Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Savills (UK) Ltd has been instructed by Cambridgeshire Constabulary to make representations to the current Issues and Options consultation stage in the context of the review of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Our clients support the move to create a Local Plan to cover both City and South Cambridgeshire District Council having regard to the clear symbiotic relationship that exists between the two areas and in the circumstances where effectively the policies of one authority to an extent dictate the future development of another. In that context, the Council will be aware of the moves to create a new Cambridgeshire Southern Policing Station which would involve the closure and relocation of the existing police station at Parkside in central Cambridge. The Parkside site was identified in the Local Plan in 2006 (allocation 5.12) and also in the current 2018 plan (site M4) as a site capable of accommodating around 50 dwellings. The site lies within the Kite Conservation area designated in 1969, extended in 1993 and 1997 and allocated as a separate conservation area in November 2018. The Kite Conservation Area Appraisal identifies Parkside as a Building of Local Interest (BLI) commenting that the property is “a good, relatively unaltered example of its type”. The policy context contained within the 2018 adopted plan provided the background against which feasibilities were undertaken to assess the redevelopment potential of Parkside in the circumstances where those facilities would need to close. The closure of the site and its redevelopment for other uses has clearly been considered in the past having regard to the allocation and it was also the subject of a Call for Sites submission made in 2019 where representations were put to the Council to amend the description with the plan to read “mixed use for hotel and or housing (including affordable housing) and B1 offices – the capacity to be determined at the design stage”. A feasibility study undertaken by the project team was the focus for a pre-application enquiry with the City Council in late summer 2019 and necessarily considered a range of options in terms of development uses as well as scale and massing. A key issue is of course the status of the police station as a Building of Local Interest and the weight that the Council put on such a designation. From the informal conversations and responses from officers at our meeting in respect in the proposed redevelopment of Parkside, the officers confirmed that the police car park and the gym towards the rear of the site did not fall within the BLI designation and there is no merit in those buildings and structures being retained as part of any new development. With respect to the police station itself the officers stated that if the police station building was retained and reused then it would comply with policy. However, it will continue to be important to further analyse the merits of the BLI status in the circumstances where, for example, the adopted Historic Core Appraisal (Parkside frames one side of Parkers Piece) includes text which states “whilst its architecture is relatively stark a use of dark grey concrete provides a contrast with the gault brick of surrounding buildings, the Police Station was designed to be in sympathy with the scale and rhythm of the regency villas beside it. Today, however, it horizontal emphasis appears in incongruous with its neighbours to the west.”. The Core Appraisal plan shows the forecourt as a poor quality feature notwithstanding the presence of a tree preservation order in the middle of that area. Our client’s view is that this highly sustainable location fronting Parkers Piece provides a hugely significant opportunity for a high quality development to come forward and that one in our view would significantly improve the visual character of the frontage in the circumstances where the removal of the Police Station in its entirety should be considered as a benefit. There are clear differences of opinion in terms of the justification as to the status of this particular building as a BLI and we consider that the opportunity that is presented with this new local plan review provides the authority to reconsider the comprehensive redevelopment of this site with an underlying acceptance that the Police Station does not qualify as a BLI and is thus not considered a constraint to development. Our analysis has looked at the adaptability of a building which was purpose built for police use at that moment in time. The removal of this constraint to the site opens up the possibility for a much more holistic look at the whole of the site and the opportunity to create an exciting new frontage to one of the most attractive local environments within the city. Whilst the existing 2018 Local Plan policy merely refers to the site as being allocated for approximately 50 dwellings, we consider that the site firstly, remains as an allocation but secondly should be the subject of more detailed analysis to enable a more informed policy to be constructed in due course. To that end, there are a few key points which we consider are relevant to the formulation of policy and which have been the subject of discussion as part of the pre-application process: • The reference to approximately 50 dwellings was undertaken to provide only an indicative assessment for the Local Plan. Further more detailed feasibility studies needs to be carried out to assess its real development potential for residential use. • We now have clarity that the car park and the former gym set at the rear of the site have no architectural quality and can be demolished as part of any redevelopment. • It is understood that a hotel use could come forward on the site. Whether this is an apart- hotel – or other form of hotel accommodation is an issue for the market and detailed design but should be considered as an acceptable use. • Having regard to the site’s location, it is absolutely key that a high architectural approach is taken where the scale, massing, details and materials of such a development reflects and provides a sympathetic modern response to the surrounding area.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment as part of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan Consultation. I am pleased to see that social inclusion is identified as one of the ‘big themes’ to ensure sustainable development. I know key partners recognise that delivering sustainable economic growth requires both hard infrastructure and on-going revenue to create and maintain attractive communities: communities where firms want to do business and invest and where their workers want to live Increasing inequalities worsen crime and disorder, increasing economic burden and potentially impacting growth. Unemployment and poor quality jobs can also be linked with offending, especially for young people. You will no doubt be aware of the research around adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the links with poverty, poor health and social wellbeing. Alongside local processes, it is important that key partners continue to work together to lobby to influence funding decisions across government.

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