Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

5.23 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 or cycle to jobs, schools, shops, services and social activities. 5.24 Tenure blind development, with flexible housing mix policies to allow for the right homes in the right location. A clearer policy framework to support housing for elderly persons and increasing need for a range of homes and supported living. 5.25 Socially inclusive communities are created by people, but it helps if infrastructure is provided in time for first residents, either as a temporary facility or a smaller version of the final product. Ensure that support systems/management strategies are in place for community infrastructure. In new settlements, community development workers are key to establishing links between people and opening connecting newcomers to the wider environment. 5.26 Build in public realm to all forms of development (housing, employment and leisure) which encourages informal meeting and ‘bumping’ into people.

5.27 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 and opportunities for social interaction is a priority. 5.28 Providing open space within developments where possible, alongside a policy framework to allow for off-site enhancements where appropriate, particularly when they can improve provision for existing communities. Standards within policies that determine the quantity and quality of provision should reflect an evidence based assessment of need and benefits delivered. 5.29 Consider the needs of all age ranges and abilities in the detailed design of open spaces and public realm.

5.30 Principally through the reduced use of polluting vehicles by: ● Locating development, where there is good access to active travel and affordable, frequent, reliable and high quality public transport options; ● Better cycle lanes, parking and cycle security – achieved by developments directly and through a coordinated s106 infrastructure programme. 5.31 Tree planting along road frontages: species selected for their pollution absorbing properties.

6.1 There should be flexibility within the Local Plan to respond to changing housing needs over the Local Plan period. It is important to identify a baseline housing need but there should be scope for further development to come forward if it meets a particular housing need. This would support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes to ensure that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed and that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements are addressed (NPPF Para. 59).

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6.2 To support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, a sufficient amount and variety of land needs to be identified to meeting housing needs within the Joint Local Plan area. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) (September 2018) suggests that higher housing target numbers are likely to be needed in Cambridgeshire if the potential for higher growth in employment is to be met. 6.3 Housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a wellevidenced affordability problem in Greater Cambridge; a greater supply of homes will be part of the solution. “Too many of the people working in Cambridge have commutes that are difficult, long and growing: not out of choice, but necessity due to high housing costs.”1 1 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13

7.1 The site is ideally located to encourage future residents to use sustainable modes of travel. The site presents an opportunity to provide and improve permeability and connectivity links within the village of Histon and Impington for existing and new residents. This in turn would contribute to maintaining a strong sense of community and ensuring there are safe and sustainable modes of transport. 7.2 Page 32 of the Masterplan Delivery and Vision Document seeks a proposed pedestrian and cycle link through our client’s land to connect with the village’s existing footpath/cycle network maximising opportunities for convenient nonvehicular access and providing easy and safe routes to Impington village centre. The nearest bus stop is 500m from site with services to Cambridge every 20 minutes. The Guided Busway is 1km from the site and provides road-free cycle and pedestrian access both into Cambridge and towards St Ives. Cambridge North Train Station is approximately 3.5km from the site boundary. The guided busway provides a direct route to the station.

6.7 Local Plan policies can require a high standard of design for new residential development, leading from Government policy and guidance. Appropriately worded design policies should require a high quality design for new dwellings. This could include sustainable design principles including measures to improve the energy efficiency of new homes, water saving measures, use of efficient insulation material and heating systems, the reduction and recycling of construction materials, provision of appropriate amenity space and accessibility. Policy should not be prescriptive as to precisely how it should be accomplished, it can set a policy-level, but developers should be able to use a range of options to achieve the target.

6.4 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. 6.5 Flexibility will be key to a successful Local Plan; through market housing, low-cost and affordable housing. 6.6 The site has the potential to deliver up to 50 homes and would comprise both market and affordable housing of a range of size, type and tenures to meet needs of not only the local community but the wider district. This is in line with the aspirations and objectives of the Histon and Impington Neighbourhood Plan. The proposals would therefore respond adequately to the challenges and opportunities of the different components of the community.

7.3 The client is supportive of the promotion of non-car and active modes of travel and delivering a highly connected, and accessible development by walking, cycling and public transport.

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8.1 The Local Plan should be focussed on providing sustainable development in the most appropriate locations. To prioritise the four big themes will result in some development impacts. 8.2 Notwithstanding the underlying purposes of the Green Belt (Para. 134 of the NPPF), where it can be demonstrated that appropriate development can be brought forward in the Green Belt, sites should be considered within the context of their individual circumstances. Applications should be considered in the context of Para. 136 of the NPPF, providing an assessment as to whether it can be demonstrated that a proposed development would bring substantial benefits, outweighing the loss of Green Belt land, thereby demonstrating exceptional circumstances needed to justify Green Belt release. In accordance with Para. 138, Green Belt boundaries should be reviewed to reflect the need to promote sustainable patterns of development, and particularly, if the land has been previously developed or is well-served by public transport, there should be policy provision to allow for a consideration of this in order to determine Green Belt planning applications within the emerging Local Plan.