Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Nothing chosen

The presumption in favour of sustainable development is recognised, however there should be a degree of flexibility in terms of allowing appropriate development outside of the settlement boundaries of villages, in particular, if development meets a particular local business or community need as set out within Para. 84 of the NPPF. Sustainable development in rural areas is also supported under Para. 78 of the NPPF, which requires planning policies to identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services.

Somewhat flexible

There should be more flexibility when considering the scale and size of developments that are permitted within village boundaries. The Local Plan currently restricts the amount of development that is permitted in Minor Rural Centres (Policy S/9) to 30 dwellings; in Group Villages (Policy S10) to eight dwellings and in exceptional circumstances to 15 dwellings; and in Infill Villages (Policy S/11) to two dwellings and in exceptional circumstances to eight dwellings. These policies should not restrict development to a certain number of dwellings and should instead encourage an appropriate density depending on the context of the site that is being considered for development. Some sites might be capable of accommodating higher density development which can enable a more sustainable distribution of growth, particularly in the case of some villages within the district which are well connected in terms of being located on key transport corridors with access to rail, bus and cycleway links, thereby making them sustainable locations for development. A more flexible approach towards considering development in villages should therefore be used when allocating development sites and in the determination of planning applications. There should also be more flexibility in terms of considering applications which are located outside village boundaries, provided the site is suitable in other terms including its access to transport and village services and provided it is not overly constrained in terms of other environmental designations.

“the east side of the city offers significant scope for housing and commercial development. Such development would have the advantage of being close to the principal centres of employment and the existing rail infrastructure whilst also opening up opportunities for new transport links to connect the main centres of employment more effectively. Most significantly, it includes land which has previously been safeguarded for development, and is within the boundaries of the existing urban area so would provide opportunities in line with the existing spatial strategy” CPIER p42 No single solution will deliver a sound Local Plan; rather, a combination of approaches to the distribution of spatial growth will be necessary in order to establish the appropriate locations of new housing and employment development in the district. A hybrid approach will be required, but Land north of Horseheath Road, Linton – Issues and Options Consultation 2020 Page 17 underpinned with a focus on transport corridors, accessible areas and those places that can offer the foundation for sustainable living with easy (non-car) access to services and facilities. It is considered that village dispersal should form part of a hybrid spatial strategy. Whilst a village dispersal approach should consider villages from across the settlement hierarchy, it should seek to allocate sites for development at locations in villages which are or can be made sustainable and are supported by a transport corridor. To contribute to this strategy, Linton, a Minor Rural Centre and the eighth most sustainable village in the District (by reference to the SCDC Village Classification Report), is a sustainable location for future development given the range of services and facilities it contains and the committed funds to improve the A1307 corridor.

No uploaded files for public display

The Local Plan should seek to allocate a component of its housing need towards the growth of existing villages. Sustainable development in these areas provide financial support for existing services, opportunities for enhancements to biodiversity and open space provision, improvements to existing services including doctors surgeries and schools and provides an opportunity for the provision of market and affordable homes to those who may not be able to live in these settlements. Careful consideration should be given to the location of development within villages. Minor Rural and Rural Centres should be the focus of development, due to the provision of existing services capable of supporting an additional population. Sustainable transport should be expected with the locations, including clear and safe cycle lanes, footpaths and a good level of public transport. Linton is a sustainable location for development and a suitable opportunity to grow the village, such as the land to north of Horseheath Road. A development of the site could deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the village including: ● The opportunity to deliver affordable housing to help meet the housing needs of Linton; ● Locating residential development within one of the District’s largest and most sustainable villages. The site is located within 1km of the village centre. ● A landowner who wishes to work closely with the local residents to provide residential development to address their needs; ● Supporting the existing facilities and services of Linton; ● Improving biodiversity levels on site, by delivering high quality green infrastructure for the benefit of existing and future residents.

Transport corridors provide valuable opportunities to underpin new development and to provide for sustainable modes of transport for the new residents. Linton is well-placed on the A1307 transport corridor. Improvements to this road are underway with more long-term solutions under consultation. The local improvements to this road include, but are not limited to: ● Improvements to the traffic light system within the village centre; ● The provision of a bus lane along the southern entrance into the village; ● Revision to the speed limits along the road; ● Improvements to the Dean Road Junction with the A1307; and ● Potential improvements/provision of a roundabout at the junction with Horseheath Road. Linton should accommodate some growth to align the location of new development with investment in infrastructure and improved transport corridors.

No choices made

Response to Question 7 The four big themes are all considered to be important aspects to achieving positive development. All four themes should be used to inform the spatial strategy within the Local Plan in terms of distributing growth and determining planning applications to deliver growth. It is therefore not considered necessary to rank the options in order of preference.