Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

Impact on A1307 and highway network
The combined effect of these developments needs to be properly assessed rather than considering this application in isolation.

Cumulative impact of development
The Council considers that the cumulative effects of these developments should be fully understood and addressed before further significant residential development is approved.

Insufficient transport infrastructure
If sustainable transport is genuinely intended to be the primary means of accessing the development, suitable public transport infrastructure should be provided within the development itself and located centrally so that it is readily accessible to residents.

Scale and location of the development
Development of this magnitude should be appropriately located and integrated with existing communities rather than creating an overwhelmingly large development which is disproportionate to the surrounding settlements.

Landscape, heritage and environmental impact
The Council considers that the impact of such a large development on this landscape and its historic setting requires particularly careful consideration.

Pressure on existing services and infrastructure
The Council also considers that the provision of education needs to be properly addressed, including sufficient primary and secondary school places to serve the additional population.  It is not sufficient to rely upon general promises of additional facilities; the necessary infrastructure must be planned, funded and delivered alongside the development.

Haverhill Town Council OBJECTS to the proposed residential development on the following grounds:
 
Impact on the A1307 and surrounding highway network
The Council has significant concerns regarding the additional traffic that would be generated by the proposed development and the cumulative impact this would have on the A1307.  The A1307 is already heavily congested, particularly during morning and evening peak periods, and the section adjacent the site is a known congestion pinch point for traffic travelling towards Cambridge.  The proposed development would add a substantial volume of additional traffic to an already pressured route, and whether the development accesses the A1307 via new roundabouts or traffic light controlled junctions, would make an already poor situation hugely worse.  The Council is also concerned about the cumulative impact of this proposal alongside other major developments taking place along the A1307 corridor and in the wider area.  The combined effect of these developments needs to be properly assessed rather than considering this application in isolation.
 
The scale of development being proposed is significant, and the Council is concerned that the existing highway infrastructure is not capable of accommodating the additional traffic without further worsening congestion and journey times.
 
Cumulative impact of development
The Council is concerned about the cumulative impact of the various developments planned along the corridor towards Cambridge.  There has already been substantial housing development in the surrounding area, with further large-scale development proposed, such as the recently announced 10,000 homes on the Marshalls site, and the speculative Forest City proposal.  The cumulative increase in population and associated vehicle movements will place additional pressure on the A1307, as well as existing services and infrastructure.
 
The Council considers that the cumulative effects of these developments should be fully understood and addressed before further significant residential development is approved.
 
Insufficient transport infrastructure
The proposal appears to place considerable reliance on walking, cycling and public transport as the primary means of access, with private car use expected to be discouraged.  However, the Council questions whether the proposed transport infrastructure is realistic and sufficient to support a development of this scale.  In particular, the proposed connection to the CSET 2 public transport corridor appears to involve a significant walk, including crossing a footbridge.  Members do not consider this to represent a genuinely high-quality public transport connection, particularly for families with young children, older residents, people with mobility difficulties, or during poor weather.
 
If sustainable transport is genuinely intended to be the primary means of accessing the development, suitable public transport infrastructure should be provided within the development itself and located centrally so that it is readily accessible to residents.
 
Relying on the existing crossings over the A11 rather than create new links westward is unsustainable.
 
Scale and location of the development
The Council has concerns regarding the scale of the proposed development in relation to the existing settlements of Little Abington and Great Abington.  The development would represent a very significant expansion in an area currently characterised by smaller villages.  The Council considers that a development of this scale risks overwhelming and fundamentally altering the character and balance of the existing communities.
 
Development of this magnitude should be appropriately located and integrated with existing communities rather than creating an overwhelmingly large development which is disproportionate to the surrounding settlements.
 
The A1307 already severs the villages with poor pedestrian crossing facilities.  To create true connectivity with the villages would mean yet more disruption to the A1307 traffic flow, meaning more misery for the residents who live near it, and significant risk from vehicle pollution, with cars being held stationary for extended amounts of time in queues.
 
Landscape, heritage and environmental impact
The Council is also concerned about the impact of the development on the landscape and wider environment.  The ridge on which the development is proposed provides significant views across the surrounding countryside, including towards Ely Cathedral, and is considered to be an attractive and important landscape.  The area also provides valuable natural habitat, with a range of bird and raptor species observed in the area.  There are also important historic features in the vicinity, including the ancient earthwork known as Fleam Dyke and the Roman road to the north of the proposed development.
 
The Council considers that the impact of such a large development on this landscape and its historic setting requires particularly careful consideration.
 
Pressure on existing services and infrastructure
The Council is concerned that the scale of development will place further pressure on already stretched local infrastructure and services.  Particular concern was raised regarding healthcare provision, including the existing pressure on Addenbrooke's Hospital and the wider healthcare infrastructure serving Cambridge.  The ambulance response times for Haverhill are already one of the worst in the EEAST operational area, caused directly by the delays at Addenbrookes and the traffic ambulances encounter responding from Addenbrookes to incidents in Haverhill.  Traffic generated by this development will add yet more delay to ambulance response times.
 
The Council also considers that the provision of education needs to be properly addressed, including sufficient primary and secondary school places to serve the additional population.  It is not sufficient to rely upon general promises of additional facilities; the necessary infrastructure must be planned, funded and delivered alongside the development.
 
The Council is also concerned about the relationship between the proposed development and the planned Cambridge South East Transport (CSET II) scheme.  The CSET II proposals include a roundabout and bus infrastructure in the vicinity of the proposed development, and the Council questions whether the applicant has adequately considered how traffic generated by the development will interact with these proposals.  There is particular concern that the additional traffic generated by the development could compete with buses using the CSET II infrastructure, potentially affecting the operation and effectiveness of the proposed public transport network.