Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

As identified above, the Councils will need to look closely at the extent to which development needs can be met without taking Green Belt land, even with the availability of the airport for development. Green Belt land can be released for development where that is necessary to meet the need for sustainable development. As part of that review, it is likely that Green Belt land will need to be released on the edge of Cambridge and land to the east of the airport shown in this submission is a primary candidate. The east of Cambridge is relatively less sensitive in Green Belt terms than other locations and the release of land here as part of a comprehensively planned urban expansion would secure additional benefits from the synergy which the land can have with development of the airport site. It is recognises that there are some careful considerations in releasing Green Belt in this area, including (for instance) the setting and identity of Teversham village, which Marshall believes can be protected and retained through the design of the development and its green infrastructure strategy.

The importance of the Big Themes identified in the Issues & Options is such that the spatial strategy of the Plan must optimise sustainable choices adjacent to Cambridge rather than dispersing growth and encouraging increased travel.

There is merit in siting development along transport corridors where sites are supported by a regular public transport service and where the use of private cars can genuinely be discouraged. The extent of development along these corridors should be considered in the round alongside other constraints, particularly where these corridors extend beyond defined settlements into the countryside. The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has instructed the preparation of a public transport study which will explore how to improve journey times into the city from the east for public transport users, pedestrians and cyclists. One of the key areas of study will include the Cambridge Airport site. The GCP is developing the eastern corridor to form the first phase of the CAM. The Cambridge East site would align with this study and the proposals for an eastern arm of the CAM. The eastern access proposals and growth strategy are explicitly linked, i.e. neither element can come forward without the other.

No choices made

In order for the GCPS to plan at a scale necessary to generate investment for significant infrastructure and to meet the housing and employment needs of the area, it is Marshall's view that the new Local Plan should adopt a strategy that combines the different locations for focusing growth. This view aligns with the outcomes of the CPIER and its recommendation that the Combined Authority should adopt a 'blended spatial strategy' to growth. The CPIER states: "what is clear is that none of these approaches on their own are likely to work - there is a need for balance and flexibility to ensure the urban form best meets the needs of residents, businesses, and the environment". Densification of existing urban areas is a logical place for development and is likely to score highly in relation to sustainability. However, this option alone will be insufficient in terms of land capacity to accommodate the housing and employment needs for the area. As identified above, as part of a review of housing need and available / suitable land, it is likely that Green Belt land will need to be released on the edge of Cambridge and land to the east of the Airport is a primary candidate. Realistically, the edge of Cambridge options (both in and out of the Green Belt) are the only options likely to generate the quantity of land in sustainable locations that are suitable for development.