Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

3.19 One way to help support good growth which promotes wellbeing and social inclusion is allocating sites which provide comprehensively planned new mixed-use communities. These can be planned as socially inclusive and healthy environments, offering a variety of new homes and amenities. 3.20 Land at Gazelle Way provides an opportunity to create a new mixed-use community centred on inter-generational living, offering 1,200 new homes, a dedicated 200 home later living village, together with approximately 5ha of employment opportunities, local centre with retail and community facilities, with walking, cycling and public transport links to the City and beyond. Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2019) recognises the role that larger scale development can have if they are well located and designed, supported by the necessary infrastructure and facilities. The scale of development provides a greater scope to deliver net environmental gains, to provide a variety of homes to meet the needs of different groups in the community and can provide sustainable communities with access to services and employment opportunities. 3.21 It is important that the Councils assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community; this should be reflected in planning policies. This will ensure the delivery of a sufficient supply of homes as outlined under Paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019. 3.22 A new community at Land at Gazelle Way can provide a variety of housing types to meet the different needs within the community. It can provide a range of affordable housing types and tenures; inclusive of all the definitions set out within the National Planning Policy Framework. It has the ability to deliver self-build/custom-build opportunities and include any new tenures such as First Homes if they come forward.

3.23 First and foremost, to form a spatial strategy that ensures that new development is accessible or can be made accessible. Providing everyone with the opportunity to walk, bus and cycle to jobs, schools, shops, services and social activities.

3.24 A spatial strategy that can support connected spaces where people do not have to rely on the private car for their daily routine of school, work, shopping and leisure. Enabling active lifestyles is a priority. Residents in a new mixed-use community at Land at Gazelle Way would have access to the proposed Fulbourn Greenway, offering an attractive commuting and recreational cycling and walking route to promote physical activity. Residents would also have access to new footpath/cycle routes and open green spaces within the development. All these elements will contribute to changing behaviours and habits so that people live sustainably and healthy lifestyles.

3.25 The new Local Plan should allocate new development in locations which minimise the need to use polluting vehicles. It should also promote the inclusion of new green spaces and tree planting in new development to provide good outdoor air quality. 3.26 A new mixed-use community at Land at Gazelle Way, located on the edge of Cambridge and has direct access to numerous cycling and walking routes and public transport services, minimising the need for residents to use private cars. The landscape setting and scope of development also gives the ability to provide extensive areas of strategic green infrastructure and meaningful levels of new tree planting to provide good outdoor air quality for residents.

Very important

3.27 The National Planning Policy Framework 2019 states that significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development (paragraph 80). 3.28 Growth relies on increases in employment and productivity. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) emphasises the need for productivity growth in this region as employment rates are so high. Economic growth is therefore essential for the next Local Plan. As part of the devolution contract to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a commitment to doubling the economic output of the area (Gross Value Added) over 25 years; this ambition needs to be at the very heart of the Plan. 3.29 A mixed-use community at Land at Gazelle Way will provide new homes within easy reach of both existing and new jobs via sustainable transport. The Site can deliver approximately 5ha of new employment land, along with employment opportunities within the retail and community facilities. This will make a valuable contribution to the diversity and range of jobs available for new and existing local residents, supporting both the local and wider Greater Cambridge economy.

3.30 A range of flexible business spaces which are accessible by sustainable transport modes is needed. Flexible business space within new mixed-use communities can provide the space needed to enable local commercial and retail businesses to grow organically. A new employment area is proposed as part of a new mixed-use community at Land at Gazelle Way. This can offer a variety of floorspaces for existing and new businesses to grow. It also provides employment opportunities close to homes, reducing commuting patterns and congestion.

3.31 There is an opportunity to provide new B1 uses as part of a comprehensively planned mixed-use community on the edge of Cambridge. New B1 employment space on the edge of Cambridge would benefit from high levels of connectivity allowing employees to walk, cycle, and use public transport to travel to work.

3.33 Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 recognises the role that larger scale development can have in supplying a large number and variety of new homes: “The supply of large numbers of new homes can often be best achieved through planning for larger scale development, such as new settlements or significant extensions to existing villages and towns, provided they are well located and designed, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and facilities”. 3.34 As part of a hybrid approach to the spatial strategy, the new Local Plan should allocate larger scale developments where new homes can be delivered in highly-accessible locations with walking, cycling and public transport links, promoting healthy living and sustainable lifestyles. Such development can deliver a wide range of housing types and tenures to meet housing needs across all groups in the community. 3.35 Growth on the edge of Cambridge has the benefit of being able to foster more sustainable travel patterns and promote change in behaviours so residents live and work more sustainably.

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.

3.37 There should be flexibility within the Local Plan to respond to changing housing needs over the Local Plan period. Consideration of individual site circumstances and the circumstances of a local area should be taken into account to determine the appropriate type of housing for development sites. Separate housing needs assessments should be used to inform the appropriate size, type and tenure of housing needed for different sections of the community, as set out within the Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy 2019-2023. 3.38 It is important that the Councils assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community; this should be reflected in planning policies. This will ensure the delivery of a sufficient supply of homes as outlined under Paragraph 61 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019. 3.39 The Housing Delivery Study (February 2020) prepared by Barton Willmore also highlights the low levels of affordability within the City and South Cambridgeshire. The need to provide a range of affordable housing tenures is critical to attract workers in the professional, scientific and technology’ and human health and social work’ sectors of employment. 3.40 The new Local Plan should provide sufficient new homes for older people. The Government’s Planning Practice Guidance clearly advises that the need to provide housing for older people is critical. Therefore, an understanding of how the ageing population affects housing needs is something to be considered from the early stages of plan-making through to decision-taking (Paragraph: 001 Reference ID: 63-001-20190626). Furthermore, plans will need to provide for specialist housing for older people where a need exists, with innovative and diverse housing models where appropriate. 3.41 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. 3.42 Allocating larger scale development with the scope to include a wide range of affordable housing and specialist accommodation can help meet some of this need. Especially where all groups in society has easy access to jobs, shops and services via sustainable transport modes. A new mixed use community at Land at Gazelle Way offers this opportunity. It is in a highly accessible location on the edge of Cambridge and can be comprehensively planned to offer a range of housing for all generations within a vibrant and attractive landscape setting.