Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

2.35 The creation of even modest areas of communal space creates an area for social interaction. 2.36 However, the relationship of space to built form is essential if it is to be seen as safe and full use is to be made by the community. The integration of landscaping and utilising the existing vegetation is also key to prevent the creation of overly urbanised developments, hence the provision of multiple landscaping elements in the development proposals.

2.37 Development in Great Cambridge should seek to protect heritage assets through welldesigned new developments. 2.38 At Steeple Morden the developments as proposed would have regard to the form and density of surrounding parts of the village and thereby seek to maintain the setting of the adjacent listed building. They are also demonstrably capable of maintaining the current landscape buffers and the new development could take design cues from the listed building to further the influence of the listed building.

2.39 A careful balance is needed between the characteristics that make up local distinctiveness, and the use of modern innovative technologies that will yield more sustainable buildings. 2.40 Guidance is needed based on emerging governments aims to secure better building design however this should not stifle truly innovative design even where it presents as a significant contrast to existing local built form 2.41 Overall, new development should take the high-quality characteristics of the surrounding built form to influence the design implemented as part of the development proposal. Further the design should also include complete compliance with the design principles as set out, which should create a distinctive and characterful development that includes for the provision of climate change mitigation/adaptation. 2.42 In the case of the sites as Steeple Morden, there would be scope to create a truly innovative form of development. This however is not illustrated in the attached plans which reflect the conventional expectation for layout and house types. The Local Plan needs to set out what flexibility the Council will permit in the approach to residential design not just in major growth areas but across the whole Greater Cambridgeshire area.

2.43 The sites proposed at Steeple Morden are demonstrably available and deliverable without being constrained and could provide a suitable mix of market, affordable and entry-level housing, that will comply to national space standards and can be defined as accessible homes.

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2.44 If you only provide for the minimum then there is no room for error if sites do not come forward within the plan period. As such by planning for a higher number of houses you build in an element of flexibility which allows for unpredictability. It makes the plan more robust and given that further housing will be needed beyond the plan period, provision over the minimum does not imply the development of unneeded dwellings. 2.45 Moreover, Greater Cambridge is by definition an area of economic growth and is attractive to inward migration driven in particular by the technology industries. It follows that many such inward migrants have a financial ability to outcompete local communities for the available housing. Failure to provide a budget above the government's minimum requirement is therefore either likely to does the shortly of the economy to support continued growth or, more likely, to increase housing stress in existing communities.

2.46 Housing needs to provide a suitable mix of all types of provision to ensure that the needs from all aspects are met. The housing provided needs to be adaptable and allow people to remain in housing for perpetuity if desired.

2.47 Ensuring that a high standard of housing is achieved is crucial as part of the housing delivery. This relates to the consideration of design and the guidance that is appropriate to how innovative design can be treated in areas where the natural inclination is to build in ‘conventional’ patterns and forms perpetuating establish (and not necessarily optimum or desirable) forms of development. 2.48 As part of this high-quality provision ensuring that the space standards are established and adhered to on all developments, in addition to standards being set for energy efficiency, accessibility and adaptability. Furthermore, designing to reflect health and wellbeing is a key consideration and should be considered as part of the layout and amount of social interaction that is proposed on the site. It would also include the provision of green space or landscaping. New homes should also energy efficient features that provide adaptability in relation to climate change.

2.49 Development that uses existing available infrastructure capacity should be a priority as it reflects the most efficient use of resources. Clearly there will be need for significant new infrastructure investment to deliver the wider objectives of the plan but this should not detract from the opportunities to prove development in locations that have, and do not need further investment in, schools, roads, drainage, utilities etc. 2.50 There is capacity in Steeple Morden to accommodate development of the scale promoted.

2.51 Realistically public transport networks are only likely to be viable in our main urban areas and between principal centres. Even within the period to 2040, there is unlikely to be a radical shift away from private transport especially in wealthier areas – unless government takes significant national action in this regard. 2.52 Government policy is focused on reducing the pollutant impacts of private transport and not on eliminating or indeed significantly altering access to or use of private vehicles. 2.53 Planning policy should therefore address the shift in form rather than a shift in mode – which has not been achieved over the past 20 years. It should focus on making EVs a practical means of travel for all of the motoring population and ensuring that new homes have access to charging facilities on or off curtilage, and that destination chargers are widespread. The Council needs to focus on ensuring that such provisions are made and to working with the utility providers to make sure that there is electrical capacity to meet these objectives.

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2.54 In relation to our comment on Q10, it is essential that provision for the continued growth of rural communities is made as the alternative is that they will stagnate and decline – it is not appropriate to excessively focus on driving urban based populations and any attempts to do so will simply cause rural areas to become inaccessible to those who need a rural location – which is unsustainable. 2.55 New sites need to be allocated in rural communities where they can be properly integrated into the physical and community structure and where they will be complementary to the function and sustainability of that settlement – where sustainability is more than simply the availability of a post office a pub and (an infrequent) bus.