Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

 Proposals should accord with the requirements set out in the Histon and Impington Neighbourhood Plan 2021 (or successor documents).
 All schemes must integrate with surrounding uses, respect the character and maintain the vitality and viability of Histon and Impington village centre, and retain the significant wooded area known as ‘The Copse’.
 The Histon & Impington Station Area is over 1 mile from the Cambridge City boundary. This area does not support development more suited to Cambridge City. The plan states this area as been in a Rural area. Any loss of employment or business premises for this site must follow the justification as specified in Policy J/PB including (but not limited to) point 1.a.ii.
 Currently, the site known as Kendal Court has a total of 1,100sqm which will be lost if application 25/04793/FUL is approved. There appears to have been no attempt to advertise or develop this site for commercial use hence we are fully supportive of Policy J/PB point 1.a.ii.

o Fully support these points.
o Point 5 a “limited to people in need of affordable housing;” add Conditions with regards to the re-sale of affordable homes must have restrictions such as cannot be resold at market value.
o When an application is received which does not meet the requirements laid out, these must go to a public planning committee meeting and any justification for a site not meeting the requirement is to be made public where permission is granted.
o Where an application does not provide affordable homes due to viability, a reassessment should be made if the build time exceeds 5 years from permission granted. This reassessment will take into consideration appreciation of the homes but also increases in labour and material costs.

With ragards top oint 2 “Deviations from the above housing mixes will be allowed where an alternative mix is justified” Justification is to be made at a local level.

o 1a states “It has been demonstrated through marketing the property for at least 12 months at a realistic price that there is no demand for their development for employment use, or the buildings are unsuitable for employment use” A formal standard of what defines it as been correctly marketed is required to ensure adequate marketing is made.
o In addition, considerations should be made where a site is within 400m of a working windmill to ensure the operation of rural windmills in the policy area. Tall structures near to a working windmill is likely to have a detrimental effect. The Molen Biotoop Method defines how to calculate the effect on the wind flow of an obstacle placed at a distance from a windmill. This calculation should be made for all applications taller than surrounding structures where within 400m of a working windmill. The Histon and Impington Neighbourhood Plan 2020 - 2031 Version 4 Referendum version priority HIM04 is an example of a policy regarding working windmills.

The strategic site g. Hain Daniels Site, Histon relates to our area.
The Histon and Impington Neighbourhood Plan 2020 - 2031 Version 4: Referendum version priority HIM08 relates directly to this site.

A reference to all the points made in the Neighbourhood plan are to be respected.

Histon and Impington are under resourced with regards to sports and recreation facilities. Areas such as Site ID: 115407 has the opportunity to provide these facilities. There is also additional land not owned by Histon and Impington Parish Council near to the current recreation ground which has the potential to increase facilities. New facilities should be not only for subscription sports but should also be available for adhoc play at no charge.

While we support the general protection of the Histon and Impington Green Belt, we believe Site ID: 115407 warrants a site-specific exception for commercial and recreational use. A recent consultation demonstrates strong community backing, with 71% of residents supporting the proposal and the high-quality recreational space it would provide.
Rather than a detrimental loss, the strategic release of this specific Green Belt parcel should be viewed as a net benefit to the community. The site is uniquely positioned for sustainable development, benefiting from exceptional connectivity via two Guided Busway routes and multiple surrounding bus services. To meet regional economic demands, we advocate for consolidated, high-impact employment hubs—modelled on the success of the Cambridge Science Park—rather than fragmented, smaller developments. By integrating a dedicated Country Park and diverse employment opportunities (including apprenticeships), this proposal offers greater long-term community value than its current Green Belt designation.

While we support the general protection of the Histon and Impington Green Belt, we believe Site ID: 115407 warrants a site-specific exception for commercial and recreational use. A recent consultation demonstrates strong community backing, with 71% of residents supporting the proposal and the high-quality recreational space it would provide.
Rather than a detrimental loss, the strategic release of this specific Green Belt parcel should be viewed as a net benefit to the community. The site is uniquely positioned for sustainable development, benefiting from exceptional connectivity via two Guided Busway routes and multiple surrounding bus services. To meet regional economic demands, we advocate for consolidated, high-impact employment hubs—modeled on the success of the Cambridge Science Park—rather than fragmented, smaller developments. By integrating a dedicated Country Park and diverse employment opportunities (including apprenticeships), this proposal offers greater long-term community value than its current Green Belt designation.