Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

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Response to Question 7 3.4 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.

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Response to Question 7 2.1 We would agree with the proposed big themes for the Local Plan and as our response below sets out, these are all interlinked to a certain extent in the provision of new homes, infrastructure and jobs. Therefore, in response to question 7 we would not look to prioritise these themes in any way. We have continued to evolve our proposals for Comberton from those submitted at the call for sites stage, which includes ensuring that they are consistent with the four big themes as set out further below, consistent with the Vision Document submitted with these representations. Climate Change 2.2 The consultation document defines climate change as “how the plan can contribute to achieving net zero carbon, and the mitigation and adaption measures that should be required through developments.” 2.3 Comberton comprises a sustainable location in good proximity to Cambridge with a regular bus service with increased frequency in peak times and real-time travel information, together with easy access to the proposed Comberton Greenway off-road footway and cycleway. It therefore represents an excellent opportunity for a modal shift away from the use of the private car and encouraging commuting by cycle and bus. In addition, Comberton is also highly sustainable in terms of its local services and facilities, including the Sixth Form college that are all within easy walking and cycling distance from the site. 2.4 The move away from the use of the private car will be further encouraged by the high permeability built into the masterplan connecting into the existing footpath network and allowing easy access to local facilities, bus stops and the Comberton-Cambridge Greenway. This will be further supported by enhancements to Long Road and Branch Road with footway and cycleway provision. 2.5 The proposed retirement village will also bring its own facilities in the form of flexible social and meeting space, health spa and gym which will be made available to existing local residents who will be able to walk and cycle to these facilities given the site’s high permeability removing the need to travel longer distances to such facilities by private car. 2.6 The provision of the retirement village will have a centralised heat network and it is anticipated that both the later living and residential development will be constructed in a high energy performing manner. Biodiversity & Green Spaces 2.7 The consultation document defines this as ”how the plan can contribute to our ‘doubling nature’ vision, the improvement of existing and creation of new green spaces.” The Comberton site is currently in arable production with limited habitat and vegetation restricted to the field margins at the edge of the site. 2.8 The concept masterplans demonstrate how the proposals will demonstrate a net biodiversity gain with the inclusion of blue/green corridors around and through the proposals and new formal and informal public green space. This will include enhanced boundary planting with the potential for a community woodland and other community benefits can include an extension to the existing allotments and also an enhancement to the current playing field facilities. The retirement village will also be established in a high-quality soft landscape providing further green space within the development. 2.9 A fundamental component of the green space and biodiversity provision is that this will be multi-functional with boundary landscaping enhancing biodiversity, tree cover and with the ability to delivery green trails, informal play and community woodland. Similarly sustainable drainage can also provide biodiversity benefits together with enhancement to the ditch along the western boundary. Wellbeing and Social Inclusion 2.10 The consultation document defines wellbeing and social inclusion as ”how the plan can help spread the benefits of growth creating healthy and inclusive communities.” 2.11 It is considered that well-being and social inclusion are at the core of the proposals for Comberton. 2.12 The southern part of the site includes the provision of a later-living retirement village. This location has been specifically chosen to ensure that residents can easily access existing services and facilities within the village, as well as ensuring existing residents can easily access facilities within the retirement village. 2.13 A number of services and facilities within the retirement village core will be available for all existing and future residents within Comberton to access and enjoy. Such provision could include the clubhouse which will provide flexible space for a variety of uses and spa facilities, as well as a gym. 2.14 It is considered that by providing these facilities it will allow for the existing and new communities to integrate and allow for social inclusion and the wellbeing of all residents. 2.15 The residential proposals will include affordable housing to meet the identified demand within Greater Cambridge with the potential to include, for example, ‘First Homes’ which is currently being consulted on by the Government until 3rd April but seeks to get more people onto the housing ladder. Self-build homes are also being considered as part of the housing mix. 2.16 The proposal shown on the Concept Plan demonstrates a high degree of permeability linking into the existing footpath and cycleway network, again encouraging integration but also promoting opportunities to walk and cycle, including enhancements to Branch Road and Long Road. In particular the site can benefit from the proposed Comberton Greenway which will provide safe off-road cycling opportunities to commute into Cambridge. Indeed, with the infrastructure investment into the Greenway, we would suggest this should assist the delivery of sustainable growth in Comberton with the site uniquely positioned to take advantage of such development and commute by alternatives to the private car. Great Places 2.17 This is defined as ”how the plan can protect what is already great about the area, and design new developments to create special places and spaces.” 2.18 The responses above and the Concept Masterplan and Vision Document set out the ability to provide a high quality development that with the inclusion of later living provision, will meet demand across generations, contributing to wellbeing and social inclusion. The Vision Document in particular provides some examples of high-quality care village developments both in terms of the building design, layout and soft landscaping undertaken by providers who we are in conversation with to bring forward the provision on this site. 2.19 The site has development on 2 sides and will not encroach into the wider countryside but will complement the form of Comberton augmented by the multi-functional landscaping. In addition, the permeability of the site and ability for existing residents to access facilities within the retirement village will assimilate the proposals into Comberton and also see the proposals benefit from the committed Comberton Greenway.

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Response to Question 7 13. Further to the above, whilst Climate Change is the most important theme that we should be focussing on tackling both at a national and local level, we believe that the big themes are equally as important as one another and agree with the statements regarding each one within the consultation document. To achieve sustainable development, we need to balance economic, social and environmental sustainability factors equally. For sustainable development to be brought forward across Greater Cambridge, the four big themes will need to be balanced depending on the surrounding environment of sites in which development is proposed to take place. 14. As the NPPF states, the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and should ‘meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. 15. Summary: Support giving equal weight to each of the four big themes and opposition to an arbitrary ranking of them.