Linton Parish Council (LPC) thank Thriplow and Heathfield NP Committee for notification of the consultation on the NP submission. LPC do not have any comments to submit for the Neighbourhood Plan.

I have read the plans for the proposed development at the grain store in Thriplow.
It would appear that twenty dwellings require fifty parking spaces?
The access roads would not in my opinion be capable of taking so much extra traffic in a relatively small area. Plus the small single lane connecting road not much used that ends at the base of Gravel Pit Hill would be totally blocked with traffic seeking a short cut away from the village.

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 above mentioned 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 “Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Plan”.

Regarding Policy - we would like to refer you to the following and recommend these are included within the revised “Thriplow and Heathfield” 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 Thriplow and Heathfield 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 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 are pleased to note that our previous comments in response to Policy THP 10 have been taken into consideration.

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/>

Living in Ringstone, Heathfield I support these plans wholeheartedly. A community centre including a shop and a pub would be fabulous. Development of local sports clubs and community groups would be wonderful. Further improvement of access via walking/cycling paths between Thriplow, Whittlesford, Foxton and within heathfield would also be terrific. I would love to help if I can, specifically with the woodland near Ringstone and hurdles way.

A well constructed and comprehensive plan.

In a personal capacity and as an officer of Cam Valley Forum I am particularly interested in the environment and biodiversity, especially the water sources and streams.

It is good that the plan recognises that the very important Thriplow ecologically significant areas must be taken into account when considering planning applications.

THP 9 is good on recognising the importance of protecting water courses when development is considered as the acquifer is already depleted with an effect on flora and fauna.

The section on biodiversity net gain is good, especially the need to provide locally.

Please find attached South Cambridgeshire District Council’s response to the Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Plan, submission (Regulation 16) Plan Consultation.

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

I have a few comments to make, largely in support of the Plan.
My comments are as follows.
1. Junction between A505 and Gravel Pit Hill. This right turn from the A505 going West is very dangerous and should be prioritised for improvement. There is enough space for a bit of road widening. Even the turn from the A505 going East is dangerous as the turning vehicle has to slow down to at most 20mph to get round the corner, there is enough room here for a deceleration lane.
2. I very much support the Plan for development of the Grain Store site with up to 20 dwellings, including Affordable and/or Social Homes.
3. I support the improvement of Hoffer Brook. Until I started walking our dog, I had not noticed how dead the brook looks (at the bridge near the new donkey sanctuary). If it is supposed to be a chalk stream, it falls a long way short. Quite often the brook is a milky grey but even when the water is clear, there is not a sign of life in it. I suspect pesticides and herbicides but I am no expert. I also wonder if the root cause of the supposed pollution is outside our Parish via geological aquifers, maybe between the A505 and Chrishall?
4. There must be a way of claiming space from some of the verges to make footpath space without stealing road width. This could be done for some of Middle Street, Church Street and perhaps Lower Street. Certainly a 20mph limit and HGV weight limits will help safety but existing footpaths need to be better maintained (eg the one between Fowlmere Road and Fowlmere which gets very overgrown) and any new ones we can create, should be. I think we are too lax on letting people’s hedges getting overgrown as well - the odd encouragement in FATN from the Parish Council isn’t good enough.

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

Attached please find comments on behalf of the British Horse Society.

Please find attached my letter, confirming the safeguarding position of the Ministry of Defence, in respect of the above policy planning consultation.

I refer to the consultation on the Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Plan and thank the Parish Councils for affording the County Council the opportunity to comment.

Please find attached to this letter comments that I have received from several service areas across the County Council. I trust that this will be of assistance to the Parish Councils as it progresses the Neighbourhood Plan.

Thank you for consulting us on the submission plan for the Thriplow and Heathfield neighbourhood plan.
A key principle of the planning system is to promote sustainable development. Sustainable development meets our needs for housing, employment and recreation while protecting the environment. It ensures that the right development, is built in the right place at the right time. To assist in the preparation of any document towards achieving sustainable development we have identified the key environmental issues within our remit that are relevant to this area and provide guidance on any actions you need to undertake. We also provide hyperlinks to where you can obtain further information and advice to help support your neighbourhood plan.
We note that the Local Plan for South Cambridgeshire is now older than 5 years and the Local Plan Review has yet to be undertaken. For this reason, we consider the Neighbourhood Plan to be higher risk and are keen to see the inclusion of relevant policy wording in the Neighbourhood Plan covering the environmental issues within our remit.
Ecology
We welcome the inclusion of policy THP8 and policy THP9. Protecting and enhancing the parish tributary feeding the Hoffer Brook
Please note, Cambridge Water have plans for river restoration of Hoffer Brook under the next round of the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) starting from 2025 onwards. Plans and discussions are currently underway with projects to be determined post-2025 – with delivery between 2025 until 2030, possibly 2035.
We would recommend guidance is sought from the Cam sub-catchment partnership – led by BCN Wildlife Trust – to gather further and more detailed information relating to potential projects and further enhancements.
Further enhancements provide by the Cam sub-catchment partnership include potential wetlands around Wastewater Treatment Works, spring restoration work, possible flood storage.
We would ask that the neighbourhood plan strongly considers and incorporates making space for water and allowing the river and its tributaries to interact / connect with its floodplain. This will allow the river to undertake natural processes, such as the removal of silt from in-channel to the deposition of silt out of channel within the floodplain during high flows. By making space for water and the incorporation of nature-based solutions, this could potentially reduce the future requirement for maintenance, prevent deterioration of the river’s health, and aid its resilience to climate change.
We would recommend aligning restoration and protection measures with the CaBA Chalk Stream Restoration strategy – principally, the importance of restoring and enhancing all three aspects of the water environment - water quality, water quantity and habitat. The strategy highlights the importance of action within the headwaters of chalk streams, and this neighbourhood plan could be an excellent opportunity to incorporate them. More information is available here: Chalk Stream Strategy - CaBA (catchmentbasedapproach.org)
Site Allocation: Policy THP10
The Grainstore site allocation is located above a Principal Aquifer and 6.10.17 notes the possibility of contaminative historic use on the site. We would suggest that the final sentence is amended to remove “2023” – the planning application should be prepared in line with the current policy at the time of submission.
A site investigation and risk assessment will be required for any planning application. The relevance of the designation and the potential implication upon development proposals should be considered with reference to our Groundwater Protection guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/groundwater-protection
Water Resources
Being in one of the driest areas of the country, our environment has come under significant pressure from potable water demand. New developments should make a significant contribution towards reducing water demand and mitigate against the risk of deterioration to our rivers, groundwater and habitats from groundwater abstraction. We recommend you check the capacity of available water supplies with the water company, in line with the emerging 2024 Water Resources Management Plan which is due to be published in 2023. The Local Planning Authorities Water Cycle Study and Local Plan may indicate constraints in water supply and provide recommendations for phasing of development to tie in with new alternative strategic supplies.
New development should as a minimum meet the highest levels of water efficiency standards, as per the policies in the adopted Local Plan. In most cases development will be expected to achieve 110 litres per person per day as set out in the Building Regulations &c. (Amendment) Regulations 2015. However, a higher standard of water efficiency (e.g. 85 l/p/d) should be considered, looking at all options including rainwater harvesting and greywater systems. Using the water efficiency calculator in Part G of the Building Regulations enables you to calculate the devices and fittings required to ensure a home is built to the right specifications to meet the 110 l/p/d requirement. We recommend all new non-residential development of 1000sqm gross floor area or more should meet the BREEAM ‘excellent’ standards for water consumption.
Developments that require their own abstraction where it will exceed 20 cubic metres per day from a surface water source (river, stream) or from underground strata (via borehole or well) will require an abstraction licence under the terms of the Water Resources Act 1991. There is no guarantee that a licence will be granted as this is dependent on available water resources and existing protected rights. The relevant abstraction licencing strategy for your area provides information on water availability and licencing policy at Abstraction licensing strategies (CAMS process) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
We hope this information is of assistance. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.