1.0 Introduction

NHC note the content of the SCI

Please dont focus solely on "online" processes. It is well understood that there are still many people who find this difficult and off-putting .... what should you be doing for them ?
Your maps software is out of date and clunky to use .... non-IT savvy people find this very difficult and by not updating to modern standards you are excluding sections of the community
Jargon bust please: what is "SEA rather than health check" supposed to mean?
1.13 Sustainable .. this should be a thread throughought ALL planning decisions including Conservation please address this anomaly - it doesn't now!

Giving feedback about this review process I feel the system is not very user friendly and did result in incomplete responses and resubmission. I have attached a word document which contains a re-write summary of the main points which should prove useful. This summary covers the entire document.

Thank you for consulting Transport for London (TfL). I can confirm that we do not wish to comment on the new Statement of Community Involvement

It is noted that the website only directs people to comment on line and does not explain other methods of commenting. One would have to read to the SCI to know you can send your comments by email or post.
The current layout of the document is difficult to read online as the two columns means one has to scroll up and down each page. Most people will read the SCI online and therefore a web friendly layout should be published, with a separate print version available if hard copies are provided.
The interactive map which includes layers for the adopted local plans is incredibly useful. It would be better for the SCI to link in paragraph 1.11 to this rather than the one showing just the First Proposals. Greater functionality of the layers would be appreciated, allowing easier turning on and off of individual Local Plan layers rather than them being 'on' as a default.

Section 1.4
LPC believe there is an error with the date? It would not have been possible to put anything in place for Covid in May 2019 – it didn’t arrive until early 2020 in the UK!

Section 1.13
The right type, mix and design of housing should have much stronger local input (can this be mandated?). Developers don’t put the right mix of smaller dwellings that are needed in developments, nor do they consider the needs of the elderly and disabled in their design – the great majority (if not all) properties should be accessible.

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Statement of Community Involvement consultation. HDC considers that the document aligns with the requirement under Section 18 of Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The five aims of the Statement of Community Involvement, as well as the aspiration to go beyond the Government’s expectation for public engagement, are commendable.

HDC in general terms supports your Statement of Community Involvement and has no further comments or suggestions on this consultation document. The Council will continue to collaborate with Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council throughout the planning process.

Great Shelford Parish Council considered this document recently and have the following comments:
• Councillors feel that to really engage with people there should always be an executive summary at the beginning of the document to demonstrate the changes which have been made.
• The document talks about ‘how I can get involved’ but does not talk about the process including statutory consultees such as parish councils and how residents can make a representation to their parish council, prior to applications coming to the planning authority. The lack of information about parish council role seems to show the lack of recognition about the role that they play
• Councillors are disappointed to see that the drop ins/roadshows were launched so close to the beginning of the consultation, therefore very little notice provided for people who may have been interested in attending. In addition, both were located to the north of the city and nothing really convenient to those parishes more southerly in the district (south of A14).
• It has been noted that more recent site notices have QR codes directing people to the planning authority’s website. This concerns councillors that this is making them less accessible to residents who do not have smart phones.

Great Shelford Parish Council considered this document recently and have the following comments:
• Councillors feel that to really engage with people there should always be an executive summary at the beginning of the document to demonstrate the changes which have been made.
• The document talks about ‘how I can get involved’ but does not talk about the process including statutory consultees such as parish councils and how residents can make a representation to their parish council, prior to applications coming to the planning authority. The lack of information about parish council role seems to show the lack of recognition about the role that they play
• Councillors are disappointed to see that the drop ins/roadshows were launched so close to the beginning of the consultation, therefore very little notice provided for people who may have been interested in attending. In addition, both were located to the north of the city and nothing really convenient to those parishes more southerly in the district (south of A14).
• It has been noted that more recent site notices have QR codes directing people to the planning authority’s website. This concerns councillors that this is making them less accessible to residents who do not have smart phones.

Please find attached Historic England's comments on the draft SCI.

Thank you for consulting National Highways on the Proposed Statement of Community Involvement for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

National Highways is a strategic highway company under the provisions of the Infrastructure Act 2015 and is the highway authority, traffic authority and street authority for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). National Highways’ wishes to continue the positive engagement with the authorities, as a statutory consultee, as part of the Local Plan preparations and on planning applications, where appropriate.

Notwithstanding the above comments, National Highways have reviewed the document and we offer No Comment at this stage.

On behalf of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) thank you for consulting with us on the Greater Cambridge Statement of Community Involvement. HCC have no comments to provide regarding the Statement of Community.

Thank your for the opportunity to comment on the Greater Cambridge Statement of Community Involvement. Having reviewed he SCI, we congratulate the GCSPS on the production of a comprehensive document setting out the wide ranging approach to community engagement and participation in the planning process.

Anglian Water supports the SCI and welcomes specific reference to Anglian Water with regard to listed consultees for relevant planning applications. For future reference, it is the Government's intention to implement Schedule Three of The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to make SuDS mandatory in all new developments in England in 2024. Schedule 3 provides a framework for the approval and adoption of drainage systems, a sustainable drainage system approving body within unitary and county councils, and national standards on the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of sustainable drainage systems for the lifetime of the development. It also makes the right to connect surface water runoff to public sewers conditional upon the drainage system being approved before any construction work can start. Once this is implemented, Anglian Water, as sewerage undertaker, will be a statutory consultee in the SuDS approval process - to the SuDS Approving Body (County Council/LLFA).

The approach and aims set out in the statement of community involvement are supported by the LLFA. From a flood risk perspective community involvement is particularly important to ensure that we understand the full extent of local issues and how future development may impact flood risk on a local scale. It is our understanding that we will continue to be consulted as usual, therefore, we have no further comments to make.