Full text:
These representations are submitted on behalf of Jaynic Properties Limited (Jaynic) in support of land allocated (draft Policy S/RRA/SCS) at Land South of Cambridge Services, A14 for employment development.
Whilst Draft Policy S/RRA/SCS: Land to the South of Cambridge Services, A14 is much supported, we believe that a number of minor amendments are needed to elements of the policy wording in order to ensure that the Draft Plan is sound.
The Development Strategy Topic Paper Appendix 7: Review of Sites for Industrial and Warehousing Space (August 2026) identifies that Land to the south of the A14 Services, Boxworth (HELAA Ref: 45107) is a 25 hectare site to the south of the A14 and adjacent to the A14 Services at junction 24A. An allocation for a majority of the site was included in the First Proposals. A subsequent submission added an additional 6 hectares to the north east of the original which includes 2.25 hectares of lorry parking. A significant portion of the site was used as a site compound for the A14 improvement works. The remainder is currently in agricultural use. It has an estimated site capacity of 90,000 square metres.
The Topic Paper goes on in paragraph 1.10 to conclude that having explored the planning merits of the reasonable alternative sites, Land at Junction 25 of A14, Bar Hill is one of the Councils’ two preferred locations for the provision of B2/B8 space.
The Topic Paper at paragraph 3.5 highlights that Land to the south of the A14 Services, Boxworth lies adjacent to the Extra A14 Services which would provide services for workers on the Site. The Site would provide around 150 lorry parking spaces adjacent to an existing lorry park and the services provided by Extra Cambridge. Land to the south of the A14 Services, Boxworth would therefore meet more of the identified need for lorry parking in a location that is better related to the existing lorry park and adjacent services.
Acknowledgement within both the Topic Paper and draft GCLP of the Land to the South of the A14 Services, Boxworth Site’s suitability for employment development is welcomed.
The proposed allocation and the economic benefits that it will entail is also supported by the findings of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Sustainability Appraisal (July 2026) prepared by LUC, which notes in paragraph 5.755 that:
“The policy sets out that the development at Land to the South of Cambridge Services, A14 is to be delivered as a large rural employment site in the plan area. There is capacity for approximately 90,000 metres square gross internal area of general industrial, storage and distribution uses which will support a flexible range of appropriate small and medium-scale units. There is also capacity for approximately 2.25 hectares focused on lorry parking to provide around 150 spaces. The allocation will help to meet local needs for industrial, local warehousing and logistic employment space in the area. As such significant positive effects are recorded in relation to SA objective 14: Economy. Given that the policy will support access to jobs for residents in the plan area; with good access provided via the A14; minor positive effects are recorded in relation to SA objective 15 (Employment)”.
Jaynic are working with the landowners, the Pearson family, and in collaboration with University of Cambridge, to realise the policy aspirations for the Site, which is available for the development of employment floorspace.
Jaynic promotes land through the planning system for residential and employment use and develops high quality business space. With a particular focus on East Anglia, they are one of the most active developers in the region, having physically implemented 15 major phases of enabling infrastructure and completed over 3 million square feet of warehousing and office development.
The vision for Land to the south of Cambridge Services, A14 is for a high quality (Class B2 or Class B8) use, in a strategic convenient and accessible location alongside the A14. The location has potential to provide development to support the needs of Greater Cambridge and the local economic area. In addition, the proposals will:
• Directly contribute towards alleviating the existing critical shortage of HGV parking spaces. There is also the opportunity to provide improvements to HGV circulation around Cambridge Services with a design that reduces the prospect of inertia between vehicles accessing and HGV’s exiting the Site which periodically leads to traffic waiting at the roundabout at the Site entrance and queues and parking along the slip road.
• Preserve the existing landscape features and establish a strong, well-landscaped buffer to the countryside edges to help reduce the visual impact of new buildings from the wider landscape.
• Improve connections between the new development and the local area, including the existing Cambridge Services and the A14 footpath, encouraging the use of sustainable transport options:
• Incorporate, in the construction and design of the new buildings, strategies to ensure the development is as sustainable as possible, through the promotion of energy, waste, and resource efficiency.
• Make use of otherwise poor-quality former depot land to ensure an overall biodiversity net gain.
The key benefits of the proposed scheme are:
• Around 90,000m² of Classes B2 or B8 use floorspace, contributing to the identified employment need in support of the local economic area. This would meet just over 31% of the need identified for Greater Cambridge.
• Approximately 150 new HGV parking spaces, including provision for active and passive e-HGV charging and direct access to existing amenity and welfare facilities.
• Extensive landscape buffering along the Site boundaries to mitigate visual impact arising from development as well as tree planting and open space within the development for occupiers and employees.
• The expanded HGV provision at Extra Services will allow a redesign of traffic flows around the Services, reducing potential conflicts between cars and HGVs, which can at times lead to traffic backing-up on the roundabout.
• Provision of jobs in a range of sectors for local residents. In addition, the scheme will support indirect employment opportunities beyond end-users, including ancillary and service-sector roles.
• Preserving the Site’s existing habitats, flora and fauna to ensure biodiversity net gain, improving the biodiversity and habitat value through native species planting.
• Opportunity to improve pedestrian and cycle linkages between the development and the local area, encouraging the use of sustainable transport options.
It is the aim of both Jaynic, as the developer, and the landowners that development of the Site will have begun on site within the next five years, as Greater Cambridge envisage.
In order to understand the technical constraints of the Site, the expert technical team has undertaken a series of technical studies and surveys. Details of these are set out in full within the Vision Document that accompanied the Reg.18 submission that was made on the site.
This includes a landscape and visual analysis of the Site where views of the Site have been assessed from roads, public rights of way and nearby residences. For road users along the A14 and Boxworth Road, the Site has low-sensitivity with short-duration views and is well screened by a dense landscape buffer and existing development to the north. Views from nearby residential receptors are largely screened by topography and existing vegetation, however there would be moderate adverse effects on some views from nearby Public Rights of Way, in particular Bridleway 150/1. These effects would be mitigated by a proposed landscape buffer around the site perimeter. A LVIA assessment will be undertaken in accordance with the guidance set out in the Guidelines for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment - Third Edition (GLVIA3). It is proposed to extend approximately 5km from the centre of the Application Site and encompass the full extent of the estimated Zone of Visual Influence (ZVI).
A Preliminary Ecological Assessment (PEA) was undertaken in 2025, comprised an UK Habitat Classification Survey, which included mapping the habitats within the Site and undertaking an assessment of the Site and adjacent habitats to support protected and notable species. Results from this survey were used to inform the scope of further ecological surveys.
The PEA established baseline conditions and was used to evaluate the importance of any ecological features present (or those that could be present) within the Site, as far as possible. The results of PEA formed the basis for more detailed or specific ecological surveys as required. The following ecological receptors are currently subject to further survey during the 2025/26 season:
• Bats - activity surveys/automated detector surveys;
• Birds - breeding and wintering surveys;
• GCN habitat suitability assessment and presence / likely absence surveys (via environmental DNA surveys);
• Reptile presence / likely absence surveys;
• Otter and Water Vole surveys; and
• Other notable species assessment.
No likely significant effects relating to hydrology or drainage are anticipated.
An Air Quality Assessment will be prepared separately in support of the planning application, proportionate to the nature and scale of the Proposed Development.
A Noise Assessment has already been prepared separately in support of the planning application and demonstrates the suitability of the site in terms of noise.
The heritage impact of the Proposed Development will be considered in a Heritage Statement which will support the planning application.
Policy also requires any development proposals to be supported by an appropriate archaeological assessment. Oxford Archaeology have undertaken an archaeological desk-based assessment for the development. Whilst there have already been excavations onsite, further geophysical surveys and trial trenching will be carried out across the Site to confirm the presence, condition and significance of any remains. This will inform the extent of mitigation required for future development.
In summary, the technical work undertaken has raised no constraints that could prejudice delivery of the Site. It is considered that any impacts can be appropriately mitigated. The work has been carried out to confirm that development as sought through draft Policy S/RRA/SCS is deliverable.
The fact that an Environmental Scoping Opinion Request was submitted in August 2026 (registered under ref; 26/03096/SCOP) for the Proposed introduction of employment type uses (Use Classes B2 and B8) along with additional lorry parking and improved access arrangements demonstrates Jaynic’s commitment to the early delivery of the Site.
The draft Policy requires the delivery of additional lorry parking with associated facilities. Supporting text identifies that this is needed to address an identified need for overnight lorry parking provision in this area.
We would highlight that the need for lorry parking improvements on the Site is now critical. This therefore forms a key element of Jaynic’s proposals for the Site and Jaynic are working with Extra Motorway Service Area Group (the owners of Cambridge Services) accordingly. Extra Motorway Service Area Group have confirmed to Greater Cambridge directly their support for draft Policy S/RRA/SCS on the basis of significant need for additional HGV parking spaces to meet current and future demand in this location. We reaffirm the key details driving this support within these representations.
Cambridge Services has existing HGV and car parking areas as set out below:
• 132 HGV Parking Spaces;
• 525 Car / LGV spaces (of which 20 are Disabled Driver spaces);
• 24 Coaches; and
• 12 Caravans.
Since the A14 scheme was completed, the facility has experienced significant growth in demand for HGV parking. Whilst the most recent improvement scheme was designed to accommodate expected flows, demand already exceeds capacity at nights when the demand for lorry parking peaks.
The Lorry Parking Demand Assessment (LPDA) was published by the Department for Transport (DfT) in August 2024 and was prepared to provide National Highways with an assessment of lorry parking demand on or close to the SRN. The study shows that there is high off-site HGV parking demand on the A14 in the East of England, with ‘critically utilised’ lorry parks found on the M6/A14 between Birmingham and Cambridge.
Cambridge Services are identified in this work as having 93% lorry park utilisation and thus the need for additional capacity ‘critical.’ Indeed, Extra’s own data suggests that there are occasions where peak lorry parking demand at the Services is close to 200 spaces, well in excess of existing HGV parking provision on the site. There is a clear need for additional parking spaces.
There is evidence of HGVs having to park on the public highway when the site is at capacity and driver time limits prevent travelling further to the next MSA. The shortage of parking provision is also beginning to cause concerns both in terms of vehicle parking within the facility in non-HGV parking areas, but also evidence of HGVs parking on the local slip roads.
The site currently caters for up to 40,000 vehicles per week, of which nearly 4,000 are HGV movements. This is significant in the context of existing flows on the A14 and accounts for nearly 10% of all movements on the A14 daily. The level of demand and usage of any MSA is directly related to the level of traffic using the network it serves. Based on the National Highways application for the A14 improvement scheme the traffic flows past the Site on the A14 are forecast to increase to 106,000 by 2035. This equates to an increase of around 30% from the current flows and therefore weekday average HGVs passing the Site could increase to as much as 27,000 per day based on the AAWT figure.
The importance of Service Areas is clearly set out in paragraphs 74 and 79 of Circular 01/2022 (Strategic Road Network and the Delivery of Sustainable Development). The Circular sets out minimum requirements in relation to HGV parking requirements based on the HGV flows on the SRN that it serves. Whilst this was previously set at 0.5% of the daily HGV & coaches within Circular 02/2013, the new Circular refers to a figure of 1% in areas where there is an “identified need”. With regard to ‘identified need’, Cambridge Services was shown to be operating with ‘critical’ levels of utilisation when the study was undertaken in 2023. On this basis, and taking into account the first-hand experience on site, the higher figure of 1% is appropriate here.
Based on the 2024 peak month recorded AADT HGV flows on the A14 included within the Needs Assessment, there is an existing requirement for 186 HGV spaces at the services. In the future, this would increase to around 242 spaces taking into account the growth predicted by NH as part of the work undertaken for the A14 improvement scheme.
The Draft Local Plan makes an allowance for an additional 150 lorry parking spaces which if provided would bring the total at the Services to 282 (132 existing plus 150 additional). This would be sufficient to accommodate the 242 spaces derived above in relation to forecast growth and would be equivalent to approximately 86% utilisation.
In addition to the benefits identified above, the expansion space created by the proposed allocation incorporating land to the east would also allow a redesign of the traffic flows around the Services, which would help to reduce the potential conflict between cars and HGVs, which can at times lead to traffic backing-up on the roundabout.
The need to alleviate existing pressure on Cambridge Services through the provision of new lorry parking is current, as is the evidenced demand for new employment floorspace.
The timeline for submission of a planning application needs to be considered in this context. Any formal details submitted to Greater Cambridge ahead of the formal adoption of the Local Plan will further substantiate the deliverability of development proposals that meet with draft Policy aspirations.
The continued allocation of the Site through Draft Policy S/RRA/SCS: Land to the South of Cambridge Services, A14 is strongly supported and the delivery of the Site to meet existing employment floorspace needs and delivery of much needed additional HGV parking spaces is greatly welcomed.
As already highlighted above, whilst Draft Policy S/RRA/SCS: Land to the South of Cambridge Services, A14 is supported, we believe that a number of minor amendments are needed to specific parts of the policy wording.
In order to ensure that the capacity requirements of the allocation are delivered, there is a requirement for the Site Area to be increased to 26.82ha. It is proposed that the landscape buffer to be delivered to the south of the site is pushed to the southern site of the current site boundary. An updated Site Location Plan (DR-A-0100 RevP02) accompanies the Representations.
Criterion 1a requires that site boundaries provide landscape buffers of a minimum of 25 metres wide. We believe that the landscape buffer requirements should be more flexible in order to reflect the actual levels of landscape sensitivity applicable to different sections of site boundary and to accommodate utility constraints.
Criterion 1b requires that existing balancing ponds are re-profiled and enhanced for biodiversity net gain and to address surface water flooding. In response to this requirement, it is important to note that there are no existing balancing ponds on site. The land has been restored by National Highways and the balancing ponds removed.
Criterion 1c states that building heights must be sensitive to the local rural context, the existing
vegetation should be utilised to screen the development in long-distance views.
Criterion 1h(i) references new and improved active travel infrastructure, including connections to Boxworth. We do not feel that there is a requirement for connections with Boxworth to be delivered and this view is shared by both the LPA and Boxworth Parish Council. We are concerned that such provision would be prohibitively expensive and non sensical given the very small pool of potential labour available in Boxworth.
Criterion 1h(ii) refers to bus service improvements to serve the Site, including off-peak services to cover shift patterns, with connections to nearby railway stations. We do not feel that there should be a requirement for the site to deliver connections to nearby railway stations. Instead, the policy should reference provision of an on-demand bus service, which will fulfil the same policy aim, but be far less onerous. Instead, it should refer to links to the guided busway, which provides links with Cambridge North Railway Station.
Criterion 1h(iii) refers to the provision of an on-site Mobility Hub. In our opinion, the size of the Site is too small for buses to enter and turn around within. Instead, we believe that the focus should be on meeting requirement on each plot through the provision of showers, lockers, cycle stores and through engagement with CCC Highways and the local bus operators. Discussions have been held with the local bus operators including; Stagecoach, Whippet, and Stephensons regards their desire to introduce bus stops at the site entrance on Boxworth Road.
Criterion 1i(v) requires that development proposals demonstrate how financial contributions towards and, as appropriate, enabling any other transport measures necessary will make the development of the site acceptable in transport terms. We consider this requirement to be contrary to be unclear and too subjective, with no definition of how ‘acceptable’ would be assessed. Accordingly, we consider that at present this criterion to be contrary to the content of the NPPF (August 2026). Furthermore, it fails to take into account the fact that the Greater Cambridge Authorities are seeking to also introduce a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in the near future.
