Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Girton College has secured outline planning consent for development under a masterplan proposal. The first Reserved Matters application will be submitted in 2022 in line with this outline consent. As part of the Outline consent application documentation, the Sustainability Statement referred to in the Sustainability Statement and Health Impact Assessment, makes reference to Development Control Policy NE/3 which at the time required developments to achive at least 10% of its energy demand via renewable energy sources. This is not at all ambitious and is seemingly superceeded by the aspirations of the emerging Sustainable Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document which we believe will be adpoted at some point this year, 2020. We have aspirations for any development under this Outline Masterplan consent to be net carbon zero. We also aim to reduce, as far as reasonably practicable, the fossil fuel reliance of the existing College buildings by potentially providing on site generation, such as ground source, air source and PV to service the current demand. Clearly there is a balance between this need and other issues such as enhancing biodiversity on the site, the setting of the Grade 2* buildings, noise, air quality etc, but we do not see why these can not be met with careful planning and design. Whilst there are opportunities under the National Planning Policies for such mitigation measures for on site generation within the Green Belt under 'special circumstances', this would appear to be currently at odds with the wider need for climate mitigation measures and emerging policies. In conclusion we would support the ability to achieve carefully planned and considered on site energy generation within the Green Belt to meet both the College's needs and aspirations, but also the need for climate change mitigation.

Q8 Summary of Comments: The College would support the ability to achieve carefully planned and considered on site energy generation within the Green Belt.

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