Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 211525

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Endurance Estates

Agent: DLP Planning Ltd

It is noted that no Green Belt study has been undertaken at this stage to inform the Draft Local Plan. This is a fundamental gap in the evidence base that needs to be addressed prior to Regulation 19.

Comment

Representation ID: 211526

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Endurance Estates

Agent: DLP Planning Ltd

The need for affordable housing is very acute (paragraphs 2.5-2.7 Development Strategy Topic Paper 2025). The “very acute” need for affordable housing is therefore an exceptional circumstance, and a Green Belt review is triggered under the NPPF paragraphs 147 and 148.

To address the existing crisis of need, the draft Local Plan should be including a greater number and variety of sites, including Green Belt sites, to front load delivery of affordable housing rather than relying on larger new settlements and strategic urban settlements which will deliver later on the Plan period and which are more likely to have viability issues due to the amount of infrastructure required to be delivered to facilitate new dwellings.

Comment

Representation ID: 211527

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Endurance Estates

Agent: DLP Planning Ltd

A draft Sustainability Assessment (“SA1”) has been prepared to accompany the Draft Plan. This concludes that there is a “strong focus on providing an appropriate amount of development and in particular a variety of housing types and tenures, to meet the needs of a broad range of people” and that, “the spatial strategy and policies set out a strong emphasis on minimising carbon emissions, particularly through minimising the need to travel, using land efficiently and making the most of existing and planned sustainable transport links.”

The SA also does not adequately address the options for growth in relation to affordable housing as it does not reflect the “very acute” need identified in the Iceni Paper. The viability issues of larger sites which could result in lower affordable housing levels being provided are stated to be offset by smaller developments, however there are very limited smaller, sub-strategic level, sites being allocated. This needs to be addressed with some more dispersed allocations in sustainable Minor Rural Centres with good sustainable transport options.