Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

3.0 CONCLUSION 3.1 In relation to questions 31, 32, 37, 40, 41 and 47 of the Greater Cambridge Issues and Options Consultation 2020, it is clear that current settlement boundaries will need to flex in order to accommodate further growth in sustainable locations. Paragraph 78 of the NPPF states that to promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. Accordingly, the existing settlement hierarchy should be revised or re-ordered to consider further housing growth and its potential transformative nature. 3.2 There are several benefits to existing villages in receiving further housing supply and infrastructure, which have been highlighted in this representation. Transport is a key theme for the emerging Local Plan and the siting of additional housing in rural settlements near to transport corridors or planned transport interventions presents opportunity to realise a reasonable scale of growth that is both sustainable and meaningful compared to previous Local Plan allocations. Consequently, in answer to question 48, planned transport improvements create opportunity to rebalance housing supply geographically across the district, improve sustainable transport measures and better connect rural areas. 3.3 In response to questions 32, 39 and 45, the pressing housing problems of Greater Cambridge and the undersupply of housing relative to economic growth present a strong case for the emerging Local Plan to consider all development scenarios including a review of the Green Belt. The constraints to housing growth within Cambridge, its fringe areas and the potential overreliance on new settlements presents further reason to secure Green Belt release when combined with the high growth needs of the area and the overarching need to deliver growth in a sustainable way. It is vital that less sensitive locations on the edge of Cambridge are reviewed for Green Belt release, taking in to account the opportunity to bring forward sustainable development in a location that arguably provides the best opportunity to influence and change people’s behaviours around travel and commuting and encourage adoption of more sustainable modes of transport. Development in these locations can support residents living sustainable lifestyles, as well as living in sustainable buildings. 3.4 The high level of housing delivery needed to sustain a rolling 5 year housing supply throughout the plan period is best met through a mix of housing sites and land availability. Sustainable growth of settlements surrounding Cambridge can make an important contribution to this objective, creating opportunity to rebalance housing supply geographically across the district and tie in with improved sustainable transport measures. Having assessed the reasonable options for meeting identified housing need set out in paragraph 137 of the NPPF, there appears to be a compelling case for Greater Cambridge Planning Service to initiate a review of the Cambridge Green Belt in order to best meet the challenges of its housing need and direct growth to sustainable locations, enhance the sustainability of existing rural settlements and promote sustainable travel in accordance with paragraphs 78, 103 and 138 of the NPPF.

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Response to Question 2 - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 2.1 Endurance Estates is promoting ‘Land east of Gazelle Way’ (“the Site”) for a sustainable new mixed-use community on the edge of Cambridge with great walking, cycling and public transport links to the City and its surrounds, all within an attractive landscape setting. A location plan is included at Appendix 1. 2.2 The proposed new mixed-use community has inter-generational living at its heart. It can deliver approximately 1,200 healthy and beautiful new homes and a dedicated 200 home later living village, alongside approximately 5ha of employment, new local centre with retail and community facilities and a primary school. It provides an opportunity to provide new strategic green infrastructure, which promotes biodiversity and healthy living and creates an attractive landscapesetting. 2.3 The proposals follow the 4 C’s of the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter and have been influenced by the Greater Cambridge Councils four Big Themes: Climate Change; Biodiversity and Green Spaces; Wellbeing and Social Inclusion; and Great Places. 2.4 Development on the edge of Cambridge provides the greatest opportunity to change behaviours, encouraging more sustainable living to reduce impact on the climate and work to achieving net zero carbon. Only by giving residents genuine and convenient alternatives to using private cars and providing an environment, which really stimulates healthy and energy-efficient living right from the start, can a change in behaviours and habits be realised. Further detail is provided below. Highly-accessible location 2.5 The Site is located on the edge of Cambridge, only three miles from the City Centre and within 5 miles of Cambridge’s key employment and leisure locations. The Site benefits from existing sustainable transport infrastructure, including access to existing cycle routes and bus service provision to access local amenities and facilities, as well as convenient access into the City Centre. The Site will also benefit from being located along the proposed Fulbourn Greenway route, in close proximity to the proposed new CAM network, and has potential to accommodate a new train station along the Cambridge-Ipswich line. The accessibility of the Site is not reliant on expensive major new infrastructure. The highly accessible location of the Site means that new residents would not be reliant on their cars to access jobs, shops or socialise either within the Site or within the City. Further detail is provided below. Existing cycling/walking opportunities 2.6 The Site already benefits from being within commutable cycling distance of local amenities, Cambridge City Centre, Cambridge Station and other key employment and leisure destinations, utilising existing transport infrastructure. Therefore, right from the start, new residents would have a genuine alternative to private car use for journeys to work, school and amenities day-to-day needs. Connecting to the Fulbourn Greenway 2.7 The Site is also directly on the route of the planned Fulbourn Greenway, which will run to the south of the Site and offer an attractive cycling and walking route into the City Centre and to Cambridge Station. The Fulbourn Greenway will provide additional cycling and walking connectivity for new residents to use and enjoy. 2.8 There are also a number of planned footway and cycleway improvements in the Cambridge area, which will provide wider connectivity across the City. Public Transport 2.9 The Site has good access to existing bus services connecting the Site to the City Centre and key employment locations. The bus stops on Gazelle Way to the west and Fulbourn Road to the east are served by the routes 16A, Citi 1 and Citi 2. Hinton Road and Fulbourn Old Drift south of the site and the railway are covered by Citi 1 and Citi 2. A journey with Citi 1 from Gazelle Way to Cambridge city centre takes 35 minutes with no changes. 2.10 There is also future potential to link into the proposed route along Newmarket Road for the Cambridge Autonomous Metro (CAM), a rapid mass transit system for the Cambridge area. 2.11 There is also the potential to create a new Train Station Hub on the Cambridge-Ipswich line. An area of land has been safeguarded within the Framework Masterplan to facilitate a new train station. This would be located adjacent to the existing and proposed employment uses to create an employment destination, connected by sustainable transportation. Inter- generational Living 2.12 Inter-generational living has been placed at the heart of the new community. 2.13 The analysis prepared by Healthcare Property Consultants shows that there is a significant ongoing undersupply of specialist housing for the elderly and registered care home provision. It also confirms that the Councils latest evidence does not identify the true extent of the need for older people housing within Greater Cambridge over the plan period. The current forecasts do not go beyond 2035 as the data is not available; thus, there is a greater need than currently anticipated. 2.14 In order to ensure the maximum health and wellbeing of the elderly Greater Cambridge population, future development needs to be of the correct form and mix, developed in the appropriate localities. 2.15 In addition, the wider housing needs of the local population benefit from the development of specialist housing for the elderly. With half of the homes subject to under occupation being in the 50 to 69 age group, the development of appropriate accommodation will enable larger family homes for young families to recirculate into the market place. 2.16 The inclusion of intergenerational and elderly persons housing as an integral part of the concept layout is of great benefit, being a clear, specific housing need and one that is growing due to the ageing population. Green Belt Mitigation 2.17 Paragraph 138 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) states that: “When drawing up or reviewing Green Belt boundaries, the need to promote sustainable patterns of development should be taken into account. Strategic policymaking authorities should consider the consequences for sustainable development of channelling development towards urban areas inside the Green Belt boundary, towards towns and villages inset within the Green Belt or towards locations beyond the outer Green Belt boundary. Where it has been concluded that it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give first consideration to land which has been previously-developed and/or is well-served by public transport. They should also set out ways in which the impact of removing land from the Green Belt can be offset through compensatory improvements to the environmental quality and accessibility of remaining Green Belt land.” 2.18 Green Belt is a planning designation and on balance release from it, at least in part, provides an opportunity to facilitate sustainable development, including the introduction of enhancements to biodiversity and promoting accessibility to the surrounding Green Belt. There is a compelling need for Greater Cambridge to initiate a review of the Cambridge Green Belt. 2.19 If the new Local Plan is to deliver against its four big themes and make a real step to address the climate emergency, then it must deliver development that can truly provide a sustainable way of living. To prioritise climate change will result in impacts to other planning considerations. The emerging Local Plan must grapple with the Green Belt and properly assess whether an allocation in the Green Belt should be made; if it provides the most sustainable and climate change benefits compared to those sites that happen to be outside of the Green Belt. 2.20 In this context Land at Gazelle Way would provide for a sustainable form of development and one that can help underpin the Council’s aspiration to move to a net zero carbon society. 2.21 If land is to be released from the Green Belt, then it should be from areas of lowest sensitivity. Within the Councils’ 2012 Inner Green Belt Study the majority of this Site is considered to be of ‘low significance’ and was of the lowest significance of all the Green Belt around Cambridge. 2.22 Furthermore, the proposals set out ways in which the impact of removing land from the Green Belt can be offset through compensatory improvements to the environmental quality and accessibility of remaining Green Belt land. ● Development contained within the areas of the Site which were considered to have low sensitivity; ● Retention of strategic green breaks between Teversham and Fulbourn; and ● New green infrastructure linking into the surrounding Green Belt promoting its accessibility. Responding to the Big Themes 2.23 Endurance Estates support the use of the Councils’ identified Big Themes (Climate Change; Biodiversity and Green Spaces; Social Inclusion and Wellbeing; and Great Places) in influencing how new homes, jobs and infrastructure is planned. 2.24 The table below provides a summary of how the allocation of a new community at Land at Gazelle Way can support the Councils’ Big Themes: BIG THEMES SITE OPPORTUNITIES Climate Change ● Offer alternatives to the car: located adjacent to existing and emerging sustainable transport modes, such as the Fulbourn Greenway, potential future rail, and existing Citi 1 bus route, the site has the potential to provide convenient alternatives to car travel. ● Low-carbon lifestyles: mixed-use community and ability to provide new to support local and community opportunities for growing food, through allotments and community orchards. ● Tree Planting: Enhancing existing woodland areas through new tree planting to contribute towards carbon offsetting within the site. ● Future-proofed buildings and spaces: homes which are resilient and adaptable to meet the needs of changing technologies, energy generation and the changing needs of households. Biodiversity and Green Spaces ● New wildlife corridors: opportunity to improve wildlife value of the network of ditches and drains present within the site, including enhancing and safeguarding the Caudle ditch and its connectivity with the Wilbraham Fens SSSI ● Fenland Park: create a Fenland Park between Teversham and Fulbourn to recreate the natural fen edge landscape of the area with naturalised water courses, scrapes, reed beds and copses. ● Net Gain: deliver biodiversity net gain across the site through a mix of publicly accessible and dedicated wildlife areas. ● Retention of existing ecology: existing hedges and woodland will be enhanced with native planting and maintained for nature conservation ● Playable, safe landscapes: connecting surrounding local open spaces, parks and accessibility to the surrounding Green Belt to promote a better connection with nature and active living. Social Inclusion and Wellbeing ● Inter-Generational Living: Promote true intergenerational living with homes where older people can remain within their community as they age, where different generations live next to one another, and with homes flexible layouts. ● Multi-generational living: consideration of a range of typologies and new ways of living that tackle individualism and isolation, including opportunities for self-build and custom-build homes. ● Support the existing community: provide space for existing local business, trades and creatives to create hubs of focus and shared knowledge and skills. ● Linear Wellbeing Parkland: Linear wellbeing parkland including play, fitness, sports pitches, gardens, community growing, orchard and education trails, to promote physical activity, social interaction and opportunities for 'quiet places'. BIG THEMES SITE OPPORTUNITIES ● Flexible workspace: start-up, incubator employment opportunities to allow people to work closer to home. Flexible and adaptable places and buildings that are able to respond to the community that will grow. Great Places ● Strategic Green Breaks: providing separation between Teversham and Fulbourn. ● Protecting the Ancient Monument: a new common created as a public open space provides protection to a currently at-risk feature and provides opportunity for education. ● Logical Layout: providing recognisable architectural and landscape features to aid general wayfind and areas of focus. ● A Distinctive Hierarchy of Routes: with vistas and linear parks assisting with orientation within the site and wider community. ● A Choice of Homes: A wide variety and mix of sizes, types and tenure of homes to cater for as many community groups as possible. Deliverability 2.25 Endurance Estates have a successful record of working with landowners, the local community and other key stakeholders to deliver large scale development. 2.26 The development proposals meet the definition of deliverable as set out within the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) as follows: ● Available: The Site is available to be allocated and there are no major infrastructure works required for development to commence. ● Suitable: It is suitable for development; there are no overriding technical constraints to development. The site is in a highly-accessible location given its proximity to Cambridge and ability to travel into and around the City within use of a private car. ● Deliverable: The Site is capable of delivering new homes within the early years of the plan period. Commencement of delivery is anticipated in 2025. 2.27 There are no known viability issues. Summary 2.28 In summary, the Site is in a highly accessibly location, close to existing local amenities and services and within 3 miles (15-minute cycle) of Cambridge City Centre and within 5 miles of key employment and leisure destinations. Future residents would have access to sustainable transport modes and would not be reliant on private car use. 2.29 It will provide affordable, healthy and beautiful homes to meet a variety of needs, set within walkable and highly sociable neighbourhoods encouraging residents to connect with their community, street and home creating a truly intergenerational, inclusive community. 2.30 The Site not only provides a sustainable location, but it encourages sustainable living. Only by giving residents genuine, convenient alternatives to using private cars and providing an environment which really stimulates healthy and energy-efficient living can a change in behaviours and habits be realised

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Nothing chosen

3.32 All uses of an appropriate scale could be included in every settlement. Mixed use site allocations are particularly appropriate in rural settlements and new settlements / urban expansions to enable local commercial and retail businesses to grow organically.

Nothing chosen

3.36 The Councils current supply side analysis for housing for the older population does not show the true extent of what is needed. Furthermore, it only forecasts needs to 2035. The new Greater Cambridge Local Plan will need to plan for a greater level of older people housing than currently anticipated by the Councils. Further detail is provided within the Greater Cambridge – Specialist Accommodation for the Elderly (February 2020) prepared by Healthcare Property Consultants.

3.44 Development on the edge of Cambridge provides the greatest opportunity to change behaviours, encouraging more sustainable living to reduce impact on the climate and work achieving net zero carbon. Only by giving residents genuine and convenient alternatives to using private cars and providing an environment, which really stimulates healthy and energy-efficient living right from the start, can a change in behaviours and habits be formed. 3.45 On balance, new development on the edge of Cambridge is best placed to do this and this will require releasing suitable land from the Green Belt. 3.46 This accords with Para. 138 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019, which states that Green Belt boundaries should be reviewed to reflect the need to promote sustainable patterns of development, as follows: “When drawing up or reviewing Green Belt boundaries, the need to promote sustainable patterns of development should be taken into account. Strategic policymaking authorities should consider the consequences for sustainable development of channelling development towards urban areas inside the Green Belt boundary, towards towns and villages inset within the Green Belt or towards locations beyond the outer Green Belt boundary. Where it has been concluded that it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, plans should give first consideration to land which has been previously-developed and/or is well-served by public transport. They should also set out ways in which the impact of removing land from the Green Belt can be offset through compensatory improvements to the environmental quality and accessibility of remaining Green Belt land.” 3.47 Green Belt is a planning designation and on balance release from it, at least in part, provides an opportunity to facilitate sustainable development and encourage a shift away from the use of private car.

Agree

"3.1 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. 3.2 The big themes are all intrinsically linked, with each one contributing towards achieving sustainable development. 3.3 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."

No choices made

Response to Question 42 4.7 No single solution will deliver a sound Local Plan; rather, a combination of approaches to the distribution of spatial growth will be necessary in order to establish the appropriate locations of new housing and employment development in the district. A hybrid approach will be required but underpinned with a focus on transport corridors and highly accessible areas. 4.8 The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (date) states that “the east side of the city offers significant scope for housing and commercial development. Such development would have the advantage of being close to the principal centres of employment and the existing rail infrastructure whilst also opening up opportunities for new transport links to connect the main centres of employment more effectively.” [CPIER p42]. 4.9 Development on the edge of Cambridge, where it can be shown to be well-connected and to become an integral part of the City, can provide a great opportunity to change behaviours, encouraging more sustainable living to reduce impact on the climate.

No choices made

The four big themes are all considered to be important aspects to achieving positive development. All four themes should be used to inform the spatial strategy within the Local Plan in terms of distributing growth and determining planning applications to deliver growth. The big themes are all intrinsically linked, with each one contributing towards achieving sustainable development. It is therefore not considered necessary to rank the options in order of preference.

No choices made

34. This is a rather blunt tool in which to assess the spatial approach and a flexible approach is likely to be more appropriate. The Cambridge & Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER), which was published in September 2018. Within the document, it concludes that 'Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is an area which already makes a huge contribution to the UK, and which holds great promise for the future. it also faces risks, which could bring the success to an end, and challenges relating to creating an inclusive society where economic growth works for everyone'. 35. One of its recommendations is that 'The Combined Authority should adopt a blended spatial strategy that includes a range of development locations. The current adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan places considerable emphasis on a small number of large new settlements or urban extensions, and given the need for 10% of housing allocations to be located on sites of less than 1 hectare it is clear that village locations will need to play a much greater role in meeting the housing need. While my client’s site is slightly over 1 hectare in size, it is certainly within the spirit of this policy approach, which aims to provide a more flexibility supply of housing land. 36. My client's site at land to the rear of Fisher’s Lane, Orwell is consistent with the conclusions of the CPIER, which advocate a blended approach. Indeed the CPIER approach acknowledges the advantages that a dispersed approach to allow some new homes and jobs to villages can have. It states that ‘Bringing new homes and jobs to towns and villages where populations are aging [such as Orwell] could bring new life into them’. 37. New development should be located strategically within the District, on sites that are both sustainable and suitable, such as my client’s site at land to the rear of Fisher’s Lane, Orwell. It is not appropriate to rank these options by those most and least preferred because an effective spatial strategy will be a blended approach of various options. However, as stated above, given the current South Cambridgeshire Local Plan’s significant focus on delivering most of the area’s growth in large new settlements or large urban extension, it is appropriate for the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan to acknowledge the problems and issues that a restrictive approach to development in villages has had over previous decades. This restrictive approach has coincided with a decline in many local shops, services, and facilities in many villages. While Orwell has been fortunate in retaining its public house, The Chequers, local village shop/post office, and primary school, additional housing growth that is commensurate with the size and scale of the village would help to ensure these facilities continue to survive, while at the same time enabling a wider range of housing types and tenures to meet local housing needs. There should be a reemphasis on the role of small and medium sized sites in villages in delivering growth given the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan’s principal focus on large new settlements and urban extensions around Cambridge. 38. Summary: A blended strategy is supported but specifically including development in villages and along public transport corridors.

No choices made

Response to Question 42 4.7 No single solution will deliver a sound Local Plan; rather, a combination of approaches to the distribution of spatial growth will be necessary in order to establish the appropriate locations of new housing and employment development in the district. A hybrid approach will be required but underpinned with a focus on transport corridors and highly accessible areas. 4.8 The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (date) states that “the east side of the city offers significant scope for housing and commercial development. Such development would have the advantage of being close to the principal centres of employment and the existing rail infrastructure whilst also opening up opportunities for new transport links to connect the main centres of employment more effectively.” [CPIER p42]. 4.9 Development on the edge of Cambridge, where it can be shown to be well-connected and to become an integral part of the City, can provide a great opportunity to change behaviours, encouraging more sustainable living to reduce impact on the climate.