Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

The Trumpington Residents’ Association considers that the Councils should continue with the current proposals, including consulting residents' groups and individual residents. It is important that sufficient time is allowed for responses: the Issues & Options consultation deadline was far too short for us to develop our response and consult our members, who would have had additional ideas to contribute. We regard this as a lost opportunity. Please ensure that there is sufficient time for residents' groups to consult their members in subsequent stages of the consultation.

Agree

The Trumpington Residents’ Association agrees that the correct cross-boundary initiatives have been identified.

Agree

The Trumpington Residents’ Association 'agrees' with the four themes, with the proviso that more attention should have been given to the climate change and biodiversity themes. In addition, growth and the consequences of growth should have been treated as a theme in its own right. There should have been be a fuller discussion about the options that we have for the overall level of growth, which should now be a priority in the next stages of consultation. See also our response to questions 24 and 31.

Based on our experience with the major housing developments in the Southern Fringe, the Trumpington Residents’ Association presses for high quality in the planning and construction of new homes, with these meeting the highest standard of energy performance – in practice as well as theory. There needs to be much better quality control by builders and much better monitoring, approval and enforcement by the Councils. There should be a strengthening rather than a weakening of planning conditions and building regulations, with real disincentives for developers who do not comply with them. There have been far too many faults in the 1000s of homes that have been build in the last decade. The Councils and residents should be helped to invest in improvements to existing homes. Decisions about housing and employment development locations should be closely linked to the development of high-quality transport infrastructure and services. In addition, we suggest there should be a major roll-out of electric charging points in the established areas, recent developments and particularly in new developments. This is particularly important in recent developments where there is a high proportion of apartments with communal parking.

The Trumpington Residents’ Association supports the examples given in the report, with the need for action sooner rather than later. At an early date, the Councils and the Greater Cambridge Partnership should introduce effective measures to manage and reduce the use of private cars at peak times and invest in a much better public transport service.

Yes, strongly agree

The Trumpington Residents’ Association 'strongly agrees' with the need for higher standards and that these standards must be monitored and enforced. One area where we believe there needs to be effective action is in the case water management, including care for the health of our groundwater and Hobson's Brook and the River Cam; and action to persuade residents to reduce consumption and conserve water, including the more extensive use of grey water in housing developments.

As noted in Question 3, the Trumpington Residents’ Association sees an opportunity to continue to protect and enhance existing open spaces: (1) the River Cam corridor, including being alert to the potential impact of East-West Rail; (2) Byron's Pool/Trumpington Meadows Country Park, including the opportunity to extend the area of tree coverage and the need for mitigation in response to the development of the new Travel Hub; (3) the Vicar's Brook corridor; (4) Hobson's Park, including the importance of mitigation in response to Cambridge South Station and East West Rail; (5) Nine Wells, including the opportunity to enhance and extend the site as mitigation for the South East Transport Project, East West Rail and the approved extension of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. In addition, there are small areas of land that provide a valuable environmental resource, such as the busway corridor through Trumpington, tree belts, pocket parks, play areas, allotments and gardens. As also noted in Question 3, there is an opportunity to enhance the value of other local areas, rather than allow them to be built over: (1) the green corridor between Trumpington Meadows, Hauxton Road and the M11; (2) the land to the south of Addenbrooke's Road, between the M11 and the west side of Shelford Road; (3) land to the west of Trumpington Road, from Trumpington village to Latham Road; (4) land to the south of Addenbrooke's Road, between the east side of Shelford Road and Granham's Road; and (5) land to the south east of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, including White Hill towards Granham's Road and the approaches to Magog Down. The Council and landowners/farmers have important roles in protecting these areas. We think there is a strong case for strengthening the Council team who care for existing sites such as Byron's Pool and Nine Wells and supporting the work of groups such as the Wildlife Trust which cares for Trumpington Meadows Country Park.

The Trumpington Residents’ Association believes that we must invest in the existing green spaces and make sure they work together to provide a green belt (lower case) around the City and green/wildlife corridors into the city. We are particularly concerned about the importance of the River Cam corridor (including Trumpington Meadows Country Park and the surrounding agricultural land) and the green corridor from Great Shelford into the City, including Hobson's Park, which is being undermined by approved or proposed developments, including the conversion into play areas near Long Road and the impact of the South East Transport Project and Cambridge South station. We are concerned that the consultation gives too little emphasis on biodiversity and the protection of wildlife and landscapes. We see an opportunity to continue to protect and enhance five existing areas of large-scale open space: (1) the River Cam corridor, including being alert to the potential impact of East-West Rail; (2) Byron's Pool/Trumpington Meadows Country Park, including the opportunity to extend the area of tree coverage and the need for mitigation in response to the development of the new Travel Hub at the M11/A10 junction; (3) the Vicar's Brook corridor; (4) Hobson's Park, including the importance of mitigation in response to Cambridge South Station and East West Rail; (5) Nine Wells, including the opportunity to enhance and extend the site as mitigation for the South East Cambridge Transport Scheme, East West Rail and the approved further extension of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. In addition, there may be an opportunity to develop the five areas referred to in our response to Question 2, ideally by their continued use as agricultural land with enhanced public access along a network of footpaths. The areas are: (1) the green corridor between Trumpington Meadows, Hauxton Road and the M11; (2) the land to the south of Addenbrooke's Road, between the M11 and the west side of Shelford Road; (3) land to the west of Trumpington Road, from Trumpington village to Latham Road; (4) land to the south of Addenbrooke's Road, between the east side of Shelford Road and Granham's Road; and (5) land to the south east of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, including White Hill towards Granham's Road and the approaches to Magog Down.

The Trumpington Residents’ Association can refer to our local experience as a model for future developments. There is no real compensation for the loss of agricultural land which results from large-scale development, but the housing developments in the Southern Fringe have been accompanied by the protection of open spaces through the development of Hobson's Park and Trumpington Meadows Country Park, the partial preservation of hedgerows and tree belts, and the integration of allotments, community gardens and small open spaces within the housing. We stress the value of the parks plus the smaller spaces. However, the developments have also resulted in the fragmentation of tree belts and wildlife corridors, and greater attention needs to be paid to the mitigation of this in future developments, as well as in good maintenance of the spaces that do exist. It is important that there is effective implementation and enforcement of planning conditions during the development process, or the outcome can be far less valuable to the community and the environment than had been promised.

Yes, strongly agree

The Trumpington Residents’ Association 'strongly agrees'? Its contribution to all four of the proposed themes is vital. We are concerned that the issue is not just tree planting but proper care so that the trees survive; the loss of newly planted trees has been unnecessarily high in many developments. There are opportunities for more planting in existing open spaces, including where trees have been unsuccessful, such as along Addenbrooke's Road. The Councils should continue to invest in planting and caring for trees along road verges.