Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Please refer to the Sustainability Vision Statement which seeks out opportunities to bring the big themes to life in every aspect of the project.

Please refer to the Sustainability Vision Statement which seeks out opportunities to bring the big themes to life in every aspect of the project.

Please refer to the Sustainability Vision Statement which seeks out opportunities to bring the big themes to life in every aspect of the project.

Please refer to the Sustainability Vision Statement which seeks out opportunities to bring the big themes to life in every aspect of the project.

The relocation of the airport, and the scale of opportunity for development that this presents, brings the potential to integrate the area into the built and natural environment of Cambridge. The land is relatively free from constraints, including nearby heritage assets, and provides an outstanding opportunity not only to meet Cambridge's continuing housing and employment requirements, but to do so as part of a comprehensive, planned, world class development. Cambridge East represents an opportunity of unprecedented scale and strategic significance, and it is this scale of opportunity that enables growth that is integrated (rather than separated) and is complementary to the existing city centre and its related heritage.

Nothing chosen

The four Big Themes set out in the emerging Plan must be achieved alongside the provision of new homes, jobs and infrastructure – which are also referred to as pillars of the plan. We recognise that these pillars are development types, and the Big Themes cut across each of them, but we feel it is important to recognise that the Big Themes are only relevant insofar as they shape and support the delivery of growth (i.e. homes, jobs and infrastructure). Indeed, without the change and investment that growth can bring, the Themes cannot be achieved. We would encourage the Councils increase the emphasis on the importance of these pillars as they are clearly pivotal to the growth and economic prosperity of the area. It is important that these three strands are balanced in order to deliver sustainable communities that function efficiently. In terms of economic growth, the CPIER confirms that the Combined Authority has a growth target of doubling GVA over 25 years, as set out in its Devolution Deal. The CPIER recognises that, in order to achieve this in part, the Combined Authority will seek to attract knowledge-intensive businesses which would not locate elsewhere in the UK. The Councils have jointly committed to embracing the recommendations of the CPIER through a Growth Ambition Statement, that was presented and agreed at the Combined Authority Board Meeting in November 2018. The scale of the opportunity at Cambridge East is unprecedented and would provide a substantive contribution to meeting the city's employment needs, but without compromising its housing potential. Cambridge East has the capacity to provide 38,000 new jobs across a variety of sectors, both skilled and unskilled.

Marshall's vision for the site is to create a new cultural, living and working Cambridge quarter which combines the highest standards of modern living and working. A key part of this will be a research anchor, which will be integrated with homes, retail, cafes and restaurants and sporting facilities, in order to provide the next expansion area for Cambridge's life sciences and learning institutions. Cambridge East would be ideally scaled and located to provide for the expansion of the University of Cambridge.

Paragraph 117 of the NPPF encourages Councils to place emphasis on the effective use of land, i.e. meeting the need for homes and other uses, while safeguarding and improving the environment and ensuring safe and healthy living conditions. Paragraph 118 of the NPPF promotes and supports under-utilised land and buildings, especially if this would help to meet identified needs for housing where land supply is constrained and available sites could be used more effectively. Marshall's existing employment floorspace at Cambridge East is not being lost through the development of the site, but is being re-located and improved to revive the business by responding to its current needs. This opens up an opportunity to redevelop the site, maximise the site's development potential and provide new employment floorspace that is more fit for purpose. Planning policy should not be a barrier to change where this change would enable the effective use of land, resulting in significant public benefits for the Greater Cambridge area.

The CPIER Key Recommendation 3 suggests that "the UK Government should adopt a 'Cambridge or overseas' mentality towards knowledge intensive (KI) business in this area, recognising that in an era of internal connectivity and footloose labour, many high-value companies will need to relocate abroad if this area no longer meets their needs. Ensuring that Cambridge continues to deliver for KI businesses should be considered a nationally strategic priority." In recognition of this, early proposals for Cambridge East have included a significant level of floorspace, including floorspace dedicated to a research anchor that will align with the CPIER's priority for knowledge-intensive business in the area. The scale of the opportunity will allow for the provision of a wide mix of employment, both skilled and unskilled, across a range of sectors. Marshall would like to engage with the Councils and work collaboratively to establish what employment provision is required and can be accommodated at Cambridge East. The proposals for Cambridge East will include a significant amount of floorspace aimed at knowledge intensive businesses, but it is important to understand that these types of businesses and industries are host to a whole range of jobs across a wide skills profile. There will be high skilled professions but also a high proportion of mid-level occupation and lower skilled occupation that are needed to support these businesses. This includes roles such as resourcing and administration, technical support roles and other elementary positions. This will great employment opportunities for lower skilled workers, those without higher level education and entry level workers. These types of jobs offer the opportunity for in work training and progression and important in the context of the labour market as a whole. In addition, the jobs accommodated by the B class floorspace proposed, Cambridge East will deliver a whole range of community facilities to support the new residential population (and working population). This will include employment in education, health, community services, leisure, transport and retail. These types of uses will have a broad range of employment opportunities across the skill profile, but also across a range of sectors.

In terms of site-specific locations for where growth should go, Cambridge East is the only location specifically identified in the CPIER. CPIER Paragraph 42 states: "In Cambridge specifically, though there are limitations to the growth of the city in other directions, the east side of the city offers significant scope for housing and commercial development. Such development would have the advantage of being close to the principal centres of employment and the existing rail infrastructure whilst also opening up opportunities for new transport links to connect the main centres of employment more effectively. Most significantly, it includes land which has previously been safeguarded for development and is within the boundaries of the existing urban area so would provide opportunities in line with the existing spatial strategy." The principle of residential and employment uses have already been established at Cambridge East through the AAP and this site is the primary candidate for large-scale mixed use development that can meet a range of employment needs.