Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

It is suggested that the soundness of the plan could be strengthened by including consideration for cross boundary impacts of educational provision in Policy WS/NC: Meeting the needs of new and growing communities, part 2 (displayed in italics):
2. The scale and range of facility and service provision or contribution must be appropriate to the level of need (including the specific needs of different demographic groups) generated by the development, and it must be adaptable to population growth and demographic changes. Considerations should also be given to cross-boundary impacts for educational and school place planning provisions.
In making assessments of need and the timing of delivery of the facility or service, regard must be had to: […]

Education

SCC has the statutory responsibility for education in Suffolk, and has a duty to ensure there are sufficient school places to meet the needs of the population now and in the future. This is achieved by accounting for existing demand and new approved housing developments (including those that have not yet commenced or completed). SCC, therefore, produces and annually updates a five-year pupil forecast of future school rolls, and uses 95% capacity for school place planning to accommodate variables which cannot be forecast (e.g. parental preference, in-year admissions, contingency planning, and accommodation of pupils arising from development of less than 10 dwellings).

A small number of pupils living in Greater Cambridge attend schools in Suffolk, and vice versa. Development proposals located close to the Suffolk boundary should therefore assess whether the resulting demand for school places could be accommodated by schools within Greater Cambridge or whether it may place additional pressure on schools in Suffolk. As education provision is a form of strategic infrastructure, cross-boundary impacts should be considered as part of the plan-making process. Please see the Section 106 Developer’s Guide to Infrastructure Contributions (https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/planning-waste-and-environment/planning-and-development-advice/section-106-planning-obligations/developers-guide-to-infrastructure-contributions-in-suffolk) in Suffolk for further information on the county council’s approach to seeking education and other infrastructure contributions.

It is suggested that the soundness of the plan could be strengthened by including consideration for cross boundary impacts of educational provision in Policy WS/NC: Meeting the needs of new and growing communities.

This would be in conformity with national policy, NPPF (2024 version) paragraph 24 which states that “Effective strategic planning across local planning authority boundaries will play a vital and increasing role in how sustainable growth is delivered, by addressing key spatial issues including meeting housing needs, delivering strategic infrastructure and building economic and climate resilience”.

Inclusion of consideration of cross-boundary impacts throughout the plan.

Transport
The A1307 is a part of the Major Road Network (MRN) and an important corridor which should be referenced on all maps.
Safety and congestion levels on the A1307 between Haverhill and Cambridge are a concern to Suffolk County Council, and we urge Greater Cambridge to take every reasonable step to mitigate the transport impacts of new growth and solve existing problems on this key route, with a focus on sustainable transport. The Local Transport Plan 2025-2040 (LTP4) includes long term sustainable transport solutions to mitigate the difficulties of accessing the strategic road network along the A1307. It is noted the local plan includes reference to a proposed transport corridor in the direction of Haverhill.
Suffolk County Council is committed to working collaboratively with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (both South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council), as well as West Suffolk Council and Cambridgeshire County Council to improve safety and reduce the impacts of congestion on the A1307.
It is unclear whether this Local Plan is supported by any traffic modelling. It appears that responsibility for this is placed on to the Greater Cambridge Transport Strategy, to identify and implement transport mitigation infrastructure requirements - but this may not adequately consider cross border impacts and the traffic impacts on minor rural routes.
There should be a greater consideration of cross-boundary highways impacts between Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. This would be in conformity with national policy, NPPF (2024 version) paragraph 24 which states that “Effective strategic planning across local planning authority boundaries will play a vital and increasing role in how sustainable growth is delivered, by addressing key spatial issues including meeting housing needs, delivering strategic infrastructure and building economic and climate resilience”.

Inclusion of consideration of cross-boundary impacts, in line with the following suggested wording:

Development proposals and strategic allocations must demonstrate how cross-boundary transport impacts have been assessed and mitigated, including necessary improvements to the A1307 corridor and associated highway and sustainable transport infrastructure within both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

Policy I/ST: Sustainable transport and connectivity
SCC is supportive in principle of Policy I/ST: Sustainable transport and connectivity. However, the Plan is not currently justified or effective because it does not adequately assess the cumulative cross-boundary transport impacts arising from planned growth across Greater Cambridge and West Suffolk. In particular, insufficient evidence has been presented regarding impacts on the A1307 corridor, the wider Suffolk highway network, and rural routes which may experience diverted traffic.
The Plan should be supported by strategic transport modelling, identify necessary mitigation measures and funding mechanisms, and demonstrate how these impacts will be addressed jointly with Suffolk County Council and other relevant authorities. This would ensure consistency with NPPF paragraph 24 and provide confidence that planned growth can be accommodated without severe residual cumulative impacts on the transport network
This would be in conformity with national policy, NPPF (2024 version) paragraph 24 which states that “Effective strategic planning across local planning authority boundaries will play a vital and increasing role in how sustainable growth is delivered, by addressing key spatial issues including meeting housing needs, delivering strategic infrastructure and building economic and climate resilience”.

Inclusion of consideration of cross-boundary impacts, in line with the following suggested wording:

Development proposals and strategic allocations must demonstrate how cross-boundary transport impacts have been assessed and mitigated, including necessary improvements to the A1307 corridor and associated highway and sustainable transport infrastructure within both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

Policy S/GF: Land adjacent to A11 and A1307 at Grange Farm
Consideration should be given to the cross-boundary transport impacts on the A1307 arising from Grange Farm, given its scale and proximity to and functional relationship with Haverhill and Newmarket.
Reference is made to avoiding congestion on the A1307 in the access design, however the traffic generated will increase delay, impacting upon Haverhill residents who need to travel to Cambridge or Cambridge Biomedical Campus, that we know is a frequent trip.
Much of the policy is focused on sustainable transport for shorter local trips, but there will be significant vehicle trip generation, and this needs to be modelled, assessed and mitigated when this site comes forward. Furthermore, as well as the A1307 road, an assessment of the impacts on the rural routes into Suffolk, through villages like Great Thurlow and Great Wratting, where people are tempted to drive, when the A1307 is congested.
The Plan should be supported by strategic transport modelling, identify necessary mitigation measures and funding mechanisms, and demonstrate how these impacts will be addressed jointly with Suffolk County Council and other relevant authorities. This would ensure consistency with NPPF paragraph 24 and provide confidence that planned growth can be accommodated without severe residual cumulative impacts on the transport network
This would be in conformity with national policy, NPPF (2024 version) paragraph 24 which states that “Effective strategic planning across local planning authority boundaries will play a vital and increasing role in how sustainable growth is delivered, by addressing key spatial issues including meeting housing needs, delivering strategic infrastructure and building economic and climate resilience”.