Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan Submission Version

Draft Policy S&GS 17 sets out the overarching policy to ensure new developments positively contribute to sustainable growth in the local area through the provision of new and improved community infrastructure, in line with local priorities. We welcome supporting paragraph 9.6 which states new development must address arising needs for specific infrastructure, including for healthcare. Health infrastructure is clearly identified as a priority, with an expectation that development proposals must make provision to meet healthcare infrastructure costs made necessary by the development.

Supporting paragraphs 9.19 to 9.22 sets out the Council’s assumptions on the growth in demand for healthcare infrastructure in the local area, partly through the use of proxy data (Paragraph 9.19). NHSPS are supportive of the work the Council has undertaken thus far in exploring options to mitigate impact on healthcare infrastructure based on forms of population growth assumptions. In line with our previous response at Regulation 14 Stage (April 2024) however, we continue to recommend that the Council engage with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS (C&P ICS) to ensure the most appropriate and suitable form of mitigation is identified in the area.

Healthcare providers should have flexibility in determining the most appropriate means of meeting the relevant healthcare needs arising from a new development. Where new development creates a demand for health services that cannot be supported by incremental extension or internal modification of existing facilities, this means the provision of new purpose-built healthcare infrastructure will be required to provide sustainable health services. Options should enable financial contributions, new-on-site healthcare infrastructure, free land/infrastructure/property, or a combination of these. It should be emphasised that the NHS and its partners will need to work with the Council in the formulation of appropriate mitigation measures.

Shelford Health Centre
NHSPS own the freehold to Shelford Health Centre (“the Site”), a site map of this is attached in Appendix 1 of the supporting letter.

We note that the Council has undertaken an exercise in exploring options for the Site’s redevelopment within supporting paragraph 9.23. In line with the above, any quantum or retained and/or re-provided health or other community uses would need to be determined by the local health commissioners (the Integrated Care Board) – including that required for continued health services, and any part of the Site which may no longer be needed for the delivery of health services (and therefore available for alternative uses).

Local health commissioners are best placed to determine the means and form of mitigation to meet the healthcare needs of the local community, including when considering the expansion of facilities to increase the level of provision. As such, we recommend the Council engage in consultation with the ICB when determining forms of healthcare infrastructure provision.