Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Agree

Savills (UK) Ltd are instructed by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland (Grosvenor) to make the necessary submissions to the Council’s consultation “The First Conversation” as part of the Issues and Options Consultation process for a new Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Grosvenor Britain and Ireland (Grosvenor) have land interests at the Abbey Stadium, home to Cambridge United Football Club and consequently it is entirely appropriate at this stage to raise a number of issues in response to particular questions posed within the consultation document. We would acknowledge at this stage the need for a review of both Local Plans for the City and the surrounding South Cambridgeshire District given that both were recently adopted in 2018. It is our case that there is certainly a need to review not least because of the Inspectors clear views expressed in their report to the last Examination which places the responsibility on both of the Counci to have a single Local Plan submitted to the Secretary of State by summer 2022. This will clearly involve a substantial amount of research and work but it represents an entirely appropriate approach having regard to the symbiotic relationship between the built up area of this city and the rural area surrounding it. We are aware that a Call for Sites stage was undertaken in early 2019 and Grosvenor made the necessary submissions to that consultation stage. We are expecting the Local Planning Authorities to be publishing all of those representations in due course since it is imperative that the Councils assess all of the various development options to accommodate growth in and around the Cambridge area. As such, a critical analysis must be made of all the sites and to move forward with a review in order to meet with the above timetable as put forward by the Local Plan Inspectors. In terms of the end date of the Local Plan, we are aware that the Combined Authority’s Non-statutory Spatial Strategy end date is 2050 which is some 30 years from now. This is a lengthy timescale within which to develop strategic policies and having regard to our experience, it is quite clear that the needs, demands and circumstances fluctuate considerably in short timeframes and thus an end date of 2050 in our view provides no realistic timescale in circumstances which clearly will change over that period. The plan period to 2040 in our view is a much more sustainable plan period for policies to be applied and with an acceptance that early review will need to come forward as a matter of course.

Savills (UK) Ltd are instructed by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland (Grosvenor) to make the necessary submissions to the Council’s consultation “The First Conversation” as part of the Issues and Options Consultation process for a new Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Grosvenor have land interests at the Abbey Stadium, home to Cambridge United Football Club and consequently it is entirely appropriate at this stage to raise a number of issues in response to particular questions posed within the consultation document. As part of its sustainability framework, Grosvenor is committed to helping reduce the impacts of climate change by understanding and reducing its carbon footprint across their portfolio. By 2030, Grosvenor will achieve net zero carbon operational emissions from all its directly managed buildings. Grosvenor and USS are committed to working with the Councils to help them achieve net zero carbon by 2050. The Local Plan provides the opportunity to plan in a way which focuses on achieving this target. This requires bold decision making and innovative methods to produce a coherent spatial strategy that performs well in sustainability terms. Developments which help meet these targets should be supported. One of the key issues that will be faced in the formulation of the new plan is the location of new development and clearly sustainability and an approach which seeks to reduce the reliance upon the private motor car is a key objective. The logic therefore moves to a position whereby those sustainable locations with the highest order of services and facilities should be a focus for development and in this case the existing built up area of the City provides that focus. The use of land for more intensive uses and constructed at higher density need not compromise architectural quality and the rules of good urban design. Cambridge over recent years has seen substantial new building in and around the railway station and Hills Road/Cherry Hinton Road. With a much clearer agenda in terms of making the best use of a scarce resource (i.e. land within Cambridge) the Councils must look to making best use of the urban area as a starting point of the genus of any development strategy which looks to locate development within Greater Cambridge. The opportunity afforded by the potential relocation of Cambridge United Football Club to an alternative location or indeed the opportunity to consider further development on the site whilst the Football Club remains in site in some form or another, should be a focus for the new Local Plan and present a real opportunity to secure much needed housing and community uses in such a location. The attractiveness for the “densification” of land within the City has clear sustainability benefits as the use of sustainable construction materials and techniques remain part of the important agenda in the context of climate change and meeting the Council’s aspirations for net zero carbon by 2050.

Yes, strongly agree

Savills (UK) Ltd are instructed by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland (Grosvenor) to make the necessary submissions to the Council’s consultation “The First Conversation” as part of the Issues and Options Consultation process for a new Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Grosvenor Britain and Ireland (Grosvenor) have land interests at the Abbey Stadium, home to Cambridge United Football Club and consequently it is entirely appropriate at this stage to raise a number of issues in response to particular questions posed within the consultation document. It is entirely correct that both Councils recognise that housing is one of the most important issues to address and one that in particular will be the focus for many representations during the formulation of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. In the context of the acknowledgement that it remains an absolutely key issue in this area, it is entirely appropriate that any assessment of housing must extend beyond the consideration of meeting the minimum needs as calculated as using the “standard method”. Using the Government’s approach results in the local housing needs assessment for circa 1,800 dwelling per annum. However it is also important to recognise that Government states within the PPG that this is the minimum number of houses that must be planned for and it does not attempt to predict the impact of other factors. It is clear therefore that the 1,800 dwellings per annum is only a starting point. In an area which has strong economic growth and aspirations to maintain and extend such growth as well as the affordability of its housing stock continuing to decline, it is important for any new Local Plan for the Greater Cambridge area to establish a housing requirement that seeks to address both of these concerns. It is the case that 1,800 dwelling per annum using the Standard Method will not be sufficient to support the economic growth expectations of Greater Cambridge in the context where the Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) sets a compelling case for higher levels of housing growth within the Greater Cambridge area having regard to the commitment to double economic growth. It is entirely appropriate that in the circumstances where Cambridge is a significant driver of the national economy that it simply cannot rely on accepting the minimum number of houses required by the standard methodology and therefore not taking into account the significance of economy and other factors. It is evident that the Greater Cambridge area has provided too little housing in recent years and a substantial increase in the delivery of new housing is necessary and accordingly we would support the option of delivering at least 2,900 per annum within this Local Plan.

Densification of existing urban areas, Edge of Cambridge: Outside Green Belt, Edge of Cambridge: Green Belt, Dispersal: New Settlements, Dispersal: Villages, Public Transport Corridors

NONE SPECIFIED ABOVE Savills (UK) Ltd are instructed by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland (Grosvenor) to make the necessary submissions to the Council’s consultation “The First Conversation” as part of the Issues and Options Consultation process for a new Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Grosvenor Britain and Ireland (Grosvenor) have land interests at the Abbey Stadium home to Cambridge United Football Club and consequently it is entirely appropriate at this stage to raise a number of issues in response to particular questions posed within the consultation document. The decisions being taken by Councils as to where to build will depend upon many factors ranging from the availability of development sites through to the relocation of infrastructure both now and in the future. It is entirely likely that a range of development options and locations should be considered as part of any strategy to accommodate development and what will be key in this context is avoiding an over concentration of development in a specific area or an over-reliance on strategic sites. Consequently, a range of development sites within the Greater Cambridge area should form part of any development strategy. Such a strategy should, of course, commence with locating development in the most sustainable locations and in the context of the Greater Cambridge area this must be directed towards the existing urban area of Cambridge which possesses the necessary highest order of services and facilities to accommodate residents and employees and retains the retail and leisure characteristics for people living and working in the area. The urban area continues to evolve and change and in recent years we have seen significant new development in the city centre.. We have also seen a major expansion of the city to the Southern Fringe around excellent transport infrastructure and growth in the biomedical and research sectors. The increasing in height and the density of buildings does not necessarily mean a compromise on architectural quality nor the qualities of good urban design but in the circumstances where there is a key objective of ensuring that the climate change agenda forms a critical part of any new Local Plan, then the focus should be concentrated on making the best use of available sites in the most sustainable location e.g. the urban area. In this context, Grosvenor has made representations to the Call for Sites consultation period at the beginning of 2019 and put the case to the Councils for redevelopment of the Cambridge United Stadium site on Newmarket Road. The Councils will be aware that the Club has been actively looking at plans to redevelop its site for over 10 years at a time when there is a wide acknowledgment that we have an aging stadium nearing the end of its life and which is not appropriate for a club with ambitions to play at its current level let alone play in higher leagues. The freehold of the site is mostly in the ownership of Grosvenor who acquired the stadium in 2010 and who have been working jointly with the Club to assess potential for either developing the existing stadium while considering the options to relocate the stadium to an alternative site. The Football Club has made public its plans to construct a new stadium to the east of the city close to the Stow Cum-Quy. The Club is very clear that a new sustainable stadium, with the supporting sustainable transport infrastructure (the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro) will be the foundation on which to grow and develop both as a football club and a major contributor of social value to the communities of Greater Cambridge through the substantial work of its Community Trust. Such a facility could be designed and managed to be a multi-use cultural venue stitched into and part of the wider proposals for East Cambridge. A direct consequence of bringing forward a new stadium in this location is to free up the existing Abbey Stadium site for development and as stated above would clearly be a significant opportunity for the Councils to bring forward new residential development with ancillary community facilities in a highly sustainable location, for example with excellent links to the City Centre via the Chisholm trial. The opportunity to secure much needed affordable housing in the Abbey ward constructed in a modern contemporary way using all of the necessary sustainable methods of construction and techniques should be part of any new development plan. Initial feasibility and master planning studies indicate that a high quality development of approximately 340 homes with (40% or 136 affordable homes) could be accommodated within the 2.89ha site. It is the view of both Grosvenor and the Club that this is a key opportunity that should be taken and planned for in this local plan. If not then the alternative, a more piecemeal development of the existing site and ultimately a compromised approach would prevail, if there is a viable solution at all. To elaborate, the alternative approach is the circumstances where the redevelopment of the existing site is considered but which would include the retention of the Football Stadium as part of the redevelopment and which may mean the reorientation of the pitch and a stadium within the site and to afford the opportunity for new development alongside. Those preliminary considerations formed our client’s submission to the Call for Sites in 2019. Grosvenor, the Club and The Greater Cambridge Partnership jointly explored several opportunities for retention of the stadium, with supporting and enabling residential development. These options while technically feasible were limited in their ability to deliver policy affordable homes or attract funding for delivery. Further it is Grosvenor’s view that none of the options explored could deliver the same quality of output in placemaking or social and environment impact terms as the relocation of the club and wholesale redevelopment of the site to residential use. This new Local Plan provides a real opportunity for the Councils to create site specific policy for the Abbey Stadium site as part of any new Local Plan. The assessment of such matters will naturally have to consider those proposals for the relocation of the stadium to an alternative location to the east of the city as an option. To produce a plan without addressing such options is a lost opportunity, one that is likely to have a lasting impact of the communities of Greater Cambridge, and we would urge the Councils to engage in constructive dialogue with Grosvenor, the Club and other key stakeholders as soon as possible as part of the Local Plan process

1 Introduction 1.1 These representations have been prepared by Deloitte on behalf of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland (Grosvenor) and Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). They have been prepared in response to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan “The First Conversation” Issues and Options Document 2020 consultation. These representations are made pursuant to our Call for Sites submission in March 2019. 1.2 These representations focus on those elements of the Local Plan and associated evidence base which relate primarily to housing and are written in the context of Grosvenor and USS’s land holding at Trumpington South, as indicated in the supporting Vision Document. The site has the potential to deliver up to 750 new dwellings, primary education, health and wellbeing, community space, work hubs and a mobility hub. The emphasis would be on zero-carbon living to help deliver sustainable growth in southern Cambridge. 1.3 Deloittes’ representations below are structured to address the individual questions as set out in the Local Plan Review Issues and Options consultation document. Separate submissions have also been made in respect of the questions on the Opus Consult 2 system. Policy Context and Framework 1.4 Grosvenor and USS welcome the publication of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan “The First Conversation” Issues and Options Consultation. The Plan will shape how the area changes to 2040 and potentially beyond. 1.5 The Issues and Options consultation is the first stage towards preparing a new joint Local Plan for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, together to be referred to as the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. It provides an important opportunity to undertake an early review as requested by the Inspectors in reviewing the previous plans. The new Plan allows for an update to the assessment of housing needs as well as reviewing the progress made on the delivery of strategic sites across Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire (the Councils) areas. 1.6 Section 3 of the NPPF (2019) provides advice on plan making and advises that Plans should provide a ‘positive vision of the future’. It advises that plans should be updated if their “applicable local housing need figure has changed significantly” and must meet the areas objectively assessed need (OAN), be evidenced and deliverable if to be found sound. Land at Trumpington South 1.7 The site is owned by Grosvenor and USS, with a track record in successful delivery of housing development. It is free from environmental and physical constraints and as it benefits from a single ownership, Trumpington South could begin delivering immediately following Local Plan adoption. It is exceptionally well connected and its connectivity will be enhanced with the planned extension of busway through the site to the Cambridge South West Travel Hub and new railway station at Cambridge South. 1.8 The site offers the opportunity to provide a sustainable solution to address Cambridge’s economic needs. In particular, it can meet the specific needs of southern Cambridge, providing housing in close proximity and within sustainable travel distances of major employers. As a result, the site merits serious consideration in the Councils review of future Local Plan allocations. 1.9 Whilst this submission is promoting Trumpington South as a standalone proposal, we are conscious of wider growth opportunities that are possible in south Cambridge, in particular the Cambridge South proposals. We confirm that Grosvenor and USS would be willing to work collaboratively with the Councils and other landowners to develop a wider vision for growth in southern Cambridge. There are a number of key benefits arising from the comprehensive growth of this area, which include mobility benefits with less impact on the transport network, of having more homes near jobs and a wider array of supporting facilities. 1.10 These representations are accompanied by a set of documents including: • Vision Document for Trumpington South - Delivering Sustainable Growth in Southern Cambridge prepared by Terence O’Rourke; • Green Belt and Landscape Appraisal prepared by Terence O’Rourke; • Sustainability Workshop Summary Report prepared by Buro Happold; • Mobility Strategy prepared by Vectos; • Air Quality Desk Study prepared by Buro Happold; and • Noise Assessment Feasibility Study prepared by Buro Happold. 2 Background 2.1 In order to continue to be successful and attract talent and manage growth, significant decisions on the future of the area need to be made. The new Plan period coincides with an exciting time that will see major new infrastructure proposals realised, providing significant transport capacity to support the delivery of development. These opportunities must be considered alongside ways to address the four big themes that the new Plan is exploring which include; responding to climate change, increasing biodiversity and green spaces, promoting well-being and equality and delivering quality places. Climate change agenda 2.2 The Local Plan will play a key part in helping the Councils to achieve the challenging commitment of net zero carbon (as defined by the UK Green Building Council) by 2050. In February 2019, Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils declared a climate emergency. In May 2019, the Greater Cambridge Councils also declared a biodiversity emergency, pledging to develop plans to secure biodiversity net gain. Building Regulations Part L 2020 will also soon be released and The Future Homes Standard comes into force in 2025. As a result, the average home will be expected to have 75-80% fewer emissions than Part L 2013, which would be ‘near Passivhaus’ performance. 2.3 To address these commitments, the approach to planning of the area will need to focus on where development is located and its relationship to employment and travel choices, the construction methods used and energy generation and storage, amongst other things. Housing and employment need 2.4 The Greater Cambridge Planning Team is committed to an early review of its Plans to respond to its housing need in the context of significant economic growth. The group committed to a goal of doubling the total economic output of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area over 25 years. This has implications for future jobs and homes growth in the area which need to be addressed in the Plan. The Cambridge & Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) research demonstrated that recent jobs growth in the Greater Cambridge economy has been faster than anticipated, and that this growth is likely to continue. Demand for new housing in this area remains exceptionally high but development has not kept up. 2.5 The adopted Local Plans identified land to meet the target of 33,500 homes between 2011 and 2031 (1,675dpa). The current forecasts estimate that 36,400 homes can be built between 2017 and 2040 on sites that already have permission or are allocated in the adopted Local Plans. A further 9,660 homes on these sites may be built after 2040 or earlier. However, using the Government’s ‘standard method’ requires a minimum need for 1,779 dpa. This equates to 40,917 homes for the 23-year period of 2017-2040 for Greater Cambridge or an additional 104 dpa. If the CPIER forecast is employment led, this jumps to 2,900 dpa or a need for a total of 66,700 homes. 2.6 It is important, therefore, that a decision on the employment growth to be planned for is taken sooner rather than later so that the spatial strategy which will inform the Plan can identify the necessary sites for additional homes to support major employment hubs. Whilst there are areas of significant growth planned in Cambridge, many of these sites are large and complex and somewhat disconnected to major areas of employment. It is important that sites of differing scales are allocated in order to provide a pipeline of homes over the plan period and so it does not impact further on affordability of homes in the area. Implications for the spatial strategy 2.7 Linked to the points above, previous plans for the Greater Cambridge area prioritised development firstly within Cambridge, then on the edge of Cambridge, at new settlements close to Cambridge, and at better served villages. Sites in the adopted 2018 Local Plans focused on new settlements, in particular, which will be built out over a much longer period. In order to address sustainable growth, a blended spatial strategy is required with a significant focus on the early delivery of smaller sites on the edge of Cambridge. 2.8 The Green Belt restricts growth on the edge of Cambridge, increasing in-commuting and travel distances, and creating unsustainable patterns of movement. Development locations, such as Trumpington South, on the edge of Cambridge, have attractive sustainability advantages. The site benefits from excellent access to major employment hubs in southern Cambridge (including the Biomedical Campus and the southern cluster of science parks) and nearby community services and facilities. These connections are set to improve with planned infrastructure improvements, including the South West Travel Hub and extension to the guided busway. Trumpington South will encourage active and shared travel choices and support a modal shift away from the private car, to help mitigate climate impacts.

No uploaded files for public display

Nothing chosen

3.6 It is clear from the Sustainability Workshop Summary Report 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. Grosvenor is committed to making a lasting contribution to the places in which they are active and have developed ambitious sustainability commitments to help tackle the climate crisis. Grosvenor and USS strongly agree that the four themes identified by Greater Cambridge are important matters to consider when planning for future growth. 3.7 Grosvenor and USS wish to support the Councils as they plan for sustainable growth across Greater Cambridge, by promoting development at Trumpington South which can address all four of the Local Plan themes, whilst contributing to housing need and supporting the major employment hubs in southern Cambridge by providing local homes for employees. Theme 1 – Trumpington South is committed to addressing climate change through delivering zero carbon homes in operation and promoting active and shared low carbon travel, alongside resilient spaces which integrate sustainable design strategies. Theme 2 – Trumpington South delivers growth in a location which is exceptionally well catered for in terms of access to multifunctional and connected green infrastructure, with the ability for the site to provide 23 Ha of publicly accessible new parkland and a 25%+ net biodiversity gain. It provides opportunities to further strengthen the existing network and enhance the setting and approach to Cambridge City. Theme 3 – Trumpington South will develop an inclusive sense of identity, promote healthy lifestyles and active public spaces, share existing facilities already established in the Trumpington Meadows community and provide access to new community facilities (including a new primary school and mobility hub) which would support a diverse demographic. Theme 4 – Trumpington South will draw on its location as a gateway to Cambridge City and the surrounding natural and historic landscape. It will draw on the positive change taking place in South Cambridge as a highly accessible location to build on this identity and purpose, and be guided by high quality design principle to secure sustainable living.

No choices made

The four themes are all equally important in the context of changing infrastructure and economic growth in the area, effect on housing need and other aspects of spatial and transport planning and how this translates in to a coherent strategic framework for the next 15-20 years. However, as the impacts of climate change are increasingly clear, Grosvenor and USS consider this should be prioritised. 3.9 Trumpington South can commit to integrating all the themes within its masterplan, including the delivery of zero carbon homes in operation, to deliver a place with the highest social, economic and environmental credentials.

3.10 As part of its sustainability framework, Grosvenor is committed to helping reduce the impacts of climate change by understanding and reducing its carbon footprint across their portfolio. By 2030, Grosvenor will achieve net zero carbon operational emissions from all its directly managed buildings. Grosvenor and USS are committed to working with the Councils to help them achieve net zero carbon by 2050. 3.11 The Local Plan provides the opportunity to plan in a way which focuses on achieving this target. This requires bold decision making and innovative methods to produce a coherent spatial strategy that performs well in sustainability terms. Developments which help meet these targets should be supported. 3.12 The Sustainability Workshop Summary Report prepared by BuroHappold in support of these representations demonstrates Grosvenor’s commitment to this agenda and explains ways in which Trumpington South will address it.

3.13 Securing zero carbon homes in operation is the key way in which we can reduce our impact on the planet and slow the effects of climate change. The Vision document prepared by Terence O’Rourke explains how the homes at Trumpington South can achieve zero carbon through a range of methods, including fabric first construction, water management, low energy environmental strategies and passive design features. It can also be achieved by encouraging the use of sustainable transport and planning around these important links as the masterplan in the Vision document explains. 3.14 Should the site be allocated, Trumpington South is committed to delivering zero carbon homes in operation and creating a place that contributes positively to climate change, as demonstrated by the Sustainability Workshop Summary Report prepared by BuroHappold. Trumpington South is located in an established travel culture and is exceptionally well connected to nearby jobs and land uses. Its location can enable car free and/or housing with limited in-curtilage parking to promote sustainable mobility and travel.

Nothing chosen

3.15 New developments can respond and adapt to climate change through a range of indicators. These include but are not limited to a centralised parking strategy within new developments to enable a pedestrian scale environment and a shift away from car usage, sustainable water management such as grey water recycling and permeable external surfaces and low energy environmental strategies including ground source heat bumps and solar thermal panels. 3.16 Trumpington South would incorporate extra climate adaptation features and would carefully recognise and adhere to the recommendations provided by Cambridge Country Council in the Sustainable Design and Construction SPD.