Model Design Code.

Jobs
CBC supports the aim of your proposed jobs policies in terms of encouraging a flourishing and mixed economy which includes a wide range of jobs while maintaining the areas global reputation for innovation. The Council considers the policies are positive and forward thinking in the current climate in that they seek to reflect how the approach to working environments is changing, by supporting remote working and improving facilities on employment parks.
We support the inclusion of a remote working policy but consider that it could be strengthened to refer to the provision of home office space in new dwellings as the emphasis is currently on the delivery of external hubs or extensions of existing dwellings.

Homes
As commented above, the Council supports the proposed strategy to plan for and deliver enough housing to meet your objectively assessed needs, including significant amounts of affordable housing and a mix of tenures to suit your diverse community’s needs. The proposed policy requiring 40% affordable housing in new developments is particularly supported.

Infrastructure
We support the approach taken that the relationship between jobs and homes and sustainable transport opportunities has been a key consideration and influence of the development strategy proposed. Recognising that infrastructure is not limited to the provision of new roads, CBC also supports the recognition for the need to consider and plan for water, energy and digital networks, and health and education and cultural facilities in the right places and at the right times to ensure your growing communities are supported. Looking to the future, your policies on electric vehicle charging points and digital infrastructure will be key given the need to move away from carbon-based vehicle fuels and the shift to homeworking that has been accelerated by the pandemic. We also note that whilst there is an objective for Air Quality within the Sustainability Appraisal, there is no objective included for Transport and Access.

We welcome this opportunity to comment on this latest stage of your development plan proposals and largely offer our support to the approach you have taken. We also appreciate how you have digitally presented and structured the documentation in order to make it as accessible as possible to everyone. The use of maps and diagrams throughout the document is an effective way of setting out the context and portraying the information within the text. In addition, the ability to explore the documentation through the “themes” and “maps” is a particularly helpful way of organising the consultation.
I hope you find these comments useful and look forward to continued engagement as your plan progresses.

This is critically important to GC and neighbouring
areas.

FORM RESPONSE

Vision and development strategy
Section / Policy Your comments
Vision and aims
How much development, and where – general comments Support the approach to contain any development to major clusters.
S/JH: New jobs and homes
S/DS: Development strategy Support to the extent that development should be very restricted in smaller rural villages with limited public transport.
S/SH: Settlement hierarchy Support Steeple Morden is a group village and should remain in this category. It is well down the sustainability hierarchy.
S/SB: Settlement boundaries Support tightly drawn development boundaries are important to reduce encroachment into the countryside and particularly for linear villages protecting their character. Also assists in delivering exception sites.

Cambridge urban area
Policy Your comments
Cambridge urban area - general comments
S/NEC: North East Cambridge
S/AMC: Areas of Major Change
S/OA: Opportunity Areas in Cambridge
S/LAC: Land allocations in Cambridge

Edge of Cambridge
Policy Your comments
Edge of Cambridge - general comments
S/CE: Cambridge East
S/NWC: North West Cambridge
S/CBC: Cambridge Biomedical Campus
S/WC: West Cambridge
S/EOC: Other existing allocations on the edge of Cambridge

New settlements
Policy Your comments
New settlements - general comments
S/CB: Cambourne
S/NS: Existing new settlements

Rural southern cluster
Policy Your comments
Rural southern cluster - general comments
S/GC: Genome Campus, Hinxton
S/BRC: Babraham Research Campus
S/RSC: Village allocations in the rural southern cluster
S/SCP: Policy areas in the rural southern cluster

Rest of the rural area
Policy Your comments
Rest of the rural area - general comments
S/RRA: Allocations in the rest of the rural area
S/RRP: Policy areas in the rest of the rural area

Climate change
Policy Your comments
Climate change - general comments Future development and trends will increase the use of electricity so do we have an obligation to consider where we might generate this locally? There should be clear comments on how and where solar PV farms and windfarms are going to be planned
CC/NZ: Net zero carbon new buildings Should not be specific about not connecting a gas pipe to new housing. This might prevent the future distribution of Hydrogen. Should keep this option open
CC/WE: Water efficiency in new developments Absolutely necessary.
CC/DC: Designing for a changing climate
CC/FM: Flooding and integrated water management Infrastructure should be operational before housing occupation. Especially managing hard surface run off.
CC/RE: Renewable energy projects and infrastructure Support for community led projects but should include access to funding.
CC/CE: Reducing waste and supporting the circular economy
CC/CS: Supporting land based carbon sequestration

Biodiversity and green spaces
Policy Your comments
Biodiversity and green spaces - general comments
BG/BG: Biodiversity and geodiversity Biodiversity Net Gain conditions should include developer funds for monitoring and remedialaction if required.
BG/GI: Green infrastructure Support for recognition of Pollinator corridors. Strategic Green Infrastructure should include protection and enhancement of chalk aquifer spring line.
BG/TC: Improving Tree canopy cover and the tree population Support particularly providing enhanced protection to existing mature trees.
BG/RC: River corridors Support Steeple Morden has an important tributary of the Cam flowing through the Parish – The Rhee. There should also be recognition enhancement and protection for the brooks which emanate from the aquifer spring line and help feed the river system.
BG/PO: Protecting open spaces Support
BG/EO: Providing and enhancing open spaces Support

Wellbeing and inclusion
Policy Your comments
Wellbeing and inclusion - general comments
WS/HD: Creating healthy new developments
WS/CF: Community, sports, and leisure facilities Support
WS/MU: Meanwhile uses during long term redevelopments
WS/IO: Creating inclusive employment and business opportunities through new developments
WS/HS: Pollution, health and safety Support

Great places policies
Policy Your comments
Great places – general comments
GP/PP: People and place responsive design Support
GP/LC: Protection and enhancement of landscape character Support. Need to ensure protection of landscape setting of villages and penetration of countryside gaps as an important element of character particularly those villages with a predominantly linear form.
GP/GB: Protection and enhancement of the Cambridge Green Belt
GP/QD: Achieving high quality development Support
GP/QP: Establishing high quality landscape and public realm Support
GP/HA: Conservation and enhancement of heritage assets Support Need to complete Conservation Area Assessments for villages
GP/CC: Adapting heritage assets to climate change
GP/PH8: Protection of Public Houses Support but condition included that if part of Pub is agreed for another use the marketing policy remains.

Jobs policies
Policy Your comments
Jobs – general comments
J/NE: New employment development proposals
J/RE: Supporting the rural Economy Support
J/AL: Protecting the best agricultural land Strongly support particularly in the light of grade I peat soil requiring remedial action and the need for increased food security.
J/PB: Protecting existing business space
J/RW: Enabling remote working Support
J/AW: Affordable workspace and creative industries
J/EP: Supporting a range of facilities in employment parks
J/RC: Retail and centres
J/VA: Visitor accommodation, attractions and facilities
J/FD: Faculty development and specialist / language schools

Homes policies
Policy Your comments
Homes – general comments
H/AH: Affordable housing
H/ES: Exception sites for affordable housing Support but all types of sites should retain local connection and permanence criteria
H/HM: Housing mix
H/HD: Housing density
H/GL: Garden land and subdivision of existing plots Support
H/SS: Residential space standards and accessible homes
H/SH: Specialist housing and homes for older people
H/CB: Self- and custom-build homes
H/BR: Build to rent homes
H/MO: Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
H/SA: Student accommodation
H/DC: Dwellings in the countryside Support but would stress the importance of ensuring that structures are sound.
H/RM: Residential moorings
H/RC: Residential caravans
H/GT: Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Show People sites
H/CH: Community led housing Support and encouraged where there is no conflict with exception site policy.

Infrastructure policies
Policy Your comments
Infrastructure – general comments Agree there should be support for community led projects but should describe what form the support should take.

Infrastructure should be operational before occupation of new housing particularly the need to manage surface water runoff from hard surfaces to minimise the amount of sewage being released into the waterways
I/ST: Sustainable transport and connectivity Support but Improvements required to rural public transport and the last mile congestion into Cambridge City.
I/EV: Parking and electric vehicles Support for rural public charging points at community facilities
I/FD: Freight and delivery consolidation
I/SI: Safeguarding important infrastructure Support. Should also include disused railway lines with potential for future use.
I/AD: Aviation development Airfields are an important resource and difficult to replace. Local Plan should recognise the need for National Network of General Airfields.Government National Planning Policy Framework section 106.f, to ensure that planning decisions have regard to the importance of the national network of General Aviation airfields is clear. Environmental health concerns should be taken into account when deciding on housing location to avoid new occupants stress, disappointment and possible conflict.
I/EI: Energy infrastructure masterplanning
I/ID: Infrastructure and delivery Greater Cambridge is in a severely water stressed area and is causing environmental damage. Development should be curtailed until new water supply and sewage infrastructure is operational.
I/DI: Digital infrastructure Need for enhancement of mobile phone coverage in villages with poor reception by well sited and suitably camouflaged masts.

Supporting documents on which we are consulting
Policy Your comments
Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment)
Habitats Regulations Assessment

Firstly, the Form To Assist gives a comment column for Vision and Aims.
We have numerous comments to make under this heading but I have not been able to locate this on the online system.
Secondly, the online system asks "Did you raise the matter that is the subject of your representation with the LPA earlier in the process?"
Guilden Morden Parish Council have not been involved earlier in the process. I have therefore clicked "No" but the system will not allow me to proceed further.
The online system allows only 100 words for each comment and to summarise the comments to avoid exceeding 100 words. It would have been helpful if the Form To Assist had stated that.
Vision and development strategy
Section / Policy Your comments
Vision and aims 1.Guilden MordenParish Council has concerns that the increase in population resulting from the additional homes target of 44,000 will have a negative impact on an already struggling traffic, school and healthcare infrastructure.
Specifically on traffic and congestion:
Commuting into and out of Cambridge at peak times already attracts significant congestion and delay for commuters.
This not only effects commuting by car but also bus and the Park&Ride buses as these typically use the same roads as the other commuters and the bus lane network doesn’t extend to where it’s needed.
Links between the train stations and the city centre are also currently inadequate and equally effected by commuter congestion.
The guided busway is too infrequent to be a viable alternative and typically the Park& Ride parking is at capacity leaving commuters with little alternative other than to drive into the city centre.
All of the above describes the current situation which will clearly be significantly worsened by the addition of 44,000 homes by 2041.
2. Is the methodology used in arriving at the figure of 44,000 defendable?

How much development, and where – general comments Support that the proposed developments are to be in major clusters in areas with good public transport.
S/JH: New jobs and homes
S/DS: Development strategy Support to the extent that development should be very restricted in smaller rural villages with limited public transport.
S/SH: Settlement hierarchy Support. Guilden Morden is a group village and should remain in this category. It is well down the sustainability hierarchy.
S/SB: Settlement boundaries Support. Tightly drawn development boundaries are important to reduce encroachment into the countryside.

Cambridge urban area
Policy Your comments
Cambridge urban area - general comments
S/NEC: North East Cambridge
S/AMC: Areas of Major Change
S/OA: Opportunity Areas in Cambridge
S/LAC: Land allocations in Cambridge

Edge of Cambridge
Policy Your comments
Edge of Cambridge - general comments
S/CE: Cambridge East
S/NWC: North West Cambridge
S/CBC: Cambridge Biomedical Campus
S/WC: West Cambridge
S/EOC: Other existing allocations on the edge of Cambridge

New settlements
Policy Your comments
New settlements - general comments
S/CB: Cambourne
S/NS: Existing new settlements

Rural southern cluster
Policy Your comments
Rural southern cluster - general comments
S/GC: Genome Campus, Hinxton
S/BRC: Babraham Research Campus
S/RSC: Village allocations in the rural southern cluster
S/SCP: Policy areas in the rural southern cluster

Rest of the rural area
Policy Your comments
Rest of the rural area - general comments
S/RRA: Allocations in the rest of the rural area
S/RRP: Policy areas in the rest of the rural area

Climate change
Policy Your comments
Climate change - general comments Future development and trends will increase the use of electricity. Where might this be generated locally by solar and/or wind?
CC/NZ: Net zero carbon new buildings Support
CC/WE: Water efficiency in new developments Absolutely necessary
CC/DC: Designing for a changing climate
CC/FM: Flooding and integrated water management Infrastructure should be operational before housing occupation
CC/RE: Renewable energy projects and infrastructure Support for community led projects but should include access to funding
CC/CE: Reducing waste and supporting the circular economy
CC/CS: Supporting land based carbon sequestration

Biodiversity and green spaces
Policy Your comments
Biodiversity and green spaces - general comments
BG/BG: Biodiversity and geodiversity Biodiversity Net Gain conditions should include developer funds for monitoring and remedial action if required
BG/GI: Green infrastructure Support for recognition of pollinator corridors. Strategic Green Infrastructure should include protection and enhancement of chalk aquifer spring line.
BG/TC: Improving Tree canopy cover and the tree population Support
BG/RC: River corridors Support
BG/PO: Protecting open spaces Support
BG/EO: Providing and enhancing open spaces Support

Wellbeing and inclusion
Policy Your comments
Wellbeing and inclusion - general comments
WS/HD: Creating healthy new developments
WS/CF: Community, sports, and leisure facilities Support
WS/MU: Meanwhile uses during long term redevelopments
WS/IO: Creating inclusive employment and business opportunities through new developments
WS/HS: Pollution, health and safety

Great places policies
Policy Your comments
Great places – general comments
GP/PP: People and place responsive design Support
GP/LC: Protection and enhancement of landscape character Support. Need to ensure protection of landscape setting of villages and penetration of countryside gaps as an important element of character.
GP/GB: Protection and enhancement of the Cambridge Green Belt
GP/QD: Achieving high quality development Support
GP/QP: Establishing high quality landscape and public realm Support
GP/HA: Conservation and enhancement of heritage assets Support
GP/CC: Adapting heritage assets to climate change
GP/PH8: Protection of Public Houses Support

Jobs policies
Policy Your comments
Jobs – general comments
J/NE: New employment development proposals
J/RE: Supporting the rural Economy Support
J/AL: Protecting the best agricultural land Support
J/PB: Protecting existing business space
J/RW: Enabling remote working Support
J/AW: Affordable workspace and creative industries
J/EP: Supporting a range of facilities in employment parks
J/RC: Retail and centres
J/VA: Visitor accommodation, attractions and facilities
J/FD: Faculty development and specialist / language schools

Homes policies
Policy Your comments
Homes – general comments
H/AH: Affordable housing
H/ES: Exception sites for affordable housing Support but all types of sites should retain local connection and permanence criteria
H/HM: Housing mix
H/HD: Housing density
H/GL: Garden land and subdivision of existing plots Support
H/SS: Residential space standards and accessible homes
H/SH: Specialist housing and homes for older people
H/CB: Self- and custom-build homes
H/BR: Build to rent homes
H/MO: Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
H/SA: Student accommodation
H/DC: Dwellings in the countryside Support
H/RM: Residential moorings
H/RC: Residential caravans
H/GT: Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Show People sites
H/CH: Community led housing Support

Infrastructure policies
Policy Your comments
Infrastructure – general comments Agree there should be support for community led projects but should describe what form the support should take.
Infrastructure should be operational before occupation of new housing particularly the need to manage surface water runoff fromhard surfacesto minimise the amount of sewage being released into the waterways
I/ST: Sustainable transport and connectivity Support but improvements required rural public transport and congestion into Cambridge (see comments under Vision and Aims)
I/EV: Parking and electric vehicles Support
I/FD: Freight and delivery consolidation
I/SI: Safeguarding important infrastructure Support
I/AD: Aviation development Support
I/EI: Energy infrastructure master planning
I/ID: Infrastructure and delivery Greater Cambridge is in a severely water stressed area and is causing environmental damage. Development should be curtailed until new water supply and sewage infrastructure is operational.
I/DI: Digital infrastructure Need for enhancement of mobile phone coverage in villages with poor reception by well sited and suitably camouflaged masts.

See attached document.

Taylor Wimpey support the approach under this policy to take account of the current and likely future trend for working at home, largely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the policy does not place any requirements on new developments to consider this matter, it is highlighted that the development of Land north of Cambridge Road, Linton would benefit from homes that include provision of studies and include the necessary broadband services to easily facilitate home working.

Countryside support the approach under this policy to take account of the current and likely future trend for working at home, largely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fen Ditton proposals will make appropriate provision to achieving the objectives of this policy through the provision of co-working space and provision of fibre broadband to all homes.

We broadly support the aims of this policy but it must be based on a rigorous assessment of need. Demand for local employment hubs may currently be low due to the risk posed by COVID and it is not clear how this will develop in the future. Similarly, residential extensions should be tested against proof of need. This could be a very easy loophole to start building loft extensions and garden studios with no intention of working in them.
Clearly further exploration is needed of the funding model for employment hubs. Operators must not be permitted to charge excessive prices for use of these facilities, especially in areas where there are few alternatives for remote workers. The possibility of publicly funded hubs, for example based in libraries, should be explored.