Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

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4.19 Yes. With the right trees, in the right areas. A policy framework to seek tree cover increase but allows for a planning balance within decision-making to enable the benefits and impacts of each development to be assessed. 4.20 This could be part of an on-site/off-site solution, which could generate notable s106 funds to achieve significant, meaningful and long-term planted and ecological areas. Ecological outcomes rather than an unconditional focus on native species should be considered in new planting.

4.21 The Local plan should include a spatial strategy that connects homes with jobs; good quality public transport; facilities/services and high-quality open spaces. Policies should also highlight wellbeing and social inclusion as a key priority for new developments. 4.22 Good growth that promotes wellbeing (including health) should be inclusive and include antipoverty measures including: ● Energy efficient homes and employment space that deliver low energy and water consumption; ● Promotion of commercial development and job creation that offers the Living Wage and opportunities for those on lower incomes to increase wages to easily access jobs; ● Allow for a wide range of social infrastructure and open space in new developments; and ● Promotion of ‘fully accessible’ social and low-cost housing, within active travel of employment. 4.23 The Local Plan should include for a policy framework that requires a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) throughout the Greater Cambridge area, using a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methodology that reflects best practice. Thresholds for HIAs should reflect the scale of the scheme and its ability to effect health outcomes. 4.24 The Local plan should ensure a policy framework is developed that is based on empirical evidence of how good growth is delivered, rather than rely on policies based on perceived, and sometimes unproven, determinants of wellbeing and social inclusion. Policies should focus on what really makes a difference. 4.25 For reference as to how Land to the north of Station Road could help achieve ‘good growth’ please refer to Section 2 of these representations, the Vision Document prepared by Allies and Morrison, the Sustainable Transport Appraisal prepared by Vectos, the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal prepared by Ecology Solutions and the Arboricultural Survey prepared by Haydens. The site offers an opportunity to provide for a range of jobs in a highly accessible location and a development that can be built to the highest Well Building Standards.

4.26 The Local Plan could help enable communities to shape new development proposals through creating policies and procedures that encourage meaningful consultation and require developers to demonstrate how schemes have been influenced by local communities. 4.27 Community engagement should be sought during the design process, during construction and through opportunities to influence the scheme and /or be engaged in its management and maintenance after completion (where relevant), particularly in circumstances where unforeseen consequences emerge. 4.28 Jesus College is committed to providing a positive legacy from the development that it promotes, and this can be achieved from meaningful engagement with the local community to gain their input, including to the site layout, design and provision of specific local infrastructure or contributions towards it. The College is a landowner that takes a long-term view of delivering development that can provide benefits for the local community.

4.29 First and foremost, the Local Plan can achieve socially inclusive communities when planning new development by forming a spatial strategy that ensures that new development is accessible or can be made accessible. Providing everyone with the opportunity to walk, bus and cycle to jobs, schools, shops, services and social activities will be vital. 4.30 Socially inclusive communities are created by people, but it helps if infrastructure is provided in time for first residents, either as a temporary facility or a smaller version of the final product. It will be important to ensure that support systems and management strategies are in place for community infrastructure. 4.31 Social inclusion can also be delivered by building in public realm to all forms of development (housing, employment and leisure) that encourages informal meeting and ‘bumping’ into people.

4.32 New developments should support healthy lifestyles by the Local Plan creating a spatial strategy that can support connected spaces where people do not have to rely on the private car for their daily routine of school, work, shopping and leisure. Enabling active lifestyles and opportunities for social interaction is a priority. 4.33 The Local Plan should provide open space within developments where possible, particularly when they can improve provision for existing communities. 4.34 A further measure to ensure new developments should support healthy lifestyles is for them to consider the needs of all age ranges and abilities in the detailed design of open spaces and public realm.

4.35 Improvements in air quality should be achieved principally through the reduced use of polluting vehicles by: ● Locating development, particularly schools, places of work and other facilities that have a high footfall, where there is good access to active travel and affordable, frequent, reliable and high-quality public transport options; ● Better cycle lanes, parking and cycle security – achieved by developments directly and through a coordinated s106 infrastructure programme; ● Reducing the volume of car movements in the city; ● Encouraging the use of less polluting vehicles, particularly during peak hours when emissions from stationary traffic makes conditions for pedestrians and cyclists and other vulnerable groups particularly bad; and ● Tree planting along road frontages: species selected for their pollution absorbing properties.

4.36 The Local Plan should include for a policy framework that sets out a positive strategy for development to respond to the historic environment. New development within or in proximity to heritage assets can be appropriate and make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. This is supported by the NPPF (paragraph 185).

4.37 New development can provide opportunities for improvements in the quality of the historic environment. For example, the setting of heritage assets often have elements that detract from the significance of the asset. However, it will be important for the Local Plan to balance heritage with the demands of sustainable growth.

4.38 ‘Place-making’ – creating and sustaining a positive and distinctive character in an area – is important to the economic success of the Greater Cambridge area, as identified by the CPIER. This is also supported by the NPPF (paragraph 124) which confirms that good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, creates better places in which to live and work and helps make development acceptable to communities. 4.39 The NPPF continues by advising that plans should set out a clear design vision and expectations and design policies should be developed with local communities, so they reflect local aspirations. To provide maximum clarity about design expectations at an early stage, plans or SPDs should use visual tools such as design guides and codes. The Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth sets out core principles of the level of quality to be expected in new developments in Cambridgeshire and the four ‘C’s’ of Community, Connectivity, Climate and Character align well with the four big themes of the emerging Local Plan. This forms a good basis to set out a design vision for the new Local Plan.

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5.1 As referred to in Section 2 of these representations, National Planning Policy confirms “Significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development” (NPPF, paragraph 80). The approach taken should allow each area to build on its strengths, counter any weaknesses and address the challenges of the future. 5.2 Cambridge’s hi-technology clusters, particularly in AI, bio-tech and agri-tech are recognised in the UK Industrial Strategy as an essential element of the UK economy to support “…towns such as MK, Oxford and Cambridge (that) have been hot spots for job creation. We must promote growth through fostering clusters and connectivity across cities, towns and surrounding areas.” 5.3 Growth relies on increases in employment and productivity and the Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) emphasises the need for productivity growth in this region as employment rates are so high. Economic growth is therefore essential for the next Local Plan. As part of the devolution contract to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a commitment to doubling the economic output of the area (Gross Value Added) over 25 years. This is a challenging target and needs to factor at the heart of the Plan.