Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

It is requested that Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane, Whittlesford is allocated with the following policy requirements:

• Site Area of 0.88 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 10 dwellings, including affordable housing
• Seek to retain trees and hedgerows at site boundary
• Design and layout to protect and enhance Whittlesford Conservation Area and other heritage assets

As set out elsewhere in these representations, it is considered that upward adjustments are required to the housing target, the development strategy should direct development to the more sustainable villages, and there are exceptional circumstances to release land from the Green Belt. All these factors indicate that additional allocations should be made in the draft GCLP to meet development needs.

The CLC Trust has promoted Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane, Whittlesford (Site Ref. 40420) for housing. As well as market housing, the site which is located within the heart of the village community would also provide a perfect and safe environment for a community wellness centre, old peoples home or sheltered housing.

The SHLAA Site Assessment (40420) contained the following findings in respect of the Walled Garden Site:

• It is wholly within Flood Zone 1 (the lowest risk of flooding)
• It would have no detrimental impact on any designated biodiversity/geodiversity site or open space
• Access to the site was deemed acceptable in principle, subject to detailed design and any impact on the functioning of trunk roads and / or local roads could be reasonably mitigated.
• It is capable of being developed to provide healthy internal and external environments with regard to noise, vibration, odour and light pollution after careful site layout, design and mitigation
• It does not lie in an AQMA.

Consequently, it is considered that a well-designed scheme could deliver much needed additional new housing to the village within a short-term timeframe that will help boost the Five-Year Housing Land Supply and help meet local housing needs, without causing any detriment to the Green Belt.

There are no significant constraints to development at this site. The characteristics of the site and surrounding area mean that the site does not contribute towards the openness of the Green Belt or the purposes for including land within the Green Belt. The design and layout of the promoted development would need to protect and enhance the Whittlesford Conservation Area. The promoted development would include open space and green infrastructure. The site is accessible to the services and facilities in Whittlesford by walking and cycling (being located on the cycle path to Shelford), and it is accessible to Cambridge and to employment opportunities by train, bus and by bicycle.

Policy S/AMC/WHD: Whittlesford Parkway Station Policy Area, Whittlesford Bridge supports the provision of a comprehensive, masterplan led redevelopment of the Whittlesford Parkway Station Policy Area, identified on the Policies Map, to bring forward a multi-modal travel hub. The Proposals will include:need to establish a comprehensive approach to the area though a masterplan and include:

• Transport improvements:
–Improved junctions on the A505 to improve safety, access and capacity

• Station accessibility improvements:
–Improved connectivity between the station platforms
–An extended network of dedicated cycle links and safe crossing points
–A bus turning circle to enable safe and efficient interchange with train services
–Maximise connectivity and capacity improvements to Whittlesford Parkway.

• Station Facility Improvements:
–Car parking that would support better use of the station
–A transformed public realm which prioritises pedestrians in the immediate vicinity of the station

• A comprehensive approach to the area:
–Continued partnership working and close liaison with stakeholders and interested bodies, to ensure the efficient delivery of the Masterplan
–Apply an integrated approach of land use planning, different modes of travel and service providers.
–Apply a hierarchy of access needs, that prioritises the needs of pedestrians
–Ensure that transport works at a human level, so that through a series of marginal improvements, the transport network and public realm is more inclusive and comfortable
–Protect and enhance the Duxford Chapel and Red Lion Hotel heritage assets and their setting
–Address flooding issues related to the River Cam.

• Complementary uses including residential and commercial development and appropriate associated infrastructure, services and facilities where they do not prejudice the delivery of the above policy requirements and placemaking outcomes.

We support the Whittlesford Parkway Station Policy Area and consider that it will improve the sustainability attributes of the Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane in Whittlesford given the infrastructure improvements that will benefit the wider local area.

In addition, we would point to the major employment growth in recent years at Cambridge University Press at Duxford Road, which reinforces the need for additional residential allocation in the Whittlesford area and also to the surrounding employment opportunities at Granta Park and the Biomedical Campus and other recent large developments within the Silicon Fen that are in cycling distance of the site.

A drainage strategy, access appraisal, landscape appraisal, heritage assessment, ecological assessment, and archaeological assessment would be prepared for the promoted development at planning application stage. It is requested that this site is identified as an additional allocation in Policy S/RRA: Rest of Rural Area.

Strategic Priorities

The CLC Trust has promoted Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane, Whittlesford for residential development. The draft GCLP identifies seven strategic priorities relating to climate change, biodiversity and green spaces, wellbeing and social inclusion, great places, jobs, homes, and connectivity and infrastructure. As set out in these representations, the preferred housing target, the development strategy and the selected allocations for the draft GCLP are unlikely to fully deliver the strategic priorities.

The housing requirement is not aligned with jobs growth, which would lead to more people commuting into Cambridge to work mostly by car. This outcome would not meet the climate change strategic priority. The development strategy is too focussed on the delivery of large strategic sites, where the timetable for the delivery of necessary infrastructure is uncertain in some cases, the predicted housing delivery rates are unrealistically high, and the delivery of policy compliant levels of affordable housing is often not achieved. It is considered that housing and affordable housing needs would not be met by a development strategy based on this approach, and would not meet the homes strategic priority. The development strategy avoids directing development to the Group Villages, including Whittlesford, regardless of their sustainability credentials, existing services and facilities, accessibility by sustainable modes of transport, or affordable housing needs. This approach does not support the residents or services and facilities in those villages, and would not meet the great places, homes, connectivity and infrastructure strategic priorities. It is noted that some green infrastructure opportunity areas identified in the draft GCLP are unrelated to strategic development allocations that could support their delivery. In these circumstances those proposed green infrastructure opportunity areas are unlikely to be delivered, and this outcome would not meet the biodiversity and green spaces strategic priority.

It is considered that the strategic priorities for draft GCLP would only be fully delivered with a higher housing requirement, an amended development strategy, and additional development at the more sustainable villages including Whittlesford.

Strategic Priorities

The CLC Trust has promoted Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane, Whittlesford for residential development. The draft GCLP identifies seven strategic priorities relating to climate change, biodiversity and green spaces, wellbeing and social inclusion, great places, jobs, homes, and connectivity and infrastructure. As set out in these representations, the preferred housing target, the development strategy and the selected allocations for the draft GCLP are unlikely to fully deliver the strategic priorities.

The housing requirement is not aligned with jobs growth, which would lead to more people commuting into Cambridge to work mostly by car. This outcome would not meet the climate change strategic priority. The development strategy is too focussed on the delivery of large strategic sites, where the timetable for the delivery of necessary infrastructure is uncertain in some cases, the predicted housing delivery rates are unrealistically high, and the delivery of policy compliant levels of affordable housing is often not achieved. It is considered that housing and affordable housing needs would not be met by a development strategy based on this approach, and would not meet the homes strategic priority. The development strategy avoids directing development to the Group Villages, including Whittlesford, regardless of their sustainability credentials, existing services and facilities, accessibility by sustainable modes of transport, or affordable housing needs. This approach does not support the residents or services and facilities in those villages, and would not meet the great places, homes, connectivity and infrastructure strategic priorities. It is noted that some green infrastructure opportunity areas identified in the draft GCLP are unrelated to strategic development allocations that could support their delivery. In these circumstances those proposed green infrastructure opportunity areas are unlikely to be delivered, and this outcome would not meet the biodiversity and green spaces strategic priority.

It is considered that the strategic priorities for draft GCLP would only be fully delivered with a higher housing requirement, an amended development strategy, and additional development at the more sustainable villages including Whittlesford.

Strategic Priorities

The CLC Trust has promoted Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane, Whittlesford for residential development. The draft GCLP identifies seven strategic priorities relating to climate change, biodiversity and green spaces, wellbeing and social inclusion, great places, jobs, homes, and connectivity and infrastructure. As set out in these representations, the preferred housing target, the development strategy and the selected allocations for the draft GCLP are unlikely to fully deliver the strategic priorities.

The housing requirement is not aligned with jobs growth, which would lead to more people commuting into Cambridge to work mostly by car. This outcome would not meet the climate change strategic priority. The development strategy is too focussed on the delivery of large strategic sites, where the timetable for the delivery of necessary infrastructure is uncertain in some cases, the predicted housing delivery rates are unrealistically high, and the delivery of policy compliant levels of affordable housing is often not achieved. It is considered that housing and affordable housing needs would not be met by a development strategy based on this approach, and would not meet the homes strategic priority. The development strategy avoids directing development to the Group Villages, including Whittlesford, regardless of their sustainability credentials, existing services and facilities, accessibility by sustainable modes of transport, or affordable housing needs. This approach does not support the residents or services and facilities in those villages, and would not meet the great places, homes, connectivity and infrastructure strategic priorities. It is noted that some green infrastructure opportunity areas identified in the draft GCLP are unrelated to strategic development allocations that could support their delivery. In these circumstances those proposed green infrastructure opportunity areas are unlikely to be delivered, and this outcome would not meet the biodiversity and green spaces strategic priority.

It is considered that the strategic priorities for draft GCLP would only be fully delivered with a higher housing requirement, an amended development strategy, and additional development at the more sustainable villages including Whittlesford.

Strategic Priorities

The CLC Trust has promoted Land at Whittlesford Walled Garden, Church Lane, Whittlesford for residential development. The draft GCLP identifies seven strategic priorities relating to climate change, biodiversity and green spaces, wellbeing and social inclusion, great places, jobs, homes, and connectivity and infrastructure. As set out in these representations, the preferred housing target, the development strategy and the selected allocations for the draft GCLP are unlikely to fully deliver the strategic priorities.

The housing requirement is not aligned with jobs growth, which would lead to more people commuting into Cambridge to work mostly by car. This outcome would not meet the climate change strategic priority. The development strategy is too focussed on the delivery of large strategic sites, where the timetable for the delivery of necessary infrastructure is uncertain in some cases, the predicted housing delivery rates are unrealistically high, and the delivery of policy compliant levels of affordable housing is often not achieved. It is considered that housing and affordable housing needs would not be met by a development strategy based on this approach, and would not meet the homes strategic priority. The development strategy avoids directing development to the Group Villages, including Whittlesford, regardless of their sustainability credentials, existing services and facilities, accessibility by sustainable modes of transport, or affordable housing needs. This approach does not support the residents or services and facilities in those villages, and would not meet the great places, homes, connectivity and infrastructure strategic priorities. It is noted that some green infrastructure opportunity areas identified in the draft GCLP are unrelated to strategic development allocations that could support their delivery. In these circumstances those proposed green infrastructure opportunity areas are unlikely to be delivered, and this outcome would not meet the biodiversity and green spaces strategic priority.

It is considered that the strategic priorities for draft GCLP would only be fully delivered with a higher housing requirement, an amended development strategy, and additional development at the more sustainable villages including Whittlesford.