S/CB: Cambourne

Great to see the Cambourne development. Please ensure the following is in place:
- Overall priority throughout Cambourne to cyclists and pedestrians at every junction, including at roundabouts and safe places (zebra crossings) to cross. Increase the cycle lanes /pavement widths, introduce traffic calming on major roads. Make it pleasant, safe, easy and quick to get anywhere within Cambourne by bike or foot. This will drive sustainability within Cambourne and reduce the many car journeys which are made within Cambourne by car. Provide significantly more zebra crossings so that roads can be crossed safely. There are a few (3 zebra crossings) but nowhere near enough. The increased traffic at school opening and closing times is increasingly making it unsafe for children and young people to make their way to school. This problem will grow with the proposed (and welcomed further development) so additional crossings and cycle paths need to be in place first. For example, entrance to the secondary school is from lower cambourne - which is about 2x the straight line distance from upper Cambourne - pedestrian and cycle crossing needed across the busy cambourne road, another crossing near the sports centre on Back lane which would then provide a direct route.
- Include and extend the existing nature trails and many parks to include the new development. The existing nature trails and lakes are brilliant and enjoyed every day. The concept of parks and surrounding nature trails should be part of the development on Bourn airfield.
- Provide a swimming pool
- Provide lighted cycling trails around Cambourne, to surrounding villages and all the way into Cambridge (the distance into Cambridge is easily rideable especially with an e-bike but much of it is on main roads - cycle path needed between Cambourne and Madingley)
- Additional retail opportunities. For example, the nearest DIY shop is miles away in Cambridge or St Neots.
- Ensure that additional schools, primary and secondary are built before the new development - schools are already at capacity
- Employment opportunities have not grown in line with the number of people so increased development will result in additional commuting. E.g., set up Cambourne as a centre for innovation and design for green technology

Support expansion to the north-in relation to the proposed EW Rail Station. However the development of Cambourne as a public transport hub needs to be included, whether or not a rail station on the EW Rail route materialises or not.

I am concerned that the long term plan for Cambourne seems to leave most significant decisions to East West Rail, without consideration for a development envelope or any constraints over development sprawl into the neighbouring village developments. Cambourne and Papworth Everard should, for example, remain distinct developments and not merge.

Cambourne is already a large development and shou;ld not lose its character by over-development.

Cambourne must continue to develop its infrastructure for sport and physical activity. Demand is growing for a swimming pool that could serve Cambourne and Bourn Airfield, provided sufficient funds can be secured to enable its delivery.

We agree with the proposals.

(Education) Cambourne is currently served by one secondary school, Cambourne Village College, which is part of The Cam Academy Trust. The Trust applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to open a 6-form entry/900 place Free school as part of Wave 12 of the Free Schools Programme, in recognition of the significant level of planned on adjacent land to the west of Cambourne village (2,350 dwellings). However, this was unsuccessful.
Since this decision, the Council have been working collaboratively with the Trust on plans to expand the existing school to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to accommodate both the existing community and families moving into new developments within the town. Once complete, Cambourne Village College will have capacity for 11FE/1,650 places, as well as a 350 place sixth form for young people aged 16-19.
The increase of 1,950 dwellings within the town could therefore pose an issue with regards to appropriate mitigation. There is limited scope for further expansion on the school’s current site, however, the additional housing will not create enough demand to make a new secondary school viable. The Council would therefore be supportive of the view that additional development should not simply be about delivering more housing, but instead, focus should be upon how this area including Cambourne and Bourn Airfield and nearby villages will function as a place, and its relationship with Cambridge, to enhance its sustainability.

Cambourne needs better public transport. This should be solved using the GCP City Deal scheme. EWR has not published business case, is a sledge hammer to crack a nut and will cause unnecessary environmental damage CO2 emissions and planning blight with the emerging preferred route and associated housing around EWR stations. If EWR is built it needs follow the CBRR route and by built in a trench were possible.

While understanding the potentially sustainable nature of additional development at Cambourne if East-West Rail was to happen, the Wildlife Trust is concerned that some of the natural greenspace and GI benefits from the original Cambourne development could be lost with intensification of the existing development and building on the area allocated as golf course. Cambourne West will already provide significantly less by way of strategic greenspace compared to Cambourne. Any further development at Cambourne will need to ensure that the full strategic natural greenspace needs of an expanded population are met, and not rely on the Wildlife Trust country park.

Green Belt, City Conservation areas and Historic Approach roads like Madingley Road and Barton road must all be protected from Transport strategies, using principles of visually enhance and protect the character of the approach roads.
Engineering must not damage historic streetscape with inappropriate bus lanes, street clutter, gantries and new roundabouts where the car dominates.

It is questioned whether it is the correct approach to locate further housing at Cambourne or whether the LPA should consider a redistribution of housing to provide a better balance across the Plan area.

It is questioned whether it is the correct approach to locate further housing at Cambourne or whether the LPA should consider a redistribution of housing to provide a better balance across the Plan area.

We agree that no further growth in Cambourne or the surrounding area should not be considered appropriate by the Councils’ until there is certainty that the Oxford-Cambridge route will be going ahead and will include a station at Cambourne. Also, we note that the GCP C2C busway project is still ongoing, with slow progress. Accounting for any additional housing in this area over the next plan period seems an unsustainable choice until these projects are actually committed. We note from the GCP website that the partnership “recognises that housing developments in Cambourne West and Bourn Airfield require the C2C project to be opened by 2025 to provide reliable public transport services, otherwise that planned growth will be put at risk.”
The First Proposals document states that 1,950 additional homes are being accounted for within the plan period and we assume these are based on the West Cambourne planning permission and therefore should be considered as an existing commitment rather than a new allocation and this requires amending within the document. Additionally, we note that no plan of this area of Cambourne where the identified 1,950 additional homes was included within the First Proposals Document.

Huntingdonshire District Council agree with the proposal for future development at Cambourne. Careful consideration will have to be given to the timing of delivery in light of a new railway station (part of the East
West Rail scheme to connect Oxford with Cambridge) and the Cambourne to Cambridge public transport scheme being brought forward by the Greater Cambridge Partnership. It is noted that there is currently no identified fall-back position if these infrastructure schemes are not brought forward.
Timely delivery in combination with these schemes will enable increased public transport use, provide a lower emissions scenario for the allocation and minimise the impacts of increased commuting and congestion on the A428. Huntingdonshire District Council agree that the scheme should be a landscape led one to minimise impacts in the wider landscape and to have a focus both on place making for the expanded town and delivery of the wider vision for green infrastructure.

Again as it is not decided if a new Station will be built here, other forms of transport require consideration.

Supported – making full use of East West Rail essential

This goes in the right direction; making Cambourne a sustainable, high dwelling-density location with good green space and active travel provision.
Biodiversity enhancement opportunities should include scrub - there has been a massive decline in farmland birds in the last 40 years. New woodland, in the long run, does nothing to help these species. Also, there is growing evidence that meadows can provide significant carbon stores - something often overlooked when woodland is promoted for its ability to store carbon.

The further development of Cambourne to provide much needed housing is a logical development. To make this truly successful there needs to be attractive public transport between Cambourne and Cambridge. In relation to the Cambourne to Cambridge busway proposals, the NNRA recognises and supports the need for a separate dedicated route for this infrastructure. Only by segregating public transport from general traffic can the reliability and service frequency necessary to make public transport an attractive option be achieved.

Policy S/CB: Cambourne

3.1. Cambourne is a location where housing and employment already exist and where there is supporting community infrastructure in terms of shops, schools and other services. There is, however, significant potential to add to the range of uses located at Cambourne in a highly sustainable way, including new leisure, employment and homes enabling more residents to both live and work there and thereby increasing self-containment and correspondingly reducing the need to travel. Our evidence shows that, by increasing self-containment and extending existing and proposed public transport, there is the opportunity to add significant levels of employment and housing to the north of Cambourne without impacting on overall levels of car-based journeys .
3.2. We note that whilst there was no specific consultation on the issue of development at Cambourne in the First Conversation consultation, the Councils did ask for views about focusing development on transport corridors. In the consultation response to the First Conversation there was broad support for this approach, and for focusing development at public transport nodes.
3.3. Further to this, development around Cambourne formed a core part of ‘Strategic Spatial Option 8: Growth around Transport Nodes: Western Cluster’. Stakeholder workshops identified the benefits of matching jobs and homes with planned infrastructure around the EWR station and Greater Cambridge Partnership Cambourne to Cambridge Public Transport Project.
3.4. The First Proposals consultation document acknowledges that EWR means that Cambourne will be one of the best-connected places in the region, although the location of the new station is ‘yet to be resolved’. Nevertheless, we know from the EWR 2021 consultation that the preferred option for the route and a station to serve Cambourne is on MGH land, to the north of the A428. EWR has said, in support of this emerging preference (Route Alignment 9), “we believe that there is more potential for new homes and communities in the area (particularly for North Cambourne compared to Cambourne South)” and identify that the route can support more jobs and prosperity, as well as being cost-effective.
3.5. Savills and MGH have actively engaged in the EWR Consultation that took place earlier in 2021. We have shared with the EWR team our masterplans and details of the optioned land, which was previously submitted in the Call for Sites. We have also confirmed that we understand there is a need to re-appraise the masterplans in light of the preferred option to position a station at North Cambourne.
3.6. We have confirmed to the EWR team that MGH is fully supportive of the proposed alignment, due to the benefits for Cambourne, as acknowledged in the First Proposals consultation. In addition, MGH is keen to continue to engage actively with EWR as well as participate in wider stakeholder discussions. We understand that the preferred option may require a four-track width, as a passing loop, to accommodate freight if needed, rather than just two tracks, in part of the section north of the A428. Again, this has been considered in our emerging illustrative masterplan, with a sufficient width of rail corridor to accommodate this ambition.
The expected delivery of East West Rail and its relationship with Cambourne

3.7. The EWR project, and its preferred alignment, is a significant bonus to this already highly sustainable location. We suggest that the earlier delivery of this new mixed-use community should not be delayed pending the construction of the railway line and station, but rather that it’s delivery should be facilitated sooner, recognising the major benefits the railway and station will bring, in due course, to a settlement that is already well connected, whilst also being capable of high levels of self-containment.
3.8. The AECOM supplement paper that forms part of the evidence base states that the Councils’ assumptions in the Preferred Options trajectory result in delivery at Cambourne starting in 2032/33. This reflects the anticipated date for the new station at Cambourne to be opened as part of EWR and that the Councils will either not require a further supplementary guidance document after an allocation is made in the new Local Plan or that this will be prepared alongside the final stages of the Local Plan and adopted around the same time. This will be important in helping to speed up delivery, and allows proper consideration to be given to the component parts as the Plan evolves through to the submission stage.
3.9. EWR should be operational from 2030 onwards which will increase demand for housing in this location with good accessibility to employment and services in Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Bedford; and by this point Cambourne will be well-established as a new town and will begin to be a market in its own right (rather than ‘overspill’ for Cambridge). Combining the trajectories from Bourn Airfield, Cambourne West (due to be completed in 2037/38) the peak delivery is set to be 550 dwellings in 2036/37 from three strategic sites along the A428 / EWR corridor.

The MGH Vision for Cambourne

3.10. It is very clear that the Greater Cambridge combined authorities acknowledge that Cambourne can develop into a more substantial and self-contained town with a more vibrant centre (p.23 of the ‘First Proposals’ consultation document). MGH supports the overall aims for an expanded Cambourne to provide sufficient critical mass to allow it to perform the following role as a:
• Well-connected place through high quality public transport, cycling and walking facilities;
• South Cambridgeshire town for the 21st century which achieves carbon net zero targets;
• growing employment centre to provide local opportunities for its residents and nearby communities; and
• place that meets the day to day needs of its residents.
3.11. MGH considers that there is a fundamental opportunity to the north of Cambourne to create a scale of growth that allows for, what the First Proposals consultation refers to specifically as a ‘more substantial town with a more fully developed and lively centre’, with a sufficient socio-economic and physical mass to allow it to self-support required job and housing provision, as well as reduce the effects of travel by private car. It will also reduce development pressure on the Cambridge Green Belt and the associated need to demonstrate exceptional circumstances for development there.
3.12. The Transport Appraisal, prepared by i-Transport, that is appended to this representation makes clear that development of land north of Cambourne is not reliant on any new rail corridor or bus corridor coming forward. However, the site provides demonstrable opportunity for creation of a new multi-modal transport hub in the event that EWR and/or Cambridge to Cambourne come forward.
3.13. The site is well located to promote a new transport hub and can offer direct connections from the A428 and can facilitate a future, new, North Cambourne railway station, as part of East-West Rail should this come forward. Similarly the site can support C2C, should it come forward, as well as Park & Ride.
3.14. A summary of the potential transport interventions that may benefit the site are outlined in the i-Transport report that accompanies this representation.
3.15. MGH sees the 1,950 homes identified in Policy S/CB as the initial stage of a more significant opportunity, given that there is every opportunity for raising the numbers at Cambourne, building on the points we make in this representation.
3.16. The timescale for the Plan is currently proposed to 2041 but, as we emphasised at paragraph 2.10, strategic policies are encouraged by the NPPF to look at longer timescales for delivery. This extension of time is necessary both to meet the requirements of the NPPF and to properly consider how strategic growth can take place in a coordinated way alongside the substantial investment in infrastructure that is planned for the area. The recent ‘Building Better Building Beautiful Commission’ report endorses the joint authorities approach informed by the 2050 Peterborough and Cambridgeshire plan. The Commission also envisage a strategic plan of some 30 years as the necessary requirement to deliver place stewardship and ensure integrated control.
3.17. MGH support the preferred strategy, which proposes densification of Cambridge, including the non-GB edge, and expanding a growth area around transport nodes (in particular around Cambourne) with limited development in the villages, whilst recognising that some villages are located sustainably and able to accommodate some growth.
3.18. Given the preferred strategy set out in the consultation, and that Cambourne is recognised as a suitable location with existing great links, and proposed improvements in infrastructure, the emerging Plan should evaluate how the settlement should grow to become a truly vibrant and highly sustainable community.
3.19. MGH’s answer is to propose a wide mix of land use, including leisure and cultural facilities, together with a mix of new housing typologies (to balance the current homogenous suburban offering at Cambourne) and a choice of schools. These built components would be set within extensive Green Infrastructure, woodland and green spaces, with development guided by a code for great placemaking.
3.20. The aspirations of existing Cambourne residents are also really important, in terms of access to jobs / leisure / community and nature, and there seems to be a high level of optimism about how EWR can allow these to begin, and for the best opportunities to be brought forward.
3.21. Work MGH has undertaken with the Town Council shows that many people support an extension of Cambourne to the north, particularly if it delivers on better shopping, a swimming pool (and potentially cinema, and other leisure uses). That scale of ambition all helps the sustainability picture too, and gets Cambourne towards being the ‘proper town’ that the consultation document alludes to
3.22. MGH is therefore seeking allocation of its land interest at North Cambourne as part of this emerging Local Plan, in recognition of the long-term opportunity here to deliver sustainable development.
Greater Cambridge HELAA Report – Site Reference 40114.
3.23. The scoring and weighting in the HELAA Report, and in relation to land North of Cambourne (Site Ref 40114) is necessarily high level. However, it also indicates some results that seem, on the face of it, to be unsubstantiated, especially in the context of the large area of land controlled by MGH and the significant opportunities this provides for landscape measures, biodiversity net gain and wider benefits that can be delivered within this wider space.
3.24. The North Cambourne site is identified in the HELAA Report both as ‘available’ and ‘achievable’, with which we concur. However, the ‘suitability’ overall score is ‘red’, and also contains some red scores on technical matters; namely Landscape & Townscape, Biodiversity & Geodiversity; Historic Environment and Archaeology.
3.25. Based on the Methodology and Assessment Criteria, the overall concluding red score on suitability indicates that ‘The site does not offer a suitable location for development for the proposed use and/or there are known significant constraints or impacts which cannot be mitigated’.
3.26. Fundamentally MGH does not consider the HELAA Report to represent an accurate analysis of the land at North Cambourne. By their nature, developments on greenfield sites will involve the loss of existing open land (often of high agricultural land value in the Cambridgeshire context) and associated impacts on landscape that are negative and unavoidable. However, the assessment also needs to take account of the wider prospects for mitigation, including extensive buffer planting and off-sets, and for biodiversity net gain, as well as the wider balance of benefits and improvements in the context of the Local Plan strategies for sustainable growth. We have developed these points further in our consideration of the Sustainability Appraisal in Section 5, and our vision document demonstrates the overall benefits.
3.27. Looking in more detail, the Methodology for the Assessment Criteria of Suitability indicates that for Landscape and Townscape the red score is associated with development that would have a ‘significant negative impact which cannot be mitigated’ and for Biodiversity where the development would have ‘a detrimental impact on designated sites, or those with a regional or local protection which cannot be reasonably mitigated or compensated as appropriate’. For Historic Environment the red score is considered to apply where development of the site would ‘cause substantial harm, or severe of significant “Less than substantial harm” to a designated heritage asset or the setting of a designated heritage asset which cannot be reasonably mitigated.’ For Archaeology the red score indicates ‘Known archaeology of significance which could not be mitigated through design or conditions.’
3.28. In the following sections we tackle these main ‘red’ flags, which were weighed against the suitability of the site;
3.29. Landscape & Townscape – the HELAA identifies that the site lies within the National Character area of the Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire Claylands, and the Local Character area of the Western Claylands. The assessment comments that there are wide, local views and amenity views due to the open nature of the fields and low-lying boundary hedgerows. The effect of large-scale development is seen as having a significant adverse effect on the landscape as a resource in its own right and effects on views and visual amenity.
3.30. The Chris Blandford Associates supplementary report within the Council’s evidence base suggests that the provision of appropriate strategic landscape mitigation and enhancement measures for integrating the extension of Cambourne into the surrounding countryside would be a key policy consideration for the new Local Plan. Such an approach, it suggests, is likely to be based on the following principles;
• Maintain strategic countryside gaps to protect the distinct character and separate identity of the rural villages;
• Create a strong landscape structure to screen/soften the edges of built development as experienced in views across adjacent landscape types;
• Strengthen the character of linear landscape features to create biodiverse and accessible green corridors connecting new settlements to the surrounding countryside (informed by the findings of the Green Infrastructure Study); and
• Ensuring high quality and distinctive design that is responsive to local character and creates a strong sense of place through sustainable building/urban design and appropriate landscaping and green infrastructure provision.
3.31. Our representation is supported by a Landscape & Visual Assessment (LVA), prepared by Cooper Landscape Planning. This assesses our emerging illustrative masterplan in the context of the landscape character areas, key views and associated receptors. The LVA concludes that it is obvious that development will change the local landscape character of any site, and North Cambourne is no different. Nevertheless, the design approach adopted of retaining an open landscape, with development enclosed behind strong woodlands is an approach that will work well in this landscape.
3.32. Accordingly, the proposal at North Cambourne has been based on a positive landscape vision:
• retaining an open agricultural landscape, as well as accommodating a new settlement;
• providing a series of significantly strong woodland to create the framework for development; and
• forward planning the eastern area to allow for the growth of planting fer development commencing in the west.
3.33. The extended North Cambourne proposal has been modelled to provide an accurate representation of how the housing blocks would look from key viewpoints. This includes the location of the new woodland in the east, planted in advance and reaching up to 10-15m by the time in the western and central parcels have been built out.
3.34. The photomontages provided demonstrate that the area extended to the east will not produce unacceptable visual effects when seen from the local villages of Elsworth and Knapwell.
3.35. Overall the view is that the proposals will become assimilated into this landscape, and the design adopted will follow the landscape character principles set out in guidance.
3.36. Biodiversity & Geodiversity – the HELAA confirms the location of an SSSI, Wildlife Site and Ancient Woodland within the area of MGH land interest. The summary states that the development would have adverse impact on designated sites, or those with a regional or local protection ‘which cannot be reasonably be mitigated or compensated as appropriate’.
3.37. However, the Biodiversity & Green Spaces Topic Paper states that the Western Gateway Multi-Functional GI corridors provide opportunities to improve biodiversity by expanding and joining up the existing woodland, hedgerow and grassland habitat network.
3.38. The objectives identified in the Topic Paper will be delivered through an extensive Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy that will include new woodland planting, natural regeneration, hedgerow extension and management, and habitat restoration. The strategy also requires that opportunities for biodiversity offsets from EWR are sought. Other suggested measures include;
• ensuring negative impacts from access and recreational pressure on sensitive ecological sites (Eversden and Wimpole SAC, and woodland SSSIs) are minimised, by providing additional GI sites for recreation, promoting alternative or new access routes, and educating visitors on the value of conserving habitats.
• improving access throughout the area for people (where it will not cause detrimental impact on ecological sites - as above) through opportunities associated with East West Rail as well as along river corridors.
3.39. In the vision document and illustrative masterplan we identify how we can capitalise on these opportunities, and identify ways to make suitable and substantial net gains. The Green Infrastructure being proposed is in excess of 60% of the land interest (around 400 acres). This point is also expanded upon in following sections.
3.40. Heritage – the presence of a listed asset, under ‘Historic Environment’, and crop marks under ‘Archaeology’, have resulted in views in the HELAA that development would cause substantial harm, or the more severe end of ‘less than substantial harm’. Again this seems to take no account of the ability to reflect on setting, historic landscape, buffers and mitigation, plus the need to consider significant public benefits that would accrue.
3.41. The Chris Blandford Associates paper assessing the blended approach comments that “The concentration of development at Cambourne, the NEC and Airport, should enable the management of risk through appropriate design responses e.g. height, massing, landscape etc. The Cambourne area poses lower inherent risks with regard to Cambridge and designated heritage assets than many other sites.”
3.42. The Savills Heritage Team has reviewed the more detailed aspects of this topic. The known heritage assets sensitive to any development within the site includes the two Grade II listed structures at New Inn Farm, and potentially non-designated heritage assets at other historic farmsteads within, and immediately adjacent to, the site.
3.43. Beyond this initial desk-top analysis, there has been no fieldwork or on-site investigation of the indicated cropmark and earthwork features within the site.
3.44. As part of the ongoing planning process, a staged programme of archaeological fieldwork and supporting studies will be undertaken to increase the understanding of heritage assets on the site. This would include further Desk-Based Assessment and geophysical surveying, and focused evaluation trenching by way of an agreed Written Scheme of Investigation, as necessary. These methods will provide a greater understanding of the extent and type of features that exist. The results of this additional assessment would further inform the level of significance of these remains and any further mitigation that may be necessary.
3.45. A sensitively designed layout of any proposed development, which includes off-setting development and/or the appropriate use of intervening landscaping would be implemented to mitigate potentially adverse harm to the setting of the designated and non-designated heritage assets within or adjacent to the site. Notably, avoiding built development adjacent to the listed New Inn Farmhouse and barns would preserve their setting and minimise harm. Development would therefore not give rise to any direct harm to the fabric of listed buildings. In addition, a scheme which provides a degree of separation of any new development and incorporates layered tree planting/vegetation buffers and open-ness around New Inn Farmhouse and barns would provide reasonable mitigation. With this combination of measures any substantial or significant ‘less than substantial’ harm to the setting/significance of the designated heritage assets would be avoided.
3.46. In considering any non-designated built heritage assets, their identification and assessment would be undertaken, and the significance they possess and/or the contribution of their setting to their significance would be understood. A design scheme which recognises their setting and responds to it by safeguarding where necessary and appropriate off-sets would mitigate any harm resulting from development.
3.47. We also notice that some other sites that are indicated as being ‘located in a landscape of cropmarks of late prehistoric and Roman settlement and associated activity’ are scored as amber. This scoring appears to acknowledge the potential for mitigation to be implementation in a way that is consistent with the approach described above. The Heritage and Archaeology HELAA analysis for North Cambourne should therefore be revised accordingly.
3.48. Other elements of the HELAA which scored as amber for North Cambourne included; Adopted Development Plan Policies, Flood Risk, Site Access, Transport & Roads, Noise, Vibration, Air Quality and Ground Conditions (including the loss of Grade 2 Agricultural Land). However, the HELAA recognises the potential to overcome and mitigate for concerns in these areas, subject to detailed design, conditions and controls. The illustrative masterplan contained in the vision document provides an initial assessment of the range of measures that would be incorporated in the scheme at North Cambourne to ensure a comprehensive mitigation strategy is implemented. The site is of sufficient scale to accommodate these mitigation strategies as well as secure a scale of development consistent with the sustainable new community that MGH proposes.

HLM request that the broad location identified for longer term strategic scale growth not be limited at this stage to an expansion of Cambourne, but be expanded to include other locations accessible to the East West Rail Station and the C2C public transport hub at Scotland Farm. The Councils should give themselves greater flexibility and options for how it delivers growth within this corridor for the following reasons.

There are a number of unknowns at this stage which will impact on the options available, such as the location of the Station and its relationship to Cambourne (existing and committed), and how East West Rail and C2C will be integrated and what implications that may have for improved connectivity with surrounding settlements and other options for growth.

Although proximity and journey time to the new Station is an important consideration in deciding where growth should be located, it is not the only consideration. Other factors and policies will need to be taken into consideration and weighed in the balance before selecting the most appropriate location.

The consultation acknowledges that large scale development at Cambourne would have landscape impacts that would be hard to address. These impacts will need to be weighed against the impacts of other alternative options. Further, mitigating impacts will have implications for the capacity of options around Cambourne, and this may have knock-on consequences for viability and delivery.

There are a wide range of factors to consider as set out in the consultation document. In the context therefore of a future plan review, and looking to plan for needs to 2050 or beyond which are yet to be defined, the Councils should not unnecessarily at this stage limit those options to sites solely around Cambourne.

Other options, such as Scotland Farm (HELAA Ref: 56252), are suitable and appropriate to play a role in the strategy for future growth of this corridor. It should not therefore be excluded from doing so at this early stage of the process.

Caxton Parish Council agrees with the proposals and that Cambourne should not expand any further and should keep within its existing cartilage.

No comments

The consultation proposes the identification of Cambourne as “a broad location for future growth in the 2030’s to respond to the opportunity that will be provided by the proposed East West Rail that includes a station at Cambourne” (page 99). It is proposed that 1,950 dwellings will be delivered, but the consultation document does not specify a location or clear timescale for delivery. This represents a significant risk in terms of housing land supply as it depends upon the EWR programme, which could easily slip.

We would question how a ‘broad location for future growth’ for this strategic-scale development can be allocated within a local plan without an identified site that can be assessed and appraised. This proposal is entirely dependent upon a station being identified by the EWR Company, and yet there is no commitment to consulting with them or the associated programme.

The EWR project involves many uncertainties regarding both the route and the proposed stations, in addition to a complex legal process that will be necessary to facilitate its delivery. Even assuming that matters will be resolved and the scheme will proceed, we consider that there is a limited prospect of achieving 1,950 dwelling completions during the period to 2041.

Inexplicably, this policy makes reference to East West Rail, but not to the Cambourne–Cambridge busway, planned by the Greater Cambridge Partnership.

CambridgePPF support the proposed policy direction. To meet the identified role of Cambourne it is suggested that the policy include:
• Safeguarding of employment and services and facilities within the settlement and to prevent gradual loss of sites to residential.
• Supporting text/policy could set a modal shift from private cars to public transport, walking and cycling.
• The design concept of walkable neighbourhoods.

Figure 7.1 (Combined Broad Opportunities Map) of the Greater Cambridge Green Infrastructure Opportunity Mapping Baseline Report (November 2020) shows proposed allocation S/CB: Cambourne as lying within five green infrastructure theme areas. Papworth Everard, however, is shown to fall within only 3 green infrastructure areas. In terms of environmental impact therefore, this makes Papworth Everard one of the lowest impact locations for development along the A428/E-W Rail/OxCam Arc corridor within Greater Cambridge. As a result, in addition to the following reasons, new housing and employment allocations should be made at Papworth Everard.
Other reasons:
> To meet the housing requirement for the ‘First Proposals’ and subsequent drafts of the emerging local plan, which should be increased to the higher jobs and homes scenario (the ‘Maximum continue existing patterns’ scenario - 78,000 jobs and 53,500 homes);
> To provide greater choice in terms of the location, size, type and tenure of housing that the plan can offer;
> To provide greater flexibility and resilience in the Councils’ housing/development strategy;
> To support rural communities (like Papworth Everard) and help them to thrive; and
> To support the successful delivery of the A428/E-W Rail/OxCam Arc corridor through allocating development in locations that will help fund, support and connect with it.

• Further, given its location on the southern side of Papworth Everard (the obvious location for allocations in view of the proximity and connection to the various forthcoming new transport and transport upgrade schemes), Land at Crow's Nest Farm, Papworth Everard, (Greater Cambridge HELAA (2021) Site Reference: 48096) would be ideally suited to accommodate this growth.

OBJECT

As set out in Endurance Estates’ representations to Policy S/DS, it is considered that the evidence base for the emerging GCLP underestimates the need for Class B2 and B8 uses, and does not reflect the market demand for these uses in Greater Cambridge. Two reports, prepared on behalf of Endurance Estates, have assessed supply and demand matters for Class B2 and B8 uses: The Need for Employment Land Report (prepared by Savills) assessed the employment land evidence for emerging GCLP; and, Market Demand Report (prepared by Carter Jonas) assessed the supply, demand and need for high and mid-technology manufacturing and logistics floorspace in Greater Cambridge. The reports are submitted with these representations.

The representations to Policy S/DS also highlighted the transport infrastructure projects already planned at and in the vicinity of Cambourne that will improve accessibility along the A428 corridor in South Cambridgeshire, and the transport related sustainability benefits of locating more employment development close to Cambourne to provide employment opportunities for existing and future residents.

It is considered that additional employment land should be allocated at land at Caxton Gibbet, to meet the needs for high and mid-technology manufacturing and logistics floorspace on the strategic road network, and to make Cambourne more sustainable by increasing the mix of uses at the town including additional employment uses.

The Savills Report highlights some of the benefits of industrial and logistics employment (see Section 4) including the following:

• A major contributor to the national economy.
• Higher wages than the national average.
• Higher rates of productivity than the overall economy.
• Increasingly diverse employment opportunities including professional and technical roles, and in high skilled engineering and technological professions.
• Innovative workplaces that are modern and technologically advanced.
• Replace jobs lost from other part of the economy.
• Increasing demand for online shopping.

As highlighted in the Savills Report, Greater Cambridge should not rely on other parts of the region to provide industrial and logistics premises.

The Carter Jonas Report highlighted some of the benefits of locating high technology manufacturing and logistics floorspace at land at Caxton Gibbet, as follows:

• Good transport links, including planned highway improvements to A428 and planned new East West Rail route including a proposed station at Cambourne.
• Provide a range of unit sizes to meet the needs of a variety of occupiers including small scale, mid-box and big-box units.
• Provide units to meet demand for floorspace required by high-tech manufacturing, life science and general manufacturing companies.
• Providing affordable units to address the increasing rents for industrial and logistics floorspace within Greater Cambridge.
• Close to large supply of potential employees at Cambourne, reducing commuting levels and providing opportunities to access employment locally and by sustainable modes of transport

A Vision Document (by Stephen George & Partners) has been prepared for the promoted development to provide key design principles and explain how potential impacts would be addressed including landscape impacts.

The site is beyond the Cambridge Green Belt. The baseline technical studies have demonstrated that the site may be sustainably accessed and drained. There are no adverse impacts on heritage assets. A suitable strategic scale landscape strategy can be provided to mitigate visual impacts. A biodiversity net gain can be delivered. The promoted development would be zero net carbon, and could deliver between 3,500 and 4,500 new FTE jobs. The site is in close proximity to planned new transport infrastructure.

A Vision Document is submitted with these representations.

For all these reasons it is requested that land at Caxton Gibbet, as promoted by Endurance Estates, is identified as an addition employment allocation at Cambourne.

Requested Change

It is requested that land at Caxton Gibbet, as promoted by Endurance Estates, is identified as an addition employment allocation at Cambourne with the following policy requirements:

• Site Area of 164.40 Ha
• Employment for industrial (Class B2) and storage and distribution (Class B8) for mid-tech and advanced manufacturing units and strategic logistics units
• Main vehicular access via new roundabout on the A1198 provided as part of A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements project.
• Pedestrian and cycle access via the new bridge over the A428 (provided as part of A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements project) and via the existing bridge over the A428 at Cambourne Road/St Neots Road.
• New footways and cycleways would need to be provided to Cambourne and Papworth Everard from the promoted development. from The Causeway
• Development should address the following constraints:
o Woodland planting at the northern part of the site
o Strategic landscape planting on northern, eastern and western boundaries

We recognise the proposed significant new public infrastructure investment in the corridor between Cambourne and Cambridge, and support the proposed policy direction for Cambourne as a growing employment centre which will provide opportunities for its residents and nearby communities. In particular Pigeon support making of effective connections to surrounding villages, which will further promote opportunities for sustainable growth.

The location of the settlement boundary for Cambourne shall include the existing Caxton Gibbet services site land given its immediate proximity to the approved Cambourne West development. This is shown on the attached plan.

General Comment:
In order to help achieve the aspirations as detailed at page 97 of the First Proposals in relation to the Greater Cambridge’s new towns, Policy S/CB is proposed. Page 99 of the First Proposals states that the policy will “identify Cambourne as a broad location for longer term strategic scale growth as an expansion to Cambourne and will provide continued guidance for the development of the existing allocation at Cambourne West”. It goes onto explain that the policy will set out the intention to identify Cambourne as a broad location for growth in the 2030’s to respond to the opportunity that will be provided by the proposed East West Rail which includes a station at Cambourne.

It is identified at page 100 and 101 of the First Proposals that “given the East West Rail route and station location at Cambourne have yet to be confirmed, it is too early to identify a specific development area and amount of development” at Cambourne. The Church Commissioners for England consider that further clarity is required regarding this point given that Policy S/DS specifically identifies the allocation of 1,950 new homes between 2020 and 2041 at Cambourne. It is not considered that the First Proposals sufficiently explains the link between the two emerging policies, and as such is currently inconsistent with paragraph 16(d) of the NPPF which states that plans should “contain policies that are clearly written and unambiguous”.

Furthermore, the only reference to when additional growth at Cambourne can be expected to come forward, is made at page 99, where “growth in the 2030’s” is briefly mentioned. It is assumed that the Councils would seek to plan for this and allocate land for such development as part of subsequent Local Plan reviews or updates however, this is not explained within the First Proposals. Again, the Commissioners consider greater clarity regarding the intention of the policy and the mechanisms for planning for future growth at Cambourne, are explained and justified.

Large Scale Development:
Whilst it is acknowledged that the identification of broad locations for growth for years 6 and onwards of the Plan is acceptable in policy terms (as set out at paragraph 68(b) of the NPPF), the Commissioners consider that the Site (referred to as ‘The Kingsfields’) presents a specific, developable opportunity that could help the Councils meet their aspirations for new towns. The strengths of the Site are detailed below however, before turning to look at the Site specifics, the Commissions wish to highlight the benefits of large scale development sites, such as The Kingsfields. Please see Deloitte’s accompanying comprehensive written representation for further context regarding the context of The Kingsfields.

The Commissioners’ advocate that the identification of a large scale development site at Cambourne would facilitate for the holistic planning of the area, ensuring that the infrastructure, services and facilities that would be required to serve the community are properly masterplanned. Paragraph 73 of the NPPF supports this and identifies that the “supply of large numbers of new homes can often be best achieved through planning for large scale development, such as new settlements or significant extensions to existing villages and towns, provided they are well located and designed, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and facilities”. Therefore, it is recommended that as the Councils consider future sites to accommodate growth at Cambourne, they do so having consideration for the benefits that can be achieved through large scale development.

The Kingsfields:
The below sets out the Commissioners’ reasoning as to why the Site represents a suitable option for the future growth of Cambourne. The reasoning is structured to respond directly to the proposed criteria contained within S/CB; ‘Future development at Cambourne will need to consider’ (as set out page 99 and 100 of the First Proposals). Where appropriate, commentary is also provided in response to the assessment of the Site within the HEELA.

Proposed Future Development Criteria:

• “To integrate and maximise the opportunity provided by East West Rail”
The East West Rail alignment has not yet been confirmed, with the route still being defined within a broad corridor. There are also options for the new Cambourne Station to be located north or south of the A428. Whilst locating the station to the south of the A428 would be closer to the Site, quality pedestrian and cycle connections would ensure that a northern station would also be accessible from the development, and therefore locating the station north or south of the A428 presents no concern in terms of accessibility.

• “The role of the new development in Cambourne as a place, and how it can contribute towards the achievement of net zero carbon”
Whilst the Councils do not think that further new settlements should be allocated within Greater Cambridge (page 39 of the First Proposals), as has been identified within the Commissioners’ representation in response to emerging Policy S/JH, it is considered that the Councils’ housing requirement should be significantly increased to accommodate the potential higher levels of growth identified within the evidence base. Subsequently, a new settlement within the locality of Cambourne (which as identified within the First Proposals at page 39 as “the most sustainable location for development away from Cambridge”) should be explored as a potential opportunity to accommodate some of this uplift. The Site represents a potential suitable option in that it can be developed to provide an extension to Cambourne whilst still providing sufficient land for it to evolve and organically grow into a new settlement.

On behalf of the Commissioners’, JTP has prepared a vision document for the Site, titled, ‘A Vision for the Kingsfields’ (“the Vision Document”). The vision is based on the notion “little steps become great strides”, meaning that whilst the development of a new settlement within this locality is very much possible, this is a longer term aspiration. The Commissioners acknowledge that the journey towards this begins with a series of steps that can lead to the realisation of a new place in a way which is both sustainable and where people want to be. The creation of a community that helps forge the future identity of the place is crucial. Evolving from this and taken in the right direction, will allow the Site to then make great strides towards a genuinely zero carbon, super-connected place, and one where the community actively provides for itself (please refer to the Vision Document for further commentary as to how this could be achieved). This is why the Commissioners consider that the Site is suitable for accommodating both the current level of growth directed towards Cambourne within the First Proposals and future requirements.

As this criterion relates specifically to achieving net zero carbon, the Commissioners wish to highlight the strong focus on sustainability that has helped shaped the vision for the Site. The Vision Document is supported by work undertaken by Sustainability Consultant, Hoare Lea. Hoare Lea has formulated a ‘Sustainability Charter’ for the Site which helps to define a pathway and enable the realisation of the sustainability aspirations for the Site. The Sustainability Charter is based on five defined factors or ‘capitals’ – natural, human, social, economic and physical so, whilst responding to the challenge of climate change, it also encompasses health and wellbeing and biodiversity. The Sustainability Charter therefore goes much further than solely identifying how the Site could achieve net zero carbon.

Details of the sustainability measures that could be supported at the Site are detailed within the Vision Document and Sustainability Charter but in summary they potentially include (inter alia): an aspiration to be net zero carbon through (inter alia) a reduction in embodied carbon through carbon budgets and completion of a whole life carbon assessment for the Site and on-site energy generation within the identified energy park; the co-location of services in community hubs and focus on shared spaces and neighbourhood co-creation; the inclusion of mobility hubs; and facilitating continued co-creation of the environment by the community through the integration of ‘agrihoods’, where the production of food is embedded into the local character of the areas and people can actively participate in ongoing nature recovery, grow their own food, share knowledge and socialise.

• “The economic role of the place, and which employment sectors would benefit from the location to support the needs of the Greater Cambridge economy”
As identified within the Commissioners’ response to the Councils’ vision for the Plan, agriculture is a key economic and environmental resource for Greater Cambridge. It has also strongly shaped the landscape and character of the Cambourne area, where agricultural practices are still very prevalent. Subsequently, the Commissioners have sought to support the practice and existing economic role of the place, whilst also providing the additional homes the community requires, through the inclusion of agrihoods within the masterplan contained in the Vision Document. It is anticipated that such agrihoods could potentially support the regenerative farming practices that already take place on the land to the immediate east of the Commissioners’ land, to the south of the A428.

Furthermore, the masterplan shows how employment use development could be integrated into the Site. The identified employment land is predominantly located within and around existing areas of employment within the Site. It is also noted that a parcel of land located to the immediate north east of the Site’s southern parcel, is included within the Councils’ HEELA (site reference: ‘40076 – Land south west of Caxton Gibbet’), having been submitted in response to the Call for Sites exercise for a variety of uses including employment. This parcel offers an opportunity for a flexible range of uses at a key gateway into the Site and provides a strong interface between the proposals and Cambourne West. Because of its locality, this area also has the potential to support micromobility opportunities, such a mobility hub, to encourage active travel through the Site and to existing neighbouring communities.

• “How the place will develop over time, and the infrastructure needed to support different stages during its development”
As discussed above, the Commissioners’ vision for the Site is centred around the evolution of a place, under the notion; “little steps become great strides”. The Commissioners consider that the Site is both suitable to accommodate the proposed 1,950 homes the Councils are looking to direct towards Cambourne, as well as any future increase up to a capacity of approximately 4,900 homes. The Vison Document includes an indicative parcel within the Site to accommodate an initial 2,000 new homes along with the infrastructure and services necessary to support this. This will be developed as the Commissioners’ plans for the Site evolve.

Whilst focusing on the infrastructure required to support the Site, it is of note that whilst the HEELA scored the Site ‘amber’ in terms of ‘Site Access’ and ‘Transport and Roads’, the Transport Written Representation prepared by Pell Frischmann does not identify concern in terms of being able to access the Site.

• “Making effective connections within the new development and with Cambourne for public transport and active travel, as well as connections to surrounding villages so they can also benefit”
Sustainable travel modes are at the heart of the proposed transport strategy for the Site, with accessibility both to and from the Site being achievable by walking and cycling. The Site is within 2km of the edge of Lower Cambourne and Cambourne Village College and Great Cambourne and Upper Cambourne are within 5km, which is approximately 25 minutes by cycle. Therefore, there is significant opportunity for residents of the Site to travel to these areas by more sustainable modes of transport. The masterplan within the Vision Document identifies such potential routes which include upgrading existing public rights of way and providing new pedestrian and cycle links (including a new segregated pedestrian/cycleway running alongside any new vehicle connection which runs east to west providing a new connection to Ermine Street. This would provide a quality connection to the planned ‘Cambourne to Cambridge (C2C) Better Public Transport Project’ travel hub in Cambourne. This would provide another public transport option for the residents of the Site and would improve accessibility to Cambridge and destinations in-between.

• “The relationship with Cambourne and Bourn Airfield, and how to make the area more sustainable, through the mix of services, employment and transport opportunities offered by the area as a whole”
The connectivity of the Site to the wider area including Cambourne and the villages beyond (which includes Bourn Airfield), has been covered in response to the criteria above.

• “Be structured around and have local and district centres that can meet people’s day to day needs within walking distance, including responding to changing retail and working patterns”
The masterplan contained within the Vision Document illustrates how the Site could be developed to accommodate a range of services and facilities to ensure that all residents are within walking distances of local centres that can meet their day to day needs. The Site is capable of being developed to provide the services and facilities to support the community as it grows, without being reliant on Cambourne, whilst still providing suitable access to Cambourne and the larger range of goods and services that can be found there.

The Vision Document also explores ‘Flexible Ways of Working’, highlighting that it is widely acknowledged that we will not fully revert to previous patterns of working and therefore it is essential that places are designed, from the outset to support flexible and productive ways of working. The vision for the Site is where this support is not only intrinsic but where its benefits (through reduced car use, greater community integration, and increased viability of local facilities and services), translate into better, mixed-use, people focused placemaking.

Subsequently, whilst the Site scored ‘amber’ within the HEELA in terms of its accessibility to services and facilities, it is evident from the above that the Site is capable of being developed to provide a betterment to the existing situation as assessed within the HEELA.

• “How it can help deliver the Western Gateway Green Infrastructure project, and in doing so positively engage with its landscape setting, as well as recreation and biodiversity enhancement opportunities such as woodland planting”
With regards to landscape, the HEELA scores the Site as ‘red’, identifying that development across the parcels assessed would have “a significant adverse impact upon the landscape character, views and visual amenity. It would be an encroachment into the countryside, urbanisation of the rural landscape and amalgamate both the villages of Caxton and Papworth Everard.” However, as identified at page 73 of the Councils’ Development Strategy Topic Paper, it states “our evidence shows that the most sustainable location for further new settlement scale development is through an expansion of Cambourne…It is important to recognise that our evidence says that large scale development at Cambourne would have landscape impacts and that these would be hard to address. However, when considered in the context of the significant economic and carbon benefits of locating development at the proposed new rail station at Cambourne, it is considered that the benefits are likely to outweigh the level of landscape harm”.

Notwithstanding the above, in order to support the masterplan for the Site, a landscape strategy has been prepared by The Richards Partnership. This strategy is contained within the Vision Document. The strategy has had significant regard for the Councils’ landscape evidence base, including the Greater Cambridge Green Infrastructure Opportunity Mapping Study (September 2021) which identifies ‘Strategic Initiative #8 – Western Gateway (multifunctional GI Corridors) and includes a broad swathe of land in the western side of the district.

A key element of the strategy is the inclusion of a major new tree planting initiative that creates a wildlife corridor and buffer along the new A428. Extensive green corridors running through the Site and substantial buffers between the Site and Caxton, Eltisley and Papworth Everard help address the Councils’ previous concerns regarding the amalgamation of nearby villages.

Within the locality of Cambourne, it is considered that other potential locations to accommodate the growth of Cambourne will have greater impact on the area’s landscape character. For example, the broad plateau landscape to the north of Cambourne and east of the A1198 has a much more open and expansive character, with little or no visual interrelationship with Cambourne. The absence of any urban form and influences in this area suggests it would be more difficult to assimilate significant urban form into this landscape. Similarly, the proximity of Caxton and Caxton End to the more modern Cambourne villages suggests it would be difficult to introduce further development here without bringing about physical, visual and perceived coalescence between the recent Twentieth Century developments and the older villages to the south and south east.

• “Take opportunities to reduce floor risk to surrounding areas, that take innovative solutions to the management and reuse of water”
It is noted that within Appendix 4 of the HEELA, that the Site is assessed as ‘amber’ in respect of flood risk. This is because parts of the Site are at risk of surface water flooding. A Flood Risk Assessment prepared by Pell Frischmann on behalf of the Commissioners has been submitted and used to help inform the concept masterplan within the Vision Document. As identified within the Flood Risk Assessment, the majority of this risk is contained to topographical depressions, watercourses and drains on Site. Mitigation measure can be incorporated through appropriate site design and consideration of the flow routes, which can be built into landscaping and external areas. The Commissioners therefore consider that surface water drainage should not be viewed as a constraint to development, but an opportunity to explore innovative solutions to water management.

In summary, the above demonstrates the extensive work that has gone into the formulation of a well evidence and robust Vision Document for the Site. The concept masterplan contained within the Vision Document shows that the Commissioners are having consideration for the key themes that are emerging within the proposed development considerations criteria contained within policy S/CB. The Commissioners strongly recommend that the Councils’ review and re-assess the Site in light of the information that has been prepared to support this representation.