Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Clifton Road Industrial Park

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Site 48068 map

Nothing chosen

It is clear that the themes arise from local needs, the Councils’ priorities set out in the Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District corporate plans, and by taking into account national and local planning priorities and requirements. The Sustainability Appraisal (SA) sets out 15 objectives. The SA objectives have been developed to ensure all Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) topics are covered. This reflects the fact that an integrated approach is being taken to the Local Plan. The four big themes encompass all the SA objectives. USS support the Council in achieving the big themes of the emerging Plan. Future development at the Site can address all four themes whilst contributing to housing need and supporting homes for employees locally.

Climate Change, Biodiversity and Green Spaces, Wellbeing and Social Inclusion, Great Places

New development can achieve biodiversity net gain through a range of methods/tools including the materials and features used i.e. green roofs; landscape design; and providing resilient habitats for animals to support wildlife in a changing climate. USS support the Council’s aim of achieving biodiversity net gain through new development. However, USS encourage the Council to not be restrictive on the amount of biodiversity net gain to be achieved through new development and instead assess the quality of the method/tools implemented to protect and enhance biodiversity.

USS support the Council’s approach to engaging with stakeholders and the local community to shape development proposals. USS has demonstrated its commitment to engaging with the local community and key stakeholders throughout the preparation of the adopted Cambridge City Local Plan (2018) and will continue to do so.

The Cambridge Local Plan (2018) sets out that the overall development strategy is to focus the majority of new development in and around the area of Cambridge, creating strong, sustainable, cohesive and inclusive mixed-use communities, making the most of previously developed land and enabling the maximum number of people to access services and facilities locally. Therefore, new development should seek to provide for a range of demographics, age groups and the vulnerable to ensure it is offering a range of community initiatives to al local residents.

The site is located in a highly sustainably location being adjacent Cambridge Train Station and being connected into the Cambridge City Cycle network. The site is also a 20mins walk from the City Centre. USS promotes and supports new developments, which are well located in relation to sustainable transport nodes, which in turn help to support healthy lifestyles.

The Living with Beauty (January 2020) report published by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission, sets out the requirements to promote health, well-being and sustainable growth through design. The report proposes three aims for the planning system to achieve beautiful buildings including ‘Ask for Beauty’ as beauty includes everything that promotes health and happy life and can turn a collection of buildings into a place; ‘Refuse Ugliness’ as ugly buildings can destroy the sense of place; and ‘Promote Stewardship’ which includes protecting and enhancing the built and natural environment for long-term communities. USS supports the Council’s desire to ensure that new development is as well designed as possible and this will need to be achieved through incorporating this requirement into planning policy. Development proposals should then be assessed against the relevant policies, but also against relevant guidance at a local and national level.

Nothing chosen

The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) notes that the wider Cambridge region is committed to doubling its economic output over the next 25 years. On this basis, continuing economic growth should be captured and addressed in the next Plan. However, this economic growth needs to be captured in an appropriate spatial strategy which balances employment growth with housing development. It is essential that employment use is supported by housing development, ideally within close proximity. Additionally, the location of employment use and housing development should be considered in the context of their relationship to sustainable transport links. The Site presents the opportunity to deliver residential use adjacent to employment use and within close proximity to public transport i.e. Cambridge Train Station.

USS supports the protection of existing business and industrial space but it also considers that the protection of such space should be assessed on a site by site basis. This is in respect of the changing market conditions for this type of space. This approach was taken by CCC within the existing site allocation for a mixed use development at this location.