Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

7.1 National Planning Policy advises (paragraph 102) that transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals so that: a) the potential impacts of development on transport networks can be addressed; b) opportunities from existing or proposed transport infrastructure, and changing transport technology and usage, are realised – for example in relation to the scale, location or density of development that can be accommodated; c) opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use are identified and pursued; d) the environmental impacts of traffic and transport infrastructure can be identified, assessed and taken into account – including appropriate opportunities for avoiding and mitigating any adverse effects, and for net environmental gains; and e) patterns of movement, streets, parking and other transport considerations are integral to the design of schemes, and contribute to making high quality places. 7.2 The NPPF continues, at paragraph 103, in stating that the planning system should actively manage patterns of growth in support of the above objectives. “Significant development should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. This can help to reduce congestion and emissions, and improve air quality and public health.” 7.3 It is therefore important for the Local Plan to ensure developments create an environment where accessibility to day to day services and other facilities is easy and a choice of transport modes is available. This will enable the local community to choose the more socially inclusive and sustainable methods of travel. New developments need to be designed so that this can happen from first occupation when habits start to form. 7.4 Papworth is an area that has opportunity to accommodate additional growth and encourage a shift away from car use and towards more sustainable modes of transport. Certainly, the land at Papworth promoted by VJF as the majority land owner in the village, including a number of open spaces and pedestrian/cycle routes, could be enhanced as part of an allocated development. 7.5 The accompanying Transport Appraisal sets out the transport connections and routes for the sites VJF are proposing for allocation within the Local Plan. As well as the broader strategic connections to transport infrastructure improvements and routes (eg A14 and A428), the Transport Appraisal also identifies that safe and convenient points can be achieved at the sites.

7.6 The accompanying Papworth Everard Village Assessment includes an assessment of the infrastructure needs within the village and identifies priorities in terms of what is required for infrastructure provision to support and enable the growth of the village. The following were identified as beneficial and should be prioritised as infrastructure items for Papworth as part of the benefits that allocation of land under the control of VJF could help to deliver: ● Community Infrastructure:  An additional nursery, either as a standalone facility or co-located with a one-form entry primary school, and contributions towards the expansion of the existing pre-school.  Contributions towards the expansion of Pendragon Primary School to three-form entry with increased play and sport space, or space for a single-form entry primary school elsewhere in the village.  Children’s play space.  Contributions towards the expansion of the existing GP surgery.  Future development could include further allotment space, or a community orchard. ● Transport Connections  Contributions towards the existing outdoor sports provision in the village and look at opportunities to increase participation, particularly amongst the older population.  A dedicated cycle way to Cambourne can be supported which could link with the Highways England proposals to provide a cycleway and footway at the Caxton Gibbet junction to enable connections with Cambourne.  Enhanced walking and cycling routes throughout the village. ● Meeting Housing Needs  The affordable housing element of the proposals can focus on tenures that would assist local residents in entering the housing market such as discount market sales and shared ownership models, linked to the affordability identified by this assessment.  A mix of dwelling types and sizes should be included but the focus could be on three-bed dwellings with only a limited number of larger dwellings to relate to the needs and affordability of the Papworth Everard community.  The proposals can include for provision of dedicated older persons development.

Nothing chosen

8.1 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. 8.2 Papworth Everard is considered a suitable location for a village extension given the increasingly sustainable location of the village, with access to local services and transport links. VJF’s land identified as Parcel A is considered appropriate to facilitate residential development of up to some 450 homes with suitable landscaping. Parcel C is a suitable location to expand the existing Papworth Business Park to support the success of the existing Park and to cater for increasing tenant demand.

Somewhat flexible

8.3 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. 8.4 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 proposed village extension at Papworth is a suitable location for residential development and should become a residential site allocation by extending the village boundary to include the site location. The inclusion of the site would form an appropriate and planned extension to the village.

8.7 The Local Plan should seek to allocate a component of its housing needs towards growth at existing villages. Sustainable development in rural areas is supported under paragraph 78 of the NPPF, which requires planning policies to identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services. Development within existing villages can help to sustain existing, and deliver new, facilities and infrastructure, support shops and business uses and meet both the market and affordable housing needs of the local community. 8.8 The sites are a sustainable location for development and a significant opportunity to support Papworth. The development proposals could deliver numerous tangible social, economic and environmental benefits to Papworth and the local area, including: ● A landowner who wishes to work with the community in order to shape a proposal which meets the needs of and can provide wider benefits to the village. VJF own extensive areas of land in and around Papworth and have the ability to provide community facilities or areas based on the needs of local residents; ● Locating residential development in a sustainable location, within close proximity to existing and proposed services, facilities, infrastructure and employment opportunities; ● The opportunity to deliver a substantial amount of affordable housing to help meet the needs of Papworth and the wider District, including the potential to possibly deliver an element of custom and self-build; ● Delivery of a substantial amount of open space which would be accessible to new and existing residents and would provide connectivity with the allocated recreation ground extension; ● Supporting Papworth’s economy, including local shops and services; and ● Enhancing biodiversity levels across the sites. The site is predominantly agricultural land and can currently be considered to be of low ecological value. The proposals present an opportunity to deliver a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%.

8.9 Development is best suited to being located along transport corridors to promote sustainable development and transport issues should be considered from the earliest in accordance with Para. 102 of the NPPF. 8.10 VJF support the principle of siting development along transport corridors, in accordance with national planning policy and guidance which encourages development to be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. 8.11 Papworth Everard is located in a strong position in terms of its access to transport connections and corridors. Located on a key public transport corridor, the village is in an increasingly sustainable location for growth. The accompanying Transport Appraisal identifies the key transport connections to the village and the following strategic schemes are set to be delivered over the next few years to facilitate growth at Papworth: ● The completion of the A14 re-alignment and improvement works, for which the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon is now set to open earlier than expected in spring 2020; ● The East-West rail preferred route has been announced which will link with Cambourne which is just 4km south of Papworth; ● A428 Highways England improvement proposals which includes new footpath and cycleway connections at the Caxton Gibbet junction and the re-alignment of the junction to reduce congestion in the area and improve journey times along this key transport route; ● The Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Cambourne to Cambridge Transport project which will improve transport connections. As part of these proposals, the proposed Scotland Farm Park and Ride is currently the preferred option which is currently out for consultation. Scheme completion is currently forecasted in 2024; ● The Cambridge Autonomous Metro which has recently been given approval for a consultation for the main routes that would connect Cambridge with St Neots, Alconbury, Mildenhall and Haverhill. The route to St Neots is proposed to stop at Cambourne which would link with other proposed cycleway and footway improvements and enable residents to have even more choice for sustainable transport modes.

‘Allocations for Class B1, B2 and B8 Employment Uses’ (Policy E/5) (1. Papworth Everard: Ermine Street South (residue) (2.5 ha)) South Cambridgeshire District Plan 2018 9.1 Papworth Business Park is currently allocated in the Local Plan for B1, B2 and B8 employment uses under Policy E/5. VJF support the principle of retaining this policy allocation, and also expanding the allocation to include a wider site area and incorporate land east of the Business Park. Site C is submitted as an extension to the employment allocation in the location plan which comprises 13.5 ha in order to support the success of the existing Park and cater for increasing tenant demand. The enclosed masterplan shows an indicative developable area of 4.28ha within Site C with the provision of open space and landscaping.

No choices made

Response to Question 42 8.5 A combination of approaches to the distribution of spatial growth are considered likely to be necessary in order to allow for sufficient flexibility when considering the locations of new housing and employment development in the Greater Cambridge area. 8.6 To contribute to this overall strategy, it will be necessary to expand some of the existing villages in the district, such as Papworth, which is also located near to a public transport corridor that is to see significant infrastructure investment. Papworth is an appropriate location for a village extension, to maximise opportunities for residents to access local services and sustainable transport routes. Papworth is well located to promote sustainable travel modes and reduce the need to travel by car for whole journeys.

No choices made

.3 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. 4.4 The proposed development in Papworth promoted by the charity VJF could address the big themes in the following ways: ● Climate Change – VJF recognise the climate emergency and wish to deliver a development that embraces the new agenda to work towards net zero carbon. The proposed residential and commercial development will be designed to a high quality and incorporate low carbon technologies and energy efficiency measures. The site is also in a sustainable location with access to improving public transport connections, thereby reducing residents’ reliance on private cars for travel. ● Biodiversity and Green Space – through the provision of on-site green infrastructure to create recreational and ecological assets to be enjoyed by future and existing residents. ● Wellbeing and Social Inclusion – the proposals would incorporate affordable dwellings meeting an identified need for rented accommodation in the city and incorporate a mix of apartment sizes. The proposals would also promote healthy lifestyles and wellbeing through the provision of on-site recreation and the site’s accessibility to employment, education, shops and public transport by active modes of travel. The extensive land ownership of VJF across Papworth offers a unique opportunity to achieve wide-reaching benefits arising from development. Development should seek to maximise the benefits it can provide to the existing and future community, development at Papworth by VJF could maximise such opportunities in a way that no single-site landowner/promoter could achieve. ● Great Places – there is an opportunity to maximise the site’s potential to deliver densification in an increasingly connected area, providing open space on site and opportunities for increased recreation.