Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

Policy I/ST: Sustainable Transport and Connectivity

COMMENT

North BRLOG has promoted land north of Barton Road and at Grange Farm in Cambridge for a landscape-led urban extension, which is referred to as South West Cambridge.

Policy I/ST of draft GCLP seeks to ensure that development promotes sustainable transport in order to reduce reliance on the car. Paragraph 110 of the NPPF expects the planning system to actively manage patterns of growth to support transport objectives. It is expected that significant development would be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, by limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. Paragraph 115 identifies factors that should be considered when assessing sites to be allocated for development, including that sustainable transport modes are prioritised, safe, and suitable access can be provided, and the impacts on the transport network and highway safety can be mitigated. Policy I/ST is broadly consistent with this national policy. It is noted that Paragraphs 110 and 115 of the NPPF are referred to in Paragraph 148 in terms of assessing sites to be released from the Green Belt.

North BRLOG have promoted land at South West Cambridge. The principle of directing development to locations that are accessible by sustainable modes of transport is supported, but additional land should be allocated in the more sustainable locations, including at the edge of Cambridge to implement this approach.

The promoted development at South West Cambridge is highly accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. It is well-related to the future sustainable transport projects to the west of Cambridge i.e. approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway, the Comberton Greenway and the Barton Greenway. The approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway is a dedicated bus route that includes a shared pedestrian/cycle path. The route for the approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway would be adjacent to the northern boundary of the site. The promoted development could include a bus stop for the Cambourne to Cambridge Busway route at the proposed local centre in the north eastern part of the site. The route for the Comberton Greenway would also be adjacent to the northern boundary of the site. As part of the Comberton Greenway project, work is currently taking place on Adams Road, which will give priority to cyclists and provide wider pavements for pedestrians. The route for the Barton Greenway would be adjacent to the southern boundary of the site. As part of the Barton Greenway project, shared cycle/pedestrian paths are currently being installed on Barton Road. The promoted development at South West Cambridge would include pedestrian and cycle connections with the approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway, the Comberton Greenway and the Barton Greenway, which would enable residents to undertake journeys from the site by sustainable modes of transport.

The promoted development is well-related to the current and future employment opportunities at Cambridge West and North West Cambridge, and to other employment opportunities available in the City. It is accessible to those employment opportunities by walking, cycling and public transport.

In addition to the substantial benefits of a new sustainable community, the promoted development would enable the provision of a reliable, sustainable public transport route that can connect the Cambridge West Innovation District and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This can be achieved by having a north-south bus only access through the site from Cambridge West to Barton Road.

Linking these major employment centres with a reliable public transport route will unlock significant benefits for the local economy and the research activities of the University and partners.

It will further connect the emerging orbital transport routes around the city as well as the Cambourne to Cambridge busway through a travel hub, enabling interchange and access to active travel options.

It is considered that additional development at South West Cambridge would be consistent with Policy I/ST of draft GCLP and with national policy.

In addition, the promoted development at South West Cambridge would have all of the attributes of a 20-minute neighbourhood e.g. a complete, compact, and connected neighbourhood, where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk or cycle.

As set out elsewhere in these representations, amendments should be made to the development strategy for draft GCLP to direct additional development to sustainable locations, including to South West Cambridge.

It is considered that the Vision for Greater Cambridge would only be fully delivered with a higher housing requirement, an amended development strategy, and additional development on the edge of Cambridge.

Vision for Greater Cambridge

COMMENT

The University of Cambridge, Corpus Christi, Downing, Jesus, and St Johns Colleges, collectively the North Barton Road Landowners Group (North BRLOG) has promoted land north of Barton Road and at Grange Farm in Cambridge for a landscape-led urban extension, which is referred to as South West Cambridge. The Vision for Greater Cambridge in the Reg.19 Proposed Submission Greater Cambridge Local Plan (draft GCLP) refers to increasing quality of life for communities, minimising carbon emissions, reducing car use, providing housing, supporting infrastructure, and increasing green spaces.

As set out in these representations, we consider that the proposed housing target, the development strategy, and the selected allocations for draft GCLP are unlikely to fully deliver the Vision for Greater Cambridge. The housing requirement is not aligned with jobs growth, which would lead to more people commuting into Cambridge to work, mostly by car. The development strategy is too focussed on the delivery of an expanded Cambourne, existing new settlements at Northstowe, Waterbeach and Bourn Airfield, and a proposed new settlement at Grange Farm near Little Abington. The delivery timetable for infrastructure to support an expanded Cambourne and at Grange Farm near Little Abington is uncertain. For all of the large strategic site allocations the predicted housing delivery rates are unrealistically high, and the delivery of policy compliant levels of affordable housing is often not achieved.

The promoted development at South West Cambridge is highly accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. It is uniquely well-related to the future sustainable transport projects to the west of Cambridge i.e. the recently approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway, the Comberton Greenway and the Barton Greenway. It is well-related to the very significant current and future employment opportunities at Cambridge West and at North West Cambridge, and to other employment opportunities available elsewhere in the City. It should be noted that the immediately adjacent Cambridge West is expected to have generated up to 15,000 jobs by 2041.

In addition to the substantial benefits of a new sustainable community, the University and Colleges seek to enable the provision of a reliable, sustainable public transport route that can connect the Cambridge West Innovation District and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This can be achieved by having a north-south bus only access through the site from Cambridge West to Barton Road.

Linking these major employment centres with a reliable public transport route will unlock significant benefits for the local economy and the research activities of the University and partners.

It will further connect the emerging orbital transport routes around the city as well as the approved Cambourne to Cambridge busway through a travel hub, enabling interchange and access to active travel options.

The site is also accessible to the wide range of services and facilities available in the City Centre.

The promoted development could support the delivery of a modal shift to sustainable modes of transport, which would support a reduction in car use and minimise carbon emissions. The promoted development would deliver a wide mix of house types, including affordable housing. It is the strategic sites on the edge of Cambridge that have sufficient residual value to meet planning obligations and policy requirements including for affordable housing. The promoted development would deliver green infrastructure in the form of publicly accessible open space, providing access from the city to the countryside to the west of Cambridge.

It is considered that the Vision for Greater Cambridge would only be fully delivered with a higher housing requirement, an amended development strategy, and additional development on the edge of Cambridge.

Additional land should be allocated in the more sustainable locations, including at the edge of Cambridge to implement this approach.

Policy I/ST: Sustainable Transport and Connectivity

COMMENT

North BRLOG has promoted land north of Barton Road and at Grange Farm in Cambridge for a landscape-led urban extension, which is referred to as South West Cambridge.

Policy I/ST of draft GCLP seeks to ensure that development promotes sustainable transport in order to reduce reliance on the car. Paragraph 110 of the NPPF expects the planning system to actively manage patterns of growth to support transport objectives. It is expected that significant development would be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, by limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. Paragraph 115 identifies factors that should be considered when assessing sites to be allocated for development, including that sustainable transport modes are prioritised, safe, and suitable access can be provided, and the impacts on the transport network and highway safety can be mitigated. Policy I/ST is broadly consistent with this national policy. It is noted that Paragraphs 110 and 115 of the NPPF are referred to in Paragraph 148 in terms of assessing sites to be released from the Green Belt.

North BRLOG have promoted land at South West Cambridge. The principle of directing development to locations that are accessible by sustainable modes of transport is supported, but additional land should be allocated in the more sustainable locations, including at the edge of Cambridge to implement this approach.

The promoted development at South West Cambridge is highly accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. It is well-related to the future sustainable transport projects to the west of Cambridge i.e. approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway, the Comberton Greenway and the Barton Greenway. The approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway is a dedicated bus route that includes a shared pedestrian/cycle path. The route for the approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway would be adjacent to the northern boundary of the site. The promoted development could include a bus stop for the Cambourne to Cambridge Busway route at the proposed local centre in the north eastern part of the site. The route for the Comberton Greenway would also be adjacent to the northern boundary of the site. As part of the Comberton Greenway project, work is currently taking place on Adams Road, which will give priority to cyclists and provide wider pavements for pedestrians. The route for the Barton Greenway would be adjacent to the southern boundary of the site. As part of the Barton Greenway project, shared cycle/pedestrian paths are currently being installed on Barton Road. The promoted development at South West Cambridge would include pedestrian and cycle connections with the approved Cambourne to Cambridge Busway, the Comberton Greenway and the Barton Greenway, which would enable residents to undertake journeys from the site by sustainable modes of transport.

The promoted development is well-related to the current and future employment opportunities at Cambridge West and North West Cambridge, and to other employment opportunities available in the City. It is accessible to those employment opportunities by walking, cycling and public transport.

In addition to the substantial benefits of a new sustainable community, the promoted development would enable the provision of a reliable, sustainable public transport route that can connect the Cambridge West Innovation District and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. This can be achieved by having a north-south bus only access through the site from Cambridge West to Barton Road.

Linking these major employment centres with a reliable public transport route will unlock significant benefits for the local economy and the research activities of the University and partners.

It will further connect the emerging orbital transport routes around the city as well as the Cambourne to Cambridge busway through a travel hub, enabling interchange and access to active travel options.

It is considered that additional development at South West Cambridge would be consistent with Policy I/ST of draft GCLP and with national policy.

In addition, the promoted development at South West Cambridge would have all of the attributes of a 20-minute neighbourhood e.g. a complete, compact, and connected neighbourhood, where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk or cycle.

As set out elsewhere in these representations, amendments should be made to the development strategy for draft GCLP to direct additional development to sustainable locations, including to South West Cambridge.