Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

5.4 A wide variety of business and industrial space is needed in Greater Cambridge, in terms of location, size, function and price, in order to support the growth of the economy, offering choice to meet an occupier’s individual needs: “The requirements for physical space, like finance, have stages. What a business needs in its start-up phase is different to its needs as it matures and grows. It is vital, if an innovation ecosystem is to be effective for there to be variety and availability at every stage1. 5.5 The Science and Technology sector is the engine of the Cambridge Phenomenon that has driven the economy and it will remain an important part of the local economy and job market. One particular requirement is to support and grow the burgeoning high-tech and AI sector forming in the Cambridge Station area that has attracted high-calibre global companies. Land north of Station Road represents an opportunity to make more efficient use of previously developed land in a highly accessible location and provide more jobs to support the cluster and increase the site’s contribution to GVA by some £75 million. 5.6 All new employment space should be located and built to maximise the health and wellbeing of employees and visitors. Healthy buildings in locations that reduce commute times and improve the sleep and wellbeing of its occupants contribute significantly to their productivity. Improving productivity is a primary route through which the Greater Cambridgeshire economic expansion objectives of doubling GVA and inclusive growth will be achieved. “If workers can be more productive, they can bring home more take home pay, which will flow into the local economy. And they will be able to enjoy a higher standard of life. It is this, before anything else, which needs to be looked at to create an inclusive economic future.” CPIER p38 1 - Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019 p 41

5.7 A broad range of employment opportunities accessible by active modes of transport (including public transport) needs to be maintained in urban and rural areas to ensure local jobs are available. All existing space and allocations should be assessed to understand their suitability for employment uses in the current climate of energy use reduction, the need for local employment, access for the workforce by public transport or active means of travel, which locations can deliver the highest health and wellbeing for workers and surrounding people and which employment areas should be actively supported, such as the burgeoning Cambridge Station Area.

5.8 The CPIER notes a missed opportunity to supply AI, science and technology and bio-medical clusters from within the region: 10.8% of supplies come from within the company’s local area (30mile radius) while 27.8% came from overseas2. Growing these local supply chains, particularly the high value ones would help disperse the economic benefits and provide a wide range of different jobs. Availability of suitable sites and premises in excellent locations outside of Cambridge is a key factor in spreading the economic growth. 5.9 The redevelopment of areas around Cambridge central station for high quality offices which offer a healthy working environment would be welcomed. The delivery of a high-quality public realm which provides both recreational space and efficient management of pedestrian and cycle through traffic is essential in these areas. Land north of Station Road would support an established sector and can provide for a range of jobs; further detail on the economic need and benefits in relation to Land to the north of Station Road is provided in the supporting Employment Needs Appraisal prepared by Bidwells LLP. 2 CPIER p54

5.10 The UK industrial Strategy advocates focusing on our strengths, “fostering clusters and connectivity across cities, towns and surrounding areas” 3 Sites which support these clusters are necessary and could be urban, edge of town or rural. 5.11 Locations with high levels of public transport access should be identified for businesses with high employment densities. This would include sites within walking distance of train stations, travel hubs and along transport corridors. “by ensuring good quality public transport is in place before development, the number of those new residents who will use the transport is maximised. This is also likely to be the best way to stretch some of the high-value businesses based within and around Cambridge out into wider Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. These companies will not want to be distant from the city, but these clusters could ‘grow’ out along the transportation links, providing connection to other market towns.” 4 5.12 Taller prime office buildings could locate at Cambridge’s railway stations to focus development at transport hubs; keeping the city compact, but supporting the demand for high quality office space, particularly that arising from knowledge intensive (KI), especially artificial intelligence firms around Cambridge Central station. This supports CPIERs third key recommendation: “Ensuring that Cambridge continues to deliver for KI businesses should be considered a nationally strategic priority”. 5.13 The cluster effect is well-evidenced in Cambridgeshire and an opportunity exists for Greater Cambridge to encourage the forces of agglomeration through promotion of sites around existing groups of same-sector companies; this is certainly the case for the high-tech cluster at the Cambridge Station Area. A spatial strategy to provide for a range of commercial and job opportunities should be informed by the cluster approach particularly to transport corridors. 3 UK Industrial Strategy 2017 p18 4 CPIER p41

6.1 There should be flexibility within the Local Plan to respond to changing housing needs over the Local Plan period. It is important to identify a baseline housing need but there should be scope for further development to come forward if it meets a particular housing need. This would support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes to ensure that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed and that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements are addressed (NPPF Para. 59).

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6.2 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 6.3 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a wellevidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”5 6.4 There is an underlying and systemic affordability issue that is making it increasingly difficult for those on lower incomes to afford to live in the Greater Cambridge area. Alongside, the Cambridge economy has seen a prolonged and steady increase, which has attracted a larger workforce and increased the pressure on the housing market; availability and affordability. Alongside this trend is a clear political aspiration to see the Cambridge economy grow further; mostly clearly expressed by the Combined Authority that has a growth target as set out in its Devolution Deal of doubling GVA over 25 years. All of this clearly points to the need to plan for an amount of housing well above the minimum housing requirement. 5 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13

6.5 There should be flexibility within the Local Plan to respond to changing housing needs over the Local Plan period. Consideration of individual site circumstances and the circumstances of a local area should be taken into account to determine the appropriate type of housing for development sites. Separate housing needs assessments should be used to inform the appropriate size, type and tenure of housing needed for different sections of the community, as set out within the Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy 2019-2023. 6.6 Flexibility will be key to a successful Local Plan; through market housing, low-cost and affordable housing.

6.7 Local Plan policies can require a high standard of design for new residential development, leading from Government policy and guidance. Appropriately worded design policies should require a high-quality design for new dwellings. This could include sustainable design principles including measures to improve the energy efficiency of new homes, water saving measures, use of efficient insultation material and heating systems, the reduction and recycling of construction materials, provision of appropriate amenity space and accessibility. Policy should not be prescriptive for precisely how it will be accomplished, it can set a policy-level, but developers should be able to use a host of options to achieve the target. 6.8 Health impact assessments on developments of a scale that can deliver meaningful health improvements can create a higher level of built environment in housing developments.

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 Land to the north of Station Road is an ideal example of a site that has the opportunities to accommodate additional growth and encourage a shift away from car use and towards more sustainable modes of transport. It is a site located in a highly accessible area and its development can achieve a reduction in car parking in a city centre location. Further detail is provided in Section 2 of these representations and in the supporting Sustainable Transport Appraisal prepared by Vectos.

8.2 Densification of existing urban areas has many advantages as outlined in the consultation document; ● Reduces the need to use greenfield land to accommodate growth; ● Living in central, well-connected and vibrant areas is important for many people; ● Reduces the need to travel by car and so makes a positive contribution to addressing climate change; ● Sites growth near to existing centres, which can continue to support their vitality and viability. 8.3 The principle of densification is supported. The NPPF confirms, at paragraph 118, that planning policies should “give substantial weight to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements for homes and other identified needs” and “promote and support the development of under-utilised land and buildings”. The NPPF continues, at paragraph 112, in advising that planning policies should support development that makes efficient use of land, taking into account, inter alia, the identified need for different types of housing and other forms of development, and the availability of land suitable for accommodating it. 8.4 As set out above, a combination of approaches for the spatial distribution of growth in the area is likely to be required. However, opportunities for densification of existing urban areas in locations well served by public transport should be maximised wherever possible. 8.5 Land to the north of Station Road, Cambridge is in single ownership and provides an opportunity to meet an identified need for Grade A office space within a newly formed city quarter. The Site presents a significant opportunity for redevelopment whilst still being able to respond to local character and protect the historic environment. The Site is proposed for allocation in the emerging Local Plan to achieve densification in a highly accessible location and to support an established high-tech cluster.