Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

2.45 As set out, many villages within the Greater Cambridge area are sustainable in their own right, with local services and public transport facilities. Furthermore, a large number of villages in the area are in close proximity to the outer fringe of Cambridge. As such, several villages within the Greater Cambridge area are sustainable for the development of both jobs and homes. Therefore the new Local Plan should look to make an allocation for appropriate levels of employment and housing growth within and to the edges of villages. 2.46 Paragraph 72 of the NPPF sets out that ‘the supply of large numbers of new homes can often be best achieved through planning for larger scale development, such as new settlements or significant extensions to existing villages and towns, provided they are well located and designed, and supported by the necessary infrastructure and facilities.’ As such there is clear national policy encouragement for the growth of villages. Paragraph 78 adds that ‘planning policies should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services. Where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby’. 2.47 As has been demonstrated throughout these representations, Milton is such a village that is sustainable in its own right, but is also in very close proximity to Cambridge, and in particular is very near to Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Research Park, both major employment hubs. Milton is therefore a village that is able to accommodate a reasonable amount of new employment and housing growth in order to meet the needs of the area.

2.48 In order to achieve a move towards more sustainable modes of transport, and meet the net zero carbon target by 2050, it is considered very important that employment and residential development is sited along transport corridors. Without easy access to public transport, or cycling and walking routes, there will continue to be a reliance on the private car. 2.49 As has been set out above, Milton forms a sustainable location for development, largely owing to its location along a key transport corridor. Milton is bordered by both the A14 and the A10. Milton is highly accessible and is linked by a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A14 to the Cambridge Science Park. Cambridge Research Park is accessible by footway, cycle path and bus to the north along the A10. The site is some 1.0km from a Park and Ride site which gives direct access to the Science Park, the area covered by the North East Cambridge Area Action Plan and the Centre of Cambridge and within about 1.75km of Cambridge North Railway Station. Regular bus services serve the village linking it to Cambridge city centre to the south and Ely to the north, including the Guided Bus which has stops at the Science Park and Cambridge North Station. 2.50 The Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Sustainable Development Strategy (2012) states that ‘access to high quality public transport, including bus and rail services, as well as cycling and walking routes is a key objective of the existing development strategy’. This document aims to enable sustainable development. It states that ‘locating jobs, housing and other services in close proximity is a key objective…to make efficient use of land and reduce the need to travel.’ The allocation of the Land at Ely Road, Milton site for residential and employment development would satisfy this objective.

No choices made

Response to Question 42 2.38 The Issues and Options document provides 6 different locations where growth could be focused. These include the following: • Densification of existing urban areas • Edge of Cambridge: outside Green Belt • Edge of Cambridge: Green Belt • Dispersal: New settlements • Dispersal: Villages • Public transport corridors 2.39 It is considered that growth should be delivered in all of these locations. Many of the locations overlap, for example, public transport corridors will also likely be on the edge of Cambridge and through villages, as well as in the Green Belt. It is however clear that there are very limited opportunities for growth on the edge of Cambridge outside the Green Belt, with the only site being Cambridge Airport. This is however a very strategic scale of site and conditional upon the relocation of the airport after 2030. 2.40 Whilst densification of urban areas can provide for sustainable development, there is a finite limit as to how much growth can be delivered in this way. In addition, property prices in the urban area of Cambridge do not provide for the range of households that need to live in the area. As such it is important that development is delivered at the edge of the city, as well as within surrounding villages. This will ensure that a variety of housing can be delivered in order to meet local needs. 2.41 These representations have been clear in advocating new development in Milton. The village is considered to be a sustainable location for development and as such a degree of development should be sited there. The Land at Ely Road, Milton site would provide for an appropriate level of development that could incorporate residential, employment and generous amounts of public open space.