Thank you for inviting the Forestry Commission to respond to the consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan, Unfortunately we do not have the resources to respond to individual plans but we have some key points to make relevant to all neighbourhood plans.

Forestry Commission and Neighbourhood Planning
Existing trees in your community

The Forestry Commission would like to encourage communities to review the trees and woodlands in their neighbourhood and consider whether they are sufficiently diverse in age and species to prove resilient in the face of tree pests and diseases or climate change. For example, if you have a high proportion of Ash, you are likely to see the majority suffering from Ash Dieback. Some communities are proactively planting different species straight away, to mitigate the effect of losing the Ash; you can find out more here. Alternatively, if you have a high proportion of Beech, you may find they suffer particularly from drought or flood stress as the climate becomes more extreme. There are resources available to help you get ideas for other species you can plant to diversify your tree stock and make it more resilient.

Ancient Woodland

If you have ancient woodland within or adjacent to your boundary it is important that it is considered within your plan. Ancient woodlands are irreplaceable, they have great value because they have a long history of woodland cover, with many features remaining undisturbed. This applies equally to Ancient Semi Natural Woodland (ASNW) and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS). It is Government policy to refuse development that will result in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats including ancient woodland, unless “there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists” (National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 180).
The Forestry Commission has prepared joint Standing Advice for the treatment of Ancient Woodland
If you have ancient woodland within or adjacent to your boundary it is important that it is considered within your plan. Ancient woodlands are irreplaceable, they have great value because they have a long history of woodland cover, with many features remaining undisturbed. This applies equally to Ancient Semi Natural Woodland (ASNW) and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS). It is Government policy to refuse development that will result in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats including ancient woodland, unless “there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists” (National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 180).
The Forestry Commission has prepared joint Standing Advice with Natural England on ancient woodland and veteran trees. This advice is a material consideration for planning decisions across England and can also be a useful starting point for policy considerations.
The Standing Advice explains the definition of ancient woodland, its importance, ways to identify it and the policies that relevant to it. It provides advice on how to protect ancient woodland when dealing with planning applications that may affect ancient woodland. It also considers ancient wood-pasture and veteran trees. It will provides links to Natural England’s Ancient Woodland Inventory and assessment guides as well as other tools to assist you in assessing potential impacts.

Deforestation

The overarching policy for the sustainable management of forests, woodland and trees in England is a presumption against deforestation.

Woodland Creation

The UK is committed in law to net zero emissions by 2050. Tree planting is recognised as contributing to efforts to tackle the biodiversity and climate emergencies we are currently facing. Neighbourhood plans are a useful mechanism for promoting tree planting close to people so that the cultural and health benefits of trees can be enjoyed alongside their broader environmental benefits. Any planting considered by the plan should require healthy resilient tree stock to minimise the risk of pests and diseases and maximise its climate change resilience, a robust management plan should also be put in place.
with Natural England on ancient woodland and veteran trees. This advice is a material consideration for planning decisions across England and can also be a useful starting point for policy considerations.
The Standing Advice explains the definition of ancient woodland, its importance, ways to identify it and the policies that relevant to it. It provides advice on how to protect ancient woodland when dealing with planning applications that may affect ancient woodland. It also considers ancient wood-pasture and veteran trees. It will provides links to Natural England’s Ancient Woodland Inventory and assessment guides as well as other tools to assist you in assessing potential impacts.

Deforestation

The overarching policy for the sustainable management of forests, woodland and trees in England is a presumption against deforestation.

Woodland Creation

The UK is committed in law to net zero emissions by 2050. Tree planting is recognised as contributing to efforts to tackle the biodiversity and climate emergencies we are currently facing. Neighbourhood plans are a useful mechanism for promoting tree planting close to people so that the cultural and health benefits of trees can be enjoyed alongside their broader environmental benefits. Any planting considered by the plan should require healthy resilient tree stock to minimise the risk of pests and diseases and maximise its climate change resilience, a robust management plan should also be put in place.

Thank you for consulting Sport England on the above neighbourhood plan.

Government planning policy, within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), identifies how the planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. Encouraging communities to become more physically active through walking, cycling, informal recreation and formal sport plays an important part in this process. Providing enough sports facilities of the right quality and type in the right places is vital to achieving this aim. This means that positive planning for sport, protection from the unnecessary loss of sports facilities, along with an integrated approach to providing new housing and employment land with community facilities is important.

Therefore, it is essential that the neighbourhood plan reflects and complies with national planning policy for sport as set out in the NPPF with particular reference to Pars 102 and 103. It is also important to be aware of Sport England’s statutory consultee role in protecting playing fields and the presumption against the loss of playing field land. Sport England’s playing fields policy is set out in our Playing Fields Policy and Guidance document.
https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/facilities-and-planning/planning-for-sport#playing_fields_policy
Sport England provides guidance on developing planning policy for sport and further information can be found via the link below. Vital to the development and implementation of planning policy is the evidence base on which it is founded.
https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/facilities-and-planning/planning-for-sport#planning_applications
Sport England works with local authorities to ensure their Local Plan is underpinned by robust and up to date evidence. In line with Par 103 of the NPPF, this takes the form of assessments of need and strategies for indoor and outdoor sports facilities. A neighbourhood planning body should look to see if the relevant local authority has prepared a playing pitch strategy or other indoor/outdoor sports facility strategy. If it has then this could provide useful evidence for the neighbourhood plan and save the neighbourhood planning body time and resources gathering their own evidence. It is important that a neighbourhood plan reflects the recommendations and actions set out in any such strategies, including those which may specifically relate to the neighbourhood area, and that any local investment opportunities, such as the Community Infrastructure Levy, are utilised to support their delivery.

Where such evidence does not already exist then relevant planning policies in a neighbourhood plan should be based on a proportionate assessment of the need for sporting provision in its area. Developed in consultation with the local sporting and wider community any assessment should be used to provide key recommendations and deliverable actions. These should set out what provision is required to ensure the current and future needs of the community for sport can be met and, in turn, be able to support the development and implementation of planning policies. Sport England’s guidance on assessing needs may help with such work.
http://www.sportengland.org/planningtoolsandguidance
If new or improved sports facilities are proposed Sport England recommend you ensure they are fit for purpose and designed in accordance with our design guidance notes.
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/tools-guidance/design-and-cost-guidance/
Any new housing developments will generate additional demand for sport. If existing sports facilities do not have the capacity to absorb the additional demand, then planning policies should look to ensure that new sports facilities, or improvements to existing sports facilities, are secured and delivered. Proposed actions to meet the demand should accord with any approved local plan or neighbourhood plan policy for social infrastructure, along with priorities resulting from any assessment of need, or set out in any playing pitch or other indoor and/or outdoor sports facility strategy that the local authority has in place.
In line with the Government’s NPPF (including Section 8) and its Planning Practice Guidance (Health and wellbeing section), links below, consideration should also be given to how any new development, especially for new housing, will provide opportunities for people to lead healthy lifestyles and create healthy communities. Sport England’s Active Design guidance can be used to help with this when developing planning policies and developing or assessing individual proposals.

Active Design, which includes a model planning policy, provides ten principles to help ensure the design and layout of development encourages and promotes participation in sport and physical activity. The guidance, and its accompanying checklist, could also be used at the evidence gathering stage of developing a neighbourhood plan to help undertake an assessment of how the design and layout of the area currently enables people to lead active lifestyles and what could be improved.
NPPF Section 8: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-planning-policy-framework/8-promoting-healthy-communities
PPG Health and wellbeing section: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/health-and-wellbeing
Sport England’s Active Design Guidance: https://www.sportengland.org/activedesign
(Please note: this response relates to Sport England’s planning function only. It is not associated with our funding role or any grant application/award that may relate to the site.)

If you need any further advice, please do not hesitate to contact Sport England using the contact details below.

Thank you for consulting National Highways on the abovementioned Neighbourhood Plan.

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).

It has been noted that once adopted, the Neighbourhood Plan will become a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. Where relevant, National Highways will be a statutory consultee on future planning applications within the area and will assess the impact on the SRN of a planning application accordingly.

Notwithstanding the above comments, we have reviewed the document and note that the details set out within the document are unlikely to have an severe impact on the operation of the trunk road and we offer No Comment.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the “Pampisford Neighbourhood Plan”.

Regarding Policy - we would like to refer you to the following and recommend these are included within the revised “The Pampisford” Neighbourhood Plan:

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) - Section 12 Paragraph 135 (f) which states: -

Planning policies and decisions should ensure that developments: create places that are safe, inclusive, and accessible and which promote health and well-being, with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users and where crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine the quality of life or community cohesion and resilience.

In relation to the design and layout of new developments including homes, commercial space, schools, hospitals, and sheltered accommodation we make the following comment:

Security and Crime prevention measures should be considered at the earliest opportunity as an integral part of any initial design for a proposed development. It should incorporate the principles of ‘Secured by Design’ (SBD) and demonstrate how the development proposals address the following issues, to design out and reduce the incidence and fear of crime:

• Physical protection: Places that include necessary, well-designed security features.
• Access and movement: Places with well-defined routes, spaces and entrances that provide for convenient movement without compromising security.
• Safe routes: Creating safe routes that are as straight as possible, wide, well lit, without hiding places and well-maintained and overlooked for security and provide a sense of security for all users.
• Structure: Places that are structured so that different uses do not cause conflict.
• Lighting: Ensuring appropriate and non-obtrusive lighting levels are achieved.
• Private space: Creating a clear separation between public and private spaces, avoiding public routes next to back gardens.
• Surveillance: Places where all publicly accessible spaces are overlooked.
• Ownership: Places that promote a sense of ownership, respect, territorial responsibility, and community.
• Activity: Places where the level of human activity is appropriate to the location reduces the risk of crime and always creates a sense of safety and territoriality.
• Management and maintenance: Places that are designed with management and maintenance in mind, to discourage crime in the present and the future.

In practice this means that Secured by Design status for new developments can be achieved through careful design. Developers should, at an early stage, seek consultation and advice from the Police Designing out Crime Officers at Cambridgeshire Police Headquarters on designing out crime.

It is recommended that “Secured by Design” forms part of the conditions of any proposed planning application or re-development.

We would appreciate if the above could be taken into consideration.

Anglian Water has previously submitted comments on the pre-submission version (Reg 14) of the Pampisford neighbourhood plan. We welcome the amendments in the submission version of the neighbourhood plan, following our comments and recommended changes.

I can confirm, Anglian Water has no further comments to make and wish the neighbourhood plan group every success in taking this forward.

I should be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this representation and keep me updated on further progress made on the neighbourhood plan.

Thank you for consulting us on the Submission Publication for the Pampisford Neighbourhood Plan.

We aim to reduce flood risk, while protecting and enhancing the water environment.

Due to ongoing prioritization of our limited resource, we regret that at present, we are unable to review this consultation. We must focus on influencing plans where the environmental risks and opportunities are highest.

In focusing our engagement to those areas where the environmental risks are greatest, we note that based on the environmental constraints within the area, we have previously not submitted detailed comments relation to this Neighbourhood Plan. We therefore have no further detailed comments to make in relation to this plan.

Thank you for inviting Historic England to comment on the Regulation 16 Submission Draft of this Neighbourhood Plan.

We welcome the production of this neighbourhood plan. Having reviewed the plan and relevant documentation we do not consider it necessary for Historic England to provide detailed comments at this time.

We would refer you if appropriate to any previous comments submitted at Regulation 14 stage, and for any further information to our detailed advice on successfully incorporating historic environment considerations into a neighbourhood plan, which can be found here: <https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/plan-making/improve-your-neighbourhood/>

Cambridge Past, Present & Future is Cambridge’s largest civic society. We are a charity run by local people who are passionate about where they live. We operate in the greater Cambridge area and working with our members, supporters and volunteers we are dedicated to protecting and enhancing the green setting of Cambridge for people and nature.

Cambridge Past, Present & Future request that Policy PAM 12 and/or the supporting text make reference to to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Cambridge Nature Network.

Cambridgeshire County Council will be producing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) which will set priorities for nature recovery. It will identify opportunities and priorities for recovering or enhancing biodiversity.

The LNRS will incorporate the work of the Cambridge Nature Network (CNN). Since 2018 CambridgePPF have been working with the Wildlife Trust, National Trust, local authorities and other organisations to identify a nature recovery network for the Cambridge area. The Cambridge Nature Network includes the best of the remaining habitats within 10km of the city and it identifies the best opportunities and locations for creating new habitats.

The River Cam and its tributaries are one of the nature priority areas in the network. The Neighbourhood Plan area lies between the River Cam Corridor to the west and River Granta corridor to the north-east.

The vision is that the Nature Network will be a mosaic of individual nature parks, nature reserves and farm habitats, linked together by nature-friendly farmland and wildlife-rich towns and villages. As well as being good for wildlife, it will be good for people.

Referencing the LNRS and the work of the CNN in Section 6.12 of the Neighbourhood Plan will help prioritise and direct biodiversity enhancements so that improvements within the parish are linked to wider biodiversity projects beyond the parish.

Suggested amendment
Cambridgeshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Cambridge Nature Network
Cambridgeshire County Council are producing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) (https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/what-we-deliver/environment/lnrs/) which will identify opportunities and priorities for recovering or enhancing biodiversity. The Cambridge Nature Network (https://cambridgenaturenetwork.org/) identifies the best opportunities and locations for creating new habitats within a 10km ring around Cambridge. The River Cam and its tributaries are one of the nature priority areas. The Neighbourhood Plan area lies between the River Cam Corridor to the west and River Granta corridor to the north-east. Measures for delivering biodiversity enhancements should take into account other projects within the network and where possible create links between habitats.

I trust that you will take our comments into consideration.

The draft neighbourhood plan fails to recognise major transport infrastructure that is planned within the neighbourhood plan area. Please see further details in attached letter and map.

Please find Natural England’s response in relation to the above mentioned consultation attached.

Thank you for including Equestrians in the Plan. Comments on Behald of the Biritsh Horse Society:

Comments on behalf of the British Horse Society:

ROUTES SUITABLE FOR NON-MOTORISED USERS IN AND AROUND THE PARISH.
6.10.6
It is acknowledged at both national and local level that equestrians are NMU's.
We support many of the comments about the cycling provision being inadequate and unsafe. Equestrians are considered equally vulnerable road users as cyclists in the Road User Hierarchy. The Highway Code states that cyclists should not undertake equestrians.

Provision of roadside cycling routes which exclude equestrians leaves horse and their riders, as well as other road users, in more danger. It brings fast-moving cyclists on the inside of equestrians forced to travel in the traffic flow, Horses are not trained to expect traffic on their inside and may be startled by cyclists and swing out into the path of vehicles. If the cycling provision is built to accommodate cargo, hand propelled and recumbent bikes, then it will be wide enough to include equestrians.

Equestrians are entitled to use the whole of the highway which comprises the carriageway and the verge. Construction of a cycle path on the verge should be subject to a TRO which requires consultation with Stakeholders including the BHS. The BHS would require equestrian inclusion on any safe paths provided on the verge.

A route which is currently signed for pedestrians and cyclists only and should be available to equestrians is the path from the edge of the village on Babraham Road along Sawston Road to Babraham. Part of this route is in Pampisford and part in Babraham. The path should be upgraded to bridleway status and this should be included within the Plan 'wish list. There is a possibility that the CSET project will address this incorrect signage. This path is so dangerous, it was used to highlight the danger of excluding equestrians from safe off-road access in a BHS safety leaflet. See attached.

Since the preparation of the NP Plan, a bridleway has been created in the Parish.

(Image attached)

There is a clear opportunity to improve both the PROW network for both cyclists and equestrians by upgrading two footpaths to bridleways with appropriate surfacing for all users - not tarmac. Footpaths 179/1 Pampisford leading to footpaths 12/9 and 12/8 Babraham, and footpath 179/2 Pampisford.

(Image attached)

Should CSETs be delivered, then there will be further opportunities for links from these two new bridleways with the proposed bridleway running alongside the busway.

(Image attached)

Whilst the upgrades are not within the gift of this Plan, they should be included on the 'wish list' for future opportunities.

Please see the attached comment from the LLFA for the Pampisford Neighbourhood Plan.

Please see attached the Council’s formal response to the Pampisford Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 submission consultation.

The draft Pampisford Neighbourhood Plan (PNP) identifies a clear need for additional housing in Pampisford, including a need for market housing. It advises at Paragraph 6.1.10 that open market properties do not become available frequently and there is evidence that, when they do become available, they are not suitable to meet the needs of residents looking to move whilst staying in the parish, via the open market. It states that:

“The 2020 HNS identified six households seeking to address their housing issues through the open market. All bar one were looking to downsize. Two were interested in self-build and four (including self-builders) were seeking bungalows. The majority of people concerned were aged 60+”.

Therefore, there is a clear need for smaller single storey market dwellings to allow older residents to downsize.

However, despite this identified need, the decision has been taken not to allocate any sites for housing development within the draft PNP. It is understood this decision has been taken due to the additional work involved (i.e. the preparation of a Strategic Environmental Assessment and a Habitat Regulation Assessment). However, it is questioned whether the draft PNP will be found sound when a clear need for market housing has been identified without any provisions for how that need will be met.

Without development allocations the only way for new housing to come forward is through windfall development on sites within the development framework. However, due to the tightly drawn development framework boundary, there is limited opportunity for housing development within the development framework for Pampisford, thus little opportunity for new market housing to come forward in the settlement under the current plan. This is evident by the limited number of applications approved for housing development in recent years. A search of applications approved over the past five years identified only one application approved for residential development within the PNP area during this period (Application Ref. 20/01181/FUL for 4no. dwellings on London Road, on the edge of the Neighbourhood Plan Area adjacent to Sawston). No housing applications have been approved within the central area of Pampisford during this time.

Therefore, the draft PNP identifies a clear need for smaller single storey market dwellings to allow older residents to downsize, however, under the current plan, it is unlikely this need will be met. It is questioned whether the plan will be found sound on this basis. It is therefore requested that: the allocation of sites for housing development be reconsidered; and/or the development framework boundary be extended to include Site 4 and other such suitable sites; and/or Policy PAM1 be reworded to allow infill development outside of, but adjacent to, the settlement boundary for Pampisford on sites which fall outside of the Green Belt. These amendment would allow additional market housing to come forward to meet the identified need.

Please find our letter of representation on behalf of National Grid Electricity Transmission attached.

Please find attached my comments regarding the Pampisford Neighbourhood Plan.