Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Response to Question 2 3.1 Land to the east of Oakington Road was submitted as part of the Call for Sites consultation in 2019 and Christs College is continuing to promote the site for allocation in the Local Plan. Description of Proposals 3.2 The site is put forward for the allocation for residential development for around 75 dwellings, open space, associated infrastructure including off site improvements to the footpaths and cycleways into and out of Cottenham, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and enhanced opportunities for the development of biodiversity. 3.3 A Vision Document is enclosed. This presents an understanding of the site and how the site could be successfully developed as a natural extension to the village. It is important to note that the context of the site has notably changed over the last few years. A series of planning permissions have been granted consent and are either now under construction or nearing construction following their reserved matters process. These permissions extend the built form of Cottenham south-westwards along Oakington Road well beyond the south west boundary of the site. The consented schemes also add built form in depth to each side of Rampton Road to the north. In this context, the development of the site would appear as a natural extension to the village and would remain to be set closer to the village than those already approved and within a shorter walking distance of the local facilities. Summary of Technical Work Ecology 3.4 An Ecology Assessment accompanies this representation, prepared following a site survey. It finds that there is no overriding ecological constraint to the development of the site. Further survey work pertaining to bats will be required at a future time in order to ensure appropriate mitigation strategies and timing of any development as appropriate. With good design, development of the site would incorporate opportunities for net gains for wildlife and enhanced biodiversity. Highways 3.5 The highways assessment undertaken in support of these representations, summarises that a resident of the site would be able to access everyday needs living, working and education requirements, by either walking, cycling or by utilising public transport and would not need to use a private car to access these facilities. 3.6 The assessment of visibility splays for the proposed access road provide evidence that the designed access could potentially support a greater level of development in terms of unit numbers. 3.7 The assessment is based on a site capacity of around 75 dwellings and demonstrates that the resulting AM peak hour and PM peak hour vehicle movements are considered to have no detrimental impact on the local road network. 3.8 There is potential to improve and promote sustainable modes of transport in the village including enhanced pedestrian connectivity, through improvements to footpaths/cycleways on Oakington Road. The new residents would enhance the viability and vitality of the existing services. Drainage 3.9 The drainage assessment concludes that the site falls entirely within Flood Zone 1 of the Environment Agency (EA) Flood Zone maps and is at very low risk of flooding. 3.10 The assessment provides recommendations to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposals including: ● Integrated and multi-functional SUDS; ● Improvements to water quality, biodiversity, amenity and habitat creation; ● Further ground investigations to determine seasonal variations in ground water levels; ● Shallow surface water drainage features on site; ● Consultation with Anglian Water to determine the suitability of the public sewer running to the north of the site for connection. Heritage 3.11 A Heritage Assessment accompanies the representation, it notes the heritage context, principally forming the Conservation Area and a number of Listed Buildings along with some recorded archaeology. The heritage context does not find any overriding constraint to development of the site, in the manner that has been the case for the recent and nearby developments to the north. Benefits 3.12 It is considered that the development proposals could deliver numerous tangible social, economic and environmental benefits to the local area, including: ● The opportunity to deliver a substantial amount of affordable housing to help meet the needs of Cottenham and the wider district; ● Locating residential development within one of the District’s largest and most sustainable villages. The site is located approximately 700m from the village centre and is well placed for future residents to be able to walk and cycle, rather than travel by private car, to these facilities and the neighbouring settlements; ● 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; ● Supporting the Cottenham economy, including local shops and services; and ● Enhancing biodiversity levels across the site and delivering green infrastructure for the benefit of existing and future residents. The site is agricultural land and is of low ecological value. Summary 3.13 The land east of Oakington Road, Cottenham is in the Green Belt; however, the emerging Local Plan will be subject to a Green Belt review. The Issues and Options consultation quite rightly asks whether there needs to be a more balanced approach to the spatial distribution of development and to test whether some development in the Green Belt would deliver more sustainable forms of development, better located to facilities, services and sustainable transport links. In the scenario of a Green Belt Review and policy approach that finds that some development in the Green Belt will form a more sustainable distribution strategy, then development of land east of Oakington Road will provide a well-located development at Cottenham, which is able to provide a foundation for sustainable living. 3.14 The Vision Document finds that the site can accommodate development in a manner that would act as a natural extension to the village and appear wholly in context against the greater extension of the built form of Cottenham to the north of Oakington Road.

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Agree

Agree - The proposed Local Plan period up to 2040 is considered appropriate and to accord with the requirements set out within the NPPF for local authorities to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites between years 1-15 of the plan (Para 67).

Agree

5.1 Agree - The four big themes for the Local Plan are considered suitable and all are considered to be important in the consideration of the spatial distribution of growth in the district, and for the determination of planning applications. The four big themes will generate a new way of planning, this may require a different way to make decisions; to allow other impacts to happen in order to achieve these four priorities. The Local Plan policy framework will need to allow for a clear planning balance to take place to assess and prioritise impacts.

5.3 The increased focus on climate change is welcomed. Climate change policy and good practice is changing quickly, and the plan will need to build in suitable flexibility to accommodate these changes within the lifetime of the plan. Climate change scenarios predict extensive changes by 2050, much of which is dependent on government and human action so there is substantial uncertainty over outcomes. 5.4 A needlessly stringent policy may inadvertently impede progress towards later years in the plan or undermine results by not allowing for site-specific refinement. For example, policy for electric vehicle charging points should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate that quickly changing technology, as well the current grid challenges in implemented EV charging places. Energy policies should include flexibility for changing legislation, and technology, as well as the opportunity to refine a plan-wide policy for site specifics. As the Zero Carbon Futures Symposium Report (2019) submitted within the evidence base notes on page 10: where targets are too limited, and without consideration of project contexts, policy can drive dysfunctional behaviour such as photovoltaic solar panels being installed on North facing roofs merely to achieve policy compliance not to produce effective carbon reductions. 5.5 Allowing for changing technologies and approaches should also help with viability as technology and approaches improve and are more widely adopted, thereby reducing costs. Escalating targets and policies may be able to accommodate these changes, while providing clarity to developers on the costs of development over time. 5.6 The local plan Sustainability Appraisal (SA) should address variable climate change scenarios, as we would expect that different climate change scenarios will be of interest at examination. Lack of rigorous assessment of these scenarios in the SA could lead to the plan being found unsound.

5.7 Greater Cambridge is a leading local authority on climate change policy, such as through the early declaration of a climate change emergency and also through the newly adopted Sustainable Development SPD. This leadership should continue, as it is central to the sustainable development of Cambridge, leading to better development for humans, the environment, and for economic development. It should be borne in mind that Cambridge's knowledge economy increasingly demands high sustainability standards: sustainability, health and wellbeing, with climate change at the heart, is a key part of continuing Cambridge's economic development. This should remain a priority as part of a policy framework that recognises climate change as a key part of sustainable development across social, environmental and economic objectives.

Nothing chosen

5.8 A policy approach with multiple options for delivering net zero carbon is likely to be most effective in delivering development, as well as carbon neutrality. A multi-pronged approach should allow different solutions for different developments, reflecting context. For example, for some developments, Passivhaus energy standards may be achievable (going well above and beyond minimums set out in the Building Regulations), but for others, Building Regulations may need to be followed but an offset solution, such as a green bond or offset fund, could be used to achieve a net carbon reduction. Possible options need to be worked up in more detail as the Plan progresses and must build in flexibility.

5.9 To form a flexible policy framework, so as not to stifle the benefits of new technology or modern methods of construction.

5.10 This Local Plan must deliver effective policy which protects and enhances natural capital. We support delivery of net gain for new development. Such policy must be flexible enough to enable creative and cost-effective solutions for the delivery of net gain and support the Vision for the Natural Future of Cambridgeshire in 2050 as outlined by Natural Cambridgeshire and affiliated organisations. An off-site net gain solution should be clearly allowed for by policy. While it is a Local Plan priority as a part of one of the four big themes, the Local Plan policy must allow for a planning judgement and balanced decision to allow for site and development specific issues to be taken into account.

5.11 This should come through from an up-to-date base assessment of Greater Cambridge assets, which leads to a Local Plan wide (and beyond) strategy. Development proposals can then be shaped around the identified priorities. As part of a policy framework that allows for off-site mitigation and off-site net gain enhancements can be used to improve the wider green space network.

5.12 The new Local Plan must ensure that policy in this matter is sufficiently flexible to accommodate the required biodiversity net gain in the most effective and efficient way for each development, with both on-site and off-site solutions possible.