Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

On behalf of O&H Land, Varsity Town Planning wishes to highlight the opportunity that exists at Fen Drayton for sustainable rural development. The site (Land West of Mill Road, Fen Drayton) has been submitted into the call for sites alongside this consultation.

Land surrounding 3 sides of the site has been included in an allocation for the ‘rest of the rural area’ under Policy S/AMC/FD Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association Estate. This land has benefitted from a Supplementary Planning Document which guides a sustainable way of living since 2011 but the area has not yet changed.

Our proposal is that the Land West of Mill Road is allocated as an extension to the Land Settlement Area. This would have the benefit of changing the character of Mill Road on both sides to one where a ‘sustainable living’ agenda could be exemplified. The road frontage owned by O&H Land amounts to 500m and so we have assumed that circa 50 plots of at least 400sqm could be accommodated. The rear of the plots would be rural in nature (domestic gardens and allotments) ensuring that the settlements of Fen Drayton and Fen Stanton do not coalesce.

O&H Land have experience of delivering plots for self-build / custom build homes and also preparing design guidance on the plot characteristics so that the whole area has a cohesive feel. One such area is Winsor Crescent in Peterborough.

We acknowledge that the Agricultural Land Classification is high but in this instance, the majority of the land will continue to be used for food production, albeit by individuals. Having good, fertile land is a positive attribute for development.

Fen Drayton is a thriving, sustainable settlement. It benefits from having local services and facilities within walking distance and is on the national cycle network. It is in close proximity to St Ives and Huntingdon. St Ives can be reached by an approximately 20 minute bus journey, and Huntingdon can be reached within 30 minutes by bus. The railway station in Huntingdon provides connections into London and to the north of England whilst the guided busway in St Ives makes fast connections with Cambridge.

Allocating the Land West of Mill Road provides an opportunity to create truly sustainable living options on the edge of a sustainable village. The inclusion of O&H’s Land West of Mill Road could become the catalyst for the regeneration of the former Land Settlement Area.