Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

It is unclear to what extent any technical work has been undertaken to demonstrate that intensified rates of development at Northstowe and Waterbeach New Town each for an additional 750 homes in the plan period is achievable.

Contingency sites should therefore be included at this early stage in the plan process to ensure the plan is effective (deliverable over the plan period) as required by the NPPF (2021).

The Airport has long been earmarked for future development and was identified in the 2003 Structure Plan, allocated in the 2006 Local Plan and safeguarded in the 2018 Local Plans for development should the site become available. We raise significant concerns over the delivery of this site within the timescales anticipated. As stated within the Development Strategy Topic Paper (2021), it is understood that Marshalls has a signed option agreement for relocation to Cranfield Airfield, Bedford, for which vacant possession is anticipated by 2030.

The Topic Paper states at Page 116:
“This gives a reasonable level of confidence at this early stage in the plan process that the site is likely to come forward in time to help meet development needs in the plan period as well as beyond. It is important that there should be sufficient evidence to demonstrate clearly that the plan can be delivered by the time it reaches the later formal stages and so the position will be kept under review during the plan making process”.

There is clearly still a high degree of uncertainty regarding homes being delivered at Cambridge Airport within the plan period and even in the event that the site does come forward, it is ambitious that the site will start delivering 350 homes per year from 2031/32, as set out within the trajectory, particularly noting that Cranfield Airfield is only expected to become available from 2030 at the earliest.

Contingency sites should therefore be included at this early stage in the plan process to ensure the plan is effective (deliverable over the plan period) as required by the NPPF (2021).