Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
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Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Development strategy
Representation ID: 207600
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
Natural England welcomes the strategic priorities of the Local Plan, and are pleased to note that the Vision for Greater Cambridge, includes the aspiration for a big decrease in climate and environmental impacts, and increase in the network of nature, wildlife and multi-functional green spaces.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/NEC: North East Cambridge
Representation ID: 207601
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
We welcome the requirement in part 11 for the delivery of an exemplary green and blue infrastructure network, and agree that joining with the accessible strategic networks outside of the North East Cambridge Area will be needed to allow residents easier access to sufficient greenspace. We recommend considering the provision of a new country park within walking distance of this area.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/CE: Cambridge East
Representation ID: 207602
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
We note that the policy requires provision of a country park beyond the site to connect through to the Wicken Fen Vision area, and encourage your authority to engage as soon as possible with the National Trust about this.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/NWC: Eddington, Cambridge
Representation ID: 207603
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
Please see our comments on the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), at the end of this letter, which relate to this site.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/WC: West Cambridge
Representation ID: 207607
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
Please see our comments on the HRA, at the end of this letter, which relate to this site.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
New Settlements
Representation ID: 207608
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
We note that some of these allocations SEAs, particularly where SSSIs and other sensitive habitats are within or adjoining the sites. Whilst we welcome this, we also wish to make you aware of the case of Uttlesford District Council (UDC), who took a similar approach, but were directed by the PINS inspector to merge the development and non-development areas into one red line boundary for increased flexibility in masterplanning, in order to overcome constraints. Whilst this may not happen here, it would be prudent to be prepared, and we advise that a minimum buffer area adjacent to SSSIs should be decided upon in case the quantum of Green Infrastructure provision eventually becomes fragmented into smaller parcels across the wider red line boundary. We would be happy to provide more information and discuss this further with your authority in our ongoing meetings.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/CBN: Cambourne North
Representation ID: 207609
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
Concerns currently remain about how impacts to these sites will be avoided. We do however welcome the positive approach taken to shaping and planning this new settlement so far, and we will continue to work with you as you develop and refine the policies around this allocation.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/CBN: Cambourne North
Representation ID: 207610
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
We note that part 22 of this policy specifies that the development must ensure that ancient woodlands and SSSIs are kept free from public access and that measures that minimise ecological pressures from domestic animals must be identified and delivered. Whilst we agree with this in principle, we have questions about how these points will be achieved in practice. There should be a requirement to monitor the effectiveness of measures put in place and a commitment to implementing alternative solutions if the initial measures are ineffective.
Parts 23 to 26 of the policy are particularly praised by Natural England for the detailed consideration given to incorporating dark corridors into the new settlement. This will be especially important for avoiding and mitigating potential impacts to bats associated with Eversden and Wimpole Woods SAC, but will equally be of benefit to many other species.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/CBN: Cambourne North
Representation ID: 207611
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
We note that part 32 refers specifically to the provision of SANG. We advise that this term has a specific definition and set of criteria associated with it and that the authority carefully considers whether to use the very prescriptive term 'SANG', or whether alternative GI phrases should be used for a more bespoke approach e.g., 'SANG-like'. The Cambourne GBI Framework currently proposes 60ha of semi-natural greenspace, but to meet 3ha/1000, 93.6ha would be required. Therefore, to meet the official SANG standard of 8ha/1000, 249.6ha semi-natural greenspace would be required. We advise that 3ha/1000 greenspace which meets the Natural England GI Framework Standards criteria should be an absolute minimum, particularly where mitigation for recreational pressure is needed, and that more should ideally be required. We will be happy to work with you on this, to identify something that will be effective, deliverable and compatible with your own GI standards.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation
Policy S/CBN: Cambourne North
Representation ID: 207612
Received: 30/01/2026
Respondent: Natural England
Part 33 of this policy is also supported, although we advise that ecological survey and monitoring should also be added as a requirement for specific sensitive locations outside of the site’s red line boundary that may be impacted by the development. This would help to inform the requirements of part 22, and the suggestions mentioned above relating to this.
Please also see Policy WS/HS for an additional point relating to Cambourne North.
Please find attached Natural England’s response to the consultation.
Please note that we have only provided comments on those aspects of the Local Plan relevant to key matters within our natural environment remit, particularly the protection and enhancement of nationally and internationally designated wildlife and geological sites including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Our response to the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is also included within the Supporting Documents section at the end of this letter.
