Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

Proposed modification to Policy J/NE, Part 8 (Outlined in attached Response Form and below):

8. Proposals for large scale warehousing and distribution facilities providing for national or regional needs will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that:

a. there is an unmet need for such facilities that must and can be appropriately met within Greater Cambridge, having regard to other policies and priorities within and
arising from this Plan; and

b. the proposal will not impede delivery of warehousing and distribution and industrial space that meets local market needs in market sector priority locations; [ADD] and

c. the proposal would help diversify employment land supply, or support access to employment for existing and planned communities by sustainable modes of
transport.

Policy J/NE is supported insofar as it recognises the need to manage new employment development and ensure that warehousing, distribution and industrial floorspace is delivered in appropriate locations. However, Part 8 places too much emphasis on restricting proposals for large scale warehousing and distribution facilities without providing sufficient flexibility to respond to identified B2/B8 needs, the spatial distribution of employment land, or the resilience of the strategic road network. The report by
Lambert Smith Hampton, submitted as part of the call for sites for ‘Land west of Scotland Road Farm’, highlights how this strategy is not sound and risks holding back the
development of other industries that are key to the growth of Greater Cambridge.

The GCLP identifies a need for 270,000 sqm of B2/B8 floorspace over the plan period and proposes to allocate 317,000 sqm. While this need is proposed to be met principally through allocations on the A14 corridor, namely Land North of the A1307 at Bar Hill and Land to the south of Cambridge Services, A14, reliance on these locations would result in an overly concentrated and less resilient distribution of logistics and industrial floorspace. The A14 is already heavily congested and vulnerable to disruption, and it is not well related to the principal areas of planned residential growth to the west of Cambridge. A portion of B2/B8 development should be directed towards the A428
corridor to diversify the provision of employment land.

Accordingly, Policy J/NE should be amended to ensure that proposals for large scale warehousing and distribution facilities are not prevented where they would meet identified employment needs and contribute to a more balanced and resilient distribution of B2/B8 floorspace across Greater Cambridge. This change should also be supported by the allocation of the site at ‘Land west of Scotland Road Farm’ that has been submitted as a call for sites in response to the consultation on the pre-submission Regulation 19 Local Plan.

Proposed modification to Policy S/JH, Part 1 (Detail is provided in the attached response and outlined below):

1. Development will meet the objectively assessed needs in Greater Cambridge over the period 2024-2045 for:

a.73,300 additional jobs to support the Greater Cambridge’s knowledge intensive sectors, and also provide a diverse range of local jobs; and

[ADD] b.The allocation of further suitable employment land where it would make a positive contribution to the district’s employment strategy and provide flexibility to respond to future economic growth; and

c. A minimum of 48,069 new homes (reflecting an annual need for 2,289 dwellings) meeting the needs for the total population, including for affordable housing and the
specialist accommodation needs of specific groups such as Gypsies, Travellers, Travelling Showpeople, looked after children, older people, students, those with disabilities, and boat dwellers.

Policy S/JH is supported insofar as it adopts a positive approach to employment growth and seeks to meet objectively assessed needs for new jobs over the plan period. The recognition that Greater Cambridge should provide for 73,300 additional jobs is welcomed, particularly given the area’s continued employment growth.

However, while the overall direction of Policy S/JH is supported, the Council should go further by making greater provision for employment land, including for B2 and B8 uses. A positive strategy for jobs should not simply plan to meet a minimum level of assessed need. Greater Cambridge is an area where employment growth has been, and is expected to remain, strong. The Local Plan should therefore be ambitious in planning for the future and should ensure that the supply of employment land is capable of responding to future change. This approach is supported by the report by Lambert Smith Hampton, submitted as part of the call for sites for ‘Land west of Scotland Road Farm’, which highlights how the Councils’ strategy is not sound and risks holding back the development of other industries that are key to the growth of Greater Cambridge.

In this context, the Scotland Road Farm site provides a clear opportunity to strengthen the employment strategy. The site would deliver approximately 100,000 sqm of B2 and B8 floorspace in a sustainable location on the A428 corridor, helping to ensure that future job creation is not overly concentrated in a limited number of locations and that employment provision is better related to planned residential growth west of Cambridge and along the A428 corridor.

Accordingly, Policy S/JH should be amended to provide a more ambitious and resilient employment land strategy. This can also be achieved through the allocation of further
employment land incorporating B2 and B8 uses on ‘Land west of Scotland Road Farm’, that has been submitted as a call for sites in response to the consultation on the pre submission Regulation 19 Local Plan.

Under the Rest of rural area, a specific allocation is included for:

Land to the west of Scotland Road Farm for 100,000 sqm of B2 and B8 uses

The Council should seek further opportunities for B2 and B8 uses through and additional allocation in the ‘Rest of rural area’. This approach is supported by the report by Lambert Smith Hampton, submitted as part of the call for sites for ‘Land west of Scotland Road Farm’, which highlights how the Councils’ strategy is not sound and risks holding back the development of other industries that are key to the growth of Greater Cambridge.

In this context, the Scotland Road Farm site provides a clear opportunity to strengthen the employment strategy. The site would deliver approximately 100,000 sqm of B2 and B8 floorspace in a sustainable location on the A428 corridor, helping to ensure that future job creation is not overly concentrated in a limited number of locations and that employment provision is better related to planned residential growth west of Cambridge and along the A428 corridor.

Under the Rest of rural area, a specific allocation is included for:

Land to the west of Scotland Road Farm for 100,000 sqm of B2 and B8 uses

The Council should seek further opportunities for B2 and B8 uses through and additional allocation in the ‘Rest of rural area’. This approach is supported by the report by Lambert Smith Hampton, submitted as part of the call for sites for ‘Land west of Scotland Road Farm’, which highlights how the Councils’ strategy is not sound and risks holding back the development of other industries that are key to the growth of Greater Cambridge.

In this context, the Scotland Road Farm site provides a clear opportunity to strengthen the employment strategy. The site would deliver approximately 100,000 sqm of B2 and B8 floorspace in a sustainable location on the A428 corridor, helping to ensure that future job creation is not overly concentrated in a limited number of locations and that employment provision is better related to planned residential growth west of Cambridge and along the A428 corridor.