Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 208052

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

The policies do not identify any demographic groups (including young people, older people, vulnerable adults, families, or disabled residents) and age-specific needs that should be catered for; this is particularly important in new developments for young people.

Comment

Representation ID: 208053

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

Propose following text addition to policy 1.a: The design of new developments should include appropriate and sufficient seating spaces in open spaces, play areas, and footpaths alongside the development as well as ensuring there are public toilet facilities spread across the development.

Comment

Representation ID: 208054

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

Propose following text addition to policy 1.g: The design of open spaces of new developments should encompass climate change mitigation measures at early phases of development where tree canopy has not yet developed sufficiently to provide shelter. Open spaces should include public drinking water fountains to facilitate healthy habits across the entire population, including those most at risk of being affected by dehydration in heat waves such as older and younger population.

Comment

Representation ID: 208055

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

6. a-c. Considering that new affordable homes should be “tenure blind in design so they are indistinguishable from any other housing tenures and well-integrated with market units on site” (as per point 5c. of this same policy) – we object to any grouping or clustering. The distribution of affordable housing should avoid concentrating affordable housing in a single street or section of the development. Ideally, within a development, an equivalent proportion of affordable homes should be in “prime” locations (e.g. close to open spaces or parks) compared to market properties.

Comment

Representation ID: 208056

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

6. Notwithstanding the above comment, which takes priority, an additional sub point should be added as follows:
6. d. Where a larger site has been subdivided into smaller development parcels, the clustering requirement will apply to the site as a whole.
(Background: at Northstowe, the clustering requirement in the Phase 1 S106 was broken by joining provision across two adjacent parcels. This must not happen in the future.)

Comment

Representation ID: 208057

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

1. c. ii. In our experience at Northstowe Phase 1, native varieties are often now unsuitable and experience high failure rates in the recent hot, dry summers, wet winters, and clay soil. We would encourage the LPA to emphasise the second clause in this point. Establishment must be improved via careful species selection at the design stage, maintenance during the first years after planting, with a backstop of robust planning enforcement when schemes are not effectively implemented.

Comment

Representation ID: 208058

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

Figure 76. Dedicated, direct, frequent, reliable and affordable connections should be provided connecting Northstowe with Cambridge North, and Northstowe with Cambridge City Centre. For the avoidance of doubt the current Guided Bus provision is unacceptable, see later comments.

Comment

Representation ID: 208059

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

2.102. We would like to underline the timescale for delivery of traveller pitches and add the requirement that such pitches may come only when a comprehensive set of facilities, strong community cohesion, and adequate provision of local services (policing, fire, healthcare, leisure, employment, etc.) are fully in place. Otherwise, there is a risk of repeating the dis-integrated results seen at sites elsewhere in the county.

Comment

Representation ID: 208060

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

3.3.67. A typo here predicts 1,018,000 homes; this should read 10,180.

Comment

Representation ID: 208061

Received: 29/01/2026

Respondent: Northstowe Town Council

3.3.69. 7. The ratio of employment capacity to dwellings falls below other comparable settlements (Cambourne, Graven Hill, NWC, Waterbeach). Without additional employment space Northstowe will be a permanent dormitory town and with more people commuting this may put more strain on the roads and public transport.