Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

Change Policy S/AMC/FD to include land west of Mill Road, and an additional bullet point should be added to criterion ‘f’ as follows, “new homes on land to the west of Mill Road should be designed to reflect local housing densities and proposals should include land for community uses”.

On behalf of O&H, Varsity Town Planning contends that their land west of Mill Road Fen Drayton (Site ID 116509), be considered by the Council as a unique housing opportunity. The site is on the border with Huntingdonshire District Council and surrounded on three sides by the former Land Settlement Area which is controlled by Policy S/AMC/FD. There were only 20 Land Settlement Areas in England and their legacy on the built environment demands special attention.

Policy S/AMC/FD promotes informal residential development, which is likely to generate a significant increase in population for Fen Drayton. Unlike other housing allocations, there is no provision for social and community infrastructure to support the incoming population.

A large portion of O&H’s land comprises historic gravel pits, which impacts on the BMV status. We contend that the character of the surrounding land will be transformed by Policy S/AMC/FD such that O&H’s land will no longer be considered as open countryside. We propose that the land west of Mill Road should be included as part of the LSA boundary and allocated for lower-medium density residential and community uses.

Policy S/AMC/FD Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association Estate Area of Major Change surrounds the site on three sides to the north, east and south. To the west of the site lies Fenstanton, a settlement within Huntingdonshire. For the land allocated under Policy S/AMC/FD, redevelopment will be permitted in principle subject to the criteria set out in the policy. The Land Settlement Association (LSA) is a rare opportunity to facilitate rural redevelopment of existing buildings to make most efficient use of land. However, as the allocation extends along Cambridge Road it will inevitably begin the coalescence of Fen Drayton with Fenstanton in Huntingdonshire. O&H Land do not take issue with this but it is not logical to retain the land west of Mill Road as open countryside in this new planning context.

It should also be acknowledged that Fen Drayton, despite being a rural settlement, is in a sustainable location. Policy S/SH establishes Fen Drayton as a Group Village. Paragraph 2.124 of the Local Plan states that Group Villages are generally less sustainable, having few services and only some of the day-to-day requirements to meet residents’ needs without them leaving the settlement. On behalf of O&H Land, Varsity Town Planning contends that this is not the case for Fen Drayton.

The land west of Mill Road benefits from bus stops within walking distance. Bus services from Fenstanton are frequent, providing access to both Huntingdon and Cambridge. The nearest bus stop is Rookery Way, within an 800 metre walking distance from O&H’s land at Mill Road. Buses run from this stop each hour in both directions from approximately 6:30 am until 10:30pm, providing a reliable service to and from the village to both Huntingdon and Cambridge, large settlements with a range of services and economic opportunities.

Although Policy S/SH establishes that, for Group Villages, an indicative maximum of 8 dwellings will be permitted within the settlement boundary, if it can be demonstrated that adequate infrastructure is available or can be made available as part of the development, it is considered that there is opportunity for development on O&H’s land given the public transport connections.

The site assessment for the land west of Mill Road records that there are is no flood risk, pollution or heritage constraints, ecological impacts could be mitigated on site, a buffer around the known archaeology on site would be needed. Aside from the archaeology constraints, there are no other overriding constraints that would prevent the site from coming forward.

In conclusion, O&H Land contend that the allocation boundary for Policy S/AMC/FD should expand to include their land to the west of Mill Road. An additional bullet point should be added to criterion ‘f’ as follows, “new homes on land to the west of Mill Road should be designed to reflect local housing densities and proposals should include land for community uses”.

Change Policy S/AMC/FD to include land west of Mill Road, and an additional bullet point should be added to criterion ‘f’ as follows, “new homes on land to the west of Mill Road should be designed to reflect local housing densities and proposals should include land for community uses”.

On behalf of O&H, Varsity Town Planning contends that their land west of Mill Road Fen Drayton (Site ID 116509), be considered by the Council as a unique housing opportunity. The site is on the border with Huntingdonshire District Council and surrounded on three sides by the former Land Settlement Area which is controlled by Policy S/AMC/FD. There were only 20 Land Settlement Areas in England and their legacy on the built environment demands special attention.

Policy S/AMC/FD promotes informal residential development, which is likely to generate a significant increase in population for Fen Drayton. Unlike other housing allocations, there is no provision for social and community infrastructure to support the incoming population.

A large portion of O&H’s land comprises historic gravel pits, which impacts on the BMV status. We contend that the character of the surrounding land will be transformed by Policy S/AMC/FD such that O&H’s land will no longer be considered as open countryside. We propose that the land west of Mill Road should be included as part of the LSA boundary and allocated for lower-medium density residential and community uses.

Policy S/AMC/FD Fen Drayton Former Land Settlement Association Estate Area of Major Change surrounds the site on three sides to the north, east and south. To the west of the site lies Fenstanton, a settlement within Huntingdonshire. For the land allocated under Policy S/AMC/FD, redevelopment will be permitted in principle subject to the criteria set out in the policy. The Land Settlement Association (LSA) is a rare opportunity to facilitate rural redevelopment of existing buildings to make most efficient use of land. However, as the allocation extends along Cambridge Road it will inevitably begin the coalescence of Fen Drayton with Fenstanton in Huntingdonshire. O&H Land do not take issue with this but it is not logical to retain the land west of Mill Road as open countryside in this new planning context.

It should also be acknowledged that Fen Drayton, despite being a rural settlement, is in a sustainable location. Policy S/SH establishes Fen Drayton as a Group Village. Paragraph 2.124 of the Local Plan states that Group Villages are generally less sustainable, having few services and only some of the day-to-day requirements to meet residents’ needs without them leaving the settlement. On behalf of O&H Land, Varsity Town Planning contends that this is not the case for Fen Drayton.

The land west of Mill Road benefits from bus stops within walking distance. Bus services from Fenstanton are frequent, providing access to both Huntingdon and Cambridge. The nearest bus stop is Rookery Way, within an 800 metre walking distance from O&H’s land at Mill Road. Buses run from this stop each hour in both directions from approximately 6:30 am until 10:30pm, providing a reliable service to and from the village to both Huntingdon and Cambridge, large settlements with a range of services and economic opportunities.

Although Policy S/SH establishes that, for Group Villages, an indicative maximum of 8 dwellings will be permitted within the settlement boundary, if it can be demonstrated that adequate infrastructure is available or can be made available as part of the development, it is considered that there is opportunity for development on O&H’s land given the public transport connections.

The site assessment for the land west of Mill Road records that there are is no flood risk, pollution or heritage constraints, ecological impacts could be mitigated on site, a buffer around the known archaeology on site would be needed. Aside from the archaeology constraints, there are no other overriding constraints that would prevent the site from coming forward.

In conclusion, O&H Land contend that the allocation boundary for Policy S/AMC/FD should expand to include their land to the west of Mill Road. An additional bullet point should be added to criterion ‘f’ as follows, “new homes on land to the west of Mill Road should be designed to reflect local housing densities and proposals should include land for community uses”.