Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

4.40 New development can provide opportunities for improvements in the quality of the historic environment. For example, the setting of heritage assets often has elements that detract from the significance of the asset. However, it will be important for the Local Plan to balance heritage protection with the demands of growth and proposals affecting heritage assets should continue to be required to include for an assessment of significance of any heritage assets affected.

4.41 ‘Place-making’ – creating and sustaining a positive and distinctive character in an area – is important to the economic success of the Greater Cambridge area, as identified by the CPIER. This is also supported by the NPPF (paragraph 124) which confirms that good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, creates better places in which to live and work and helps make development acceptable to communities. 4.42 The NPPF continues by advising that plans should set out a clear design vision and expectations and design policies should be developed with local communities so they reflect local aspirations. To provide maximum clarity about design expectations at an early stage, plans or SPDs should use visual tools such as design guides and codes. The Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth sets out core principles of the level of quality to be expected in new developments in Cambridgeshire and the four ‘C’s’ of Community, Connectivity, Climate and Character align well with the four big themes of the emerging Local Plan. This forms a good basis to set out a design vision for the new Local Plan. 4.43 M Scott Properties Ltd has experience of working with the local community and Local Planning Authorities in preparing design briefs and design codes for Sites to agree the design principles prior to a more detailed scheme coming forward. M Scott Properties Ltd would be keen to explore the potential for this approach to be taken in respect of the emerging development proposals at Land at Frog End, Shepreth.

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5.1 As referred to in Section 2 of these representations, National Planning Policy confirms “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” (NPPF, paragraph 80). The approach taken should allow each area to build on its strengths, counter any weaknesses and address the challenges of the future. 5.2 Cambridge’s hi-technology clusters, particularly in AI, bio-tech and agri-tech are recognised in the UK Industrial Strategy as an essential element of the UK economy to support “…towns such as MK, Oxford and Cambridge (that) have been hot spots for job creation. We must promote growth through fostering clusters and connectivity across cities, towns and surrounding areas.” 5.3 Growth relies on increases in employment and productivity and 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 is a challenging target and needs to factor at the heart of the Plan. 5.4 Allocating Land at Frog End, Shepreth would facilitate a sustainable pattern of growth by providing a range of residential accommodation to meet local needs, alongside new space for employment provision and community infrastructure.

5.5 A wide variety of business and industrial space is most needed in Greater Cambridge, in terms of location, size, function and price, in order to support the growth of the economy, offering choice to meet an occupier’s individual needs: “The requirements for physical space, like finance, have stages. What a business needs in its start-up phase is different to its needs as it matures and grows. It is vital, if an innovation ecosystem is to be effective for there to be variety and availability at every stage1. 5.6 Flexible commercial space in urban and rural areas supports the growth of local business and strengthens opportunities for local supply chains to engage in the growth industries of the region. Local supply chains are recognised by the UK Government as a means of delivering ‘clean growth’ (UK Industrial Strategy) as they contribute to the Strategy’s mission to halve energy use in new buildings, partly by facilitation of local supply chains. 1 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019 p 41 Page 21 5.7 All new employment space should be located and built to maximise the health and wellbeing of employees and visitors. Healthy buildings in locations that reduce commute times and improve the sleep and wellbeing of its occupants contribute significantly to their productivity. Improving productivity is a primary route through which the Greater Cambridgeshire economic expansion objectives of doubling GVA and inclusive growth will be achieved. “If workers can be more productive, they can bring home more take home pay, which will flow into the local economy. And they will be able to enjoy a higher standard of life. It is this, before anything else, which needs to be looked at to create an inclusive economic future.” CPIER p38 5.8 In terms of local need for Shepreth, these representations support the case for provision of employment land that can accommodate a range of uses and occupiers, from incubation units for start-up businesses, as well as larger units for those already established. The Site offers a more affordable location for businesses, whilst also benefitting from close proximity to Shepreth railway station.

5.9 A broad range of employment opportunities accessible by active modes of transport (including public transport) needs to be maintained in urban and rural areas to ensure local jobs are available. All existing space and allocations should be assessed to understand their suitability for employment uses in the current climate of energy use reduction, the need for local employment, access for the workforce by public transport or active means of travel, which locations can deliver the highest health and wellbeing for workers and surrounding people.

5.10 Whilst the focus of Cambridge is the Science and Technology sector as the driving force of the economy, there is a requirement for a range of job opportunities, in urban and more rural areas. The Local Plan policy framework needs to provide for a full range of opportunities; as planned allocations and windfall employment opportunities.

5.11 The UK industrial Strategy advocates focusing on our strengths, “fostering clusters and connectivity across cities, towns and surrounding areas” 2 Sites which support these clusters are necessary and could be urban, edge of town or rural. 2 UK Industrial Strategy 2017 p18 Page 22 5.12 Locations with high levels of public transport access should be identified for businesses with high employment densities. This would include sites within walking distance of train stations, travel hubs and along transport corridors. “by ensuring good quality public transport is in place before development, the number of those new residents who will use the transport is maximised. This is also likely to be the best way to stretch some of the high-value businesses based within and around Cambridge out into wider Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. These companies will not want to be distant from the city, but these clusters could ‘grow’ out along the transportation links, providing connection to other market towns.” 3 Non-knowledge intensive companies tend to be more footloose and typically locate where premises are provided rather than through bespoke development, while some companies expand from humbler often rural beginnings in converted buildings. To enable this growth, dynamic employment locations in settlements of all sizes and classification should be allocated or be permissible, with larger concentrations of floorspace in areas with better public transport and access to active modes of travel. CPIER supports this position noting that deeper networks on smaller clusters on the periphery of Cambridge could help spread the ‘Cambridge effect’. 3 CPIER p41

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). 6.2 The NPPF also advises that strategic policies in Local Plans should be informed by a local housing need assessment. Within this context, the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community should be assessed and reflected in planning policies (including, but not limited to, those who require affordable housing, families with children, older people, students, people with disabilities, service families, travellers, people who rent their homes and people wishing to commission or build their own homes (NPPF Para. 60-61).

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6.3 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. 6.4 Furthermore, housing requirements are minimums, not maximums to stay under at all costs. There is a well-evidenced 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.”4 6.5 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. This is also supported in the Housing Market Report prepared by Bidwells LLP that accompanies these representations. 6.6 The Greater Cambridge area has experienced economic success which generates a need for a labour greater than its resident population can serve, and so places an increasing pressure on the housing market. A lack of housing supply in the face of such demand has reduced the affordability of homes, particularly for those in lower incomes. 6.7 The housing requirement for the Greater Cambridge area for the next Local Plan period must take into account the economic and affordability context; to reflect the housing-pressure already in the system arising from economic growth already experienced and to take account of the aspiration to see that economic growth continue, which is most clearly expressed by the CPIER to double the GVA of the Combined Authority area, which itself is driven by the success of Greater Cambridge. This will be further fuelled by the extensive infrastructure improvements planned or committed for the area. 6.8 Without a significant increase in the volume of house building, to serve all employment locations, economic growth in Greater Cambridge will stall. In the words of the IEC: “it is indisputable that high rates of employment growth have put great strain on the housing market in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, particularly around Cambridge. The result is exceedingly high living costs, longer commutes, social stratification, and extra cost for business. Ambitions for house building should be increased to deal with a housing deficit that has grown up following under-projections of growth.” (CPIER, p 77) 6.9 It is clear from a number of different and objective housing studies and models that the quantum of land required for new housing must be significantly above that currently planned for; this is certainly the case to be able to meaningfully address the worsening affordability issue and to support the planned economic growth. 4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Industrial Strategy 2019, p13

6.10 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. 6.11 Flexibility will be key to a successful Local Plan; through market housing, low-cost and affordable housing. 6.12 A housing needs survey has not been specifically conducted for Shepreth. It is recognised that engagement with the local community and Housing Officers will be required in respect of emerging proposals at Land at Frog End, Shepreth to achieve a suitable mix of dwellings on site to meet the housing need of the local community.