Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

Although the principle of accommodating new housing in New Town developments with infrastructure in place is a better plan than adding homes piecemeal to the edges of existing villages, we object strongly to the Grange Farm proposals.

The land has been rejected (Red) under all previous HELAA (and earlier) assessments due to the irreversible harm that would be caused to the landscape and the setting of the Abingtons. The proposals have not addressed this analysis and it is not clear why the land is suddenly considered to be suitable for such a huge scale development.

The development sits on rising land that is already higher than the Abingtons and, given the size of the development area compared with villages like Linton, a large proportion of the buildings will need to be 4- 5 stories high to accommodate the proposed housing density - this is dramatically different to the adjacent homes in Abington and very out of character for this area.

The plan says the taller homes will be placed on the lower land to reduce the visual impact, but this lower land is the land adjacent to the Abingtons, making the character difference more noticeable. Points 14b and 21b also contradict each other - you can't put the higher density (4-5 storey) housing on the lower parts of the site whilst screening them with a green buffer "that preserves viewpoints" in particular from the southern boundary.

The buffer zone between the Abingtons and the site is not set by policy, but is "indicative" only, so will not be protected by the plan. This is completely unacceptable as separation from the existing villages is not guaranteed. The Abingtons will become a suburb of the New Town which does not preserve or enhance their character.

The link to S/SEA/GF (the policy that protects the boundary around Grange Farm) doesn't work when trying to access it via the policy maps page.

The indicative plan does not give any certainty/confidence that the quantum of homes/businesses/infrastructure that the site requires can be delivered within the boundaries set aside for development.

The two entrances/exits to the site from/onto the A1307 proposed to manage the more than 10,000 cars that would be generated by this development are completely inadequate. Linton has less than half the number of homes proposed on the Grange Farm site and yet has six entrances/exits which still get snarled up at rush hour. Additional traffic control at the locations proposed as access routes would cause chaos on the A1307 in both the morning and evening rush hour.

There is an abundance of wildlife across the site that would be harmed/displaced by this development including bats, badgers, hares, deer, and a lot of different birds including skylarks which are on the Red List for high conservation concern.

The site sits over the chalk aquifer that provides the majority of the drinking water for Cambridge and our part of South Cambs. We are currently in a drought that is predicted to require 7 months of greater than average rainfall before lifting the status would be considered. Allocating this site in advance of a guaranteed supply of water is contrary to the NPPF in addition to being a dereliction of duty. Protection of the aquifer and our drinking water from road runoff is also critical.

The plan does not explain the points at which critical infrastructure for residents - including schools and medical facilities - will be delivered. The health centre in Linton has already responded to ALL our current outline applications to say that their facility cannot cope with the addition of even the 230 homes at Little Linton. Provision of on-site services MUST precede the point at which existing infrastructure becomes broken.

Although the principle of accommodating new housing in New Town developments with infrastructure in place is a better plan than adding homes piecemeal to the edges of existing villages, we object strongly to the Grange Farm proposals.

The land has been rejected (Red) under all previous HELAA (and earlier) assessments due to the irreversible harm that would be caused to the landscape and the setting of the Abingtons. The proposals have not addressed this analysis and it is not clear why the land is suddenly considered to be suitable for such a huge scale development.

The development sits on rising land that is already higher than the Abingtons and, given the size of the development area compared with villages like Linton, a large proportion of the buildings will need to be 4- 5 stories high to accommodate the proposed housing density - this is dramatically different to the adjacent homes in Abington and very out of character for this area.

The plan says the taller homes will be placed on the lower land to reduce the visual impact, but this lower land is the land adjacent to the Abingtons, making the character difference more noticeable. Points 14b and 21b also contradict each other - you can't put the higher density (4-5 storey) housing on the lower parts of the site whilst screening them with a green buffer "that preserves viewpoints" in particular from the southern boundary.

The buffer zone between the Abingtons and the site is not set by policy, but is "indicative" only, so will not be protected by the plan. This is completely unacceptable as separation from the existing villages is not guaranteed. The Abingtons will become a suburb of the New Town which does not preserve or enhance their character.

The link to S/SEA/GF (the policy that protects the boundary around Grange Farm) doesn't work when trying to access it via the policy maps page.

The indicative plan does not give any certainty/confidence that the quantum of homes/businesses/infrastructure that the site requires can be delivered within the boundaries set aside for development.

The two entrances/exits to the site from/onto the A1307 proposed to manage the more than 10,000 cars that would be generated by this development are completely inadequate. Linton has less than half the number of homes proposed on the Grange Farm site and yet has six entrances/exits which still get snarled up at rush hour. Additional traffic control at the locations proposed as access routes would cause chaos on the A1307 in both the morning and evening rush hour.

There is an abundance of wildlife across the site that would be harmed/displaced by this development including bats, badgers, hares, deer, and a lot of different birds including skylarks which are on the Red List for high conservation concern.

The site sits over the chalk aquifer that provides the majority of the drinking water for Cambridge and our part of South Cambs. We are currently in a drought that is predicted to require 7 months of greater than average rainfall before lifting the status would be considered. Allocating this site in advance of a guaranteed supply of water is contrary to the NPPF in addition to being a dereliction of duty. Protection of the aquifer and our drinking water from road runoff is also critical.

The plan does not explain the points at which critical infrastructure for residents - including schools and medical facilities - will be delivered. The health centre in Linton has already responded to ALL our current outline applications to say that their facility cannot cope with the addition of even the 230 homes at Little Linton. Provision of on-site services MUST precede the point at which existing infrastructure becomes broken.