Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Wellbeing and Social Inclusion, Great Places, Climate Change, Biodiversity and Green Spaces

As has been explored on behalf of European Proeprty Ventures (Cambridge) in their response to Question 6, the Plan does not provide an appropriate approach to the identified big themes in terms of achieving environmentally sustainable development. This results in weight attached to objectives focussed on addressing climate change and the natural environment, which reduces the Plan's ability to ensure the delivery of development that meets the other requirements of the Plan, such as the quantum of residential development and its implementing in the correct locations. It is considered that although the themes of "Climate Change" and "Biodiversity and Green Spaces" should be important issues to be addressed through the new Local Plan, these should not preclude the ability of the Plan to engage with the other big issues. Furthermore, by prioritising these themes into a hierarchy does not aid the Plan in recognising which issues are the most significant in combating climate impacts and harmful environmental influences. As currently drafted the Plan establishes an approach which automatically quashes the significance of some themes in favour of others. If the Plan wishes to inappropriately prioritise its objectives, it is considered that the big themes should be categorised as follows: 1. Wellbeing and Social Inclusion 2. Great Places 3. Climate Change 4. Biodiversity and Green Spaces It is maintained that the above themes are interlinked. For example, achieving development that combats Climate Change should include strategies to enhance biodiversity and provide open space as part of a sustainable approach. It is considered that, by categorising these themes into a hierarchy, this undermines this interconnectivity and simplifies the circumstances which the Plan looks to engage with. Summary of Comments: 1. Wellbeing and Social Inclusion, 2. Great Places, 3. Climate Change, 4. Biodiversity and Green Spaces

European Property Venures (Cambridgeshire) believe that achieving net zero carbon emissions as an objective of the plan is an ambitious goal which does comply with paragraph 16a of the National Planning Policy Framework's assertion that Plan-making should be ambitious. However, the NPPF also stresses that with this aspiration, Plan-making should be deliverable. Given the cost and complexities involved in achieving such a target, European Property ventures (Cambridge) consider that this is not a realistic objective over the lif time of the Plan alone, particulalry given the proposed timeframe that is until 2040, not 2050. Whilst the Plan should incorporate aspirational efforts in realising a net zero carbon Plan area, these efforts should not be to the detriment to the existing communities with Plan area and not to the other aspects of the Plan in ensuring sustainable development is achieved. As such, the requisite levels of development must be planned for and implemented to meet the needs of the Plan area. This includes a primary objective of the new Plan in ensuring that adequate levels of housing and employment land are implemented to meet the needs of the new Plan period. This may be jeopardised if the Plan inappropriately places emphasis on achieving net zero carbon emissions beyond the plan period, when infrastrcuture is to be delivered and standards beyond national requirements may give rise to issues of viability and deliverability if restrictive planning policies relating to this objective are applied. Summary of Comments: This objective must ensure that it is deliverable and does not prevent the Plan from engaging with its other requirements, such as housing delivery.

Achieving net zero carbon emissions as an objective of the plan is an ambitious goal which directly complies with paragraph 16a of the National Planning Policy Framework's assertion that Plan-making should be ambitious. European Property ventures (Cambridge) consider that the policy approach to meet this aspiration should be to promote patterns of development that enable travel by low-carbon modes such as walking, cycling and public transport. The focus of the Climate Change strategy should therefore seek to focus development within sustainable communities where everyday needs can be accessed by these modes of transport. To achieve this, development must be provided to reinforce existing rural settlements at Rural Service Centre and Rural Centres to ensure that suffcient population is resident to support existing schools, social facilties, health services and businesses. Any strategy that continues to focus develoment at only the largest settlements will cause the smaller sustainable locations to fail and cause an over-concentration of environmental impacts. Summary of Comments: To achieve this objective existing rural communities must be supported through appropriate expansion.

Nothing chosen

Any additional design requirements attached to development management policies above national standards could result in restrictions to development delivery that could impact on viability and deliverability of development within the Plan area. Whilst it may be an objective of the Plan to combat Climate Change to mitigate impacts, the application of restrictive requirements to development design could directly impact on the Plan's ability to ensure adequate levels of growth are implemented. The Plan should not attach such restrictive caveats to development management policies and should explore alternative strategies to combat climate change and achieve a highly environmentally sustainable approach to development. It is important that this is carefully balanced with the needs of the Plan area to achieve growth that meets the demands of its communities and support the everyday requirements of the area's residents. Instead, Eurpean Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) seeks for the policy of the emerging plan to adopt an approah that delivers sustainable development through a strategic approach that provides development in locations that are sustainable as a first principle to reducing environmental detriment. The over-concentration of development alongside existing major centres should also be considered with caution given the intensification of pollutants, environmental influences and detrimental impacts that can result from the concentrted clustering of development. Instead, distributing some of the development required to sustainable locations that have a high degree of social independence is advanced. Summary of Comments: Application of restrictive development management requirements is not supported where it will result in the supression of the delivery of growth.

Claremont Planning are instructed on behalf of European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) to submit representations to influence the emerging plan's consideration of green spaces alongside the emerging strategy to address the cause of Climate Change. It is advanced that the enhancement of the biodiversity of existing settlements can only be delivered through development that recognises the necessity to deliver improved green spaces and ecological enhancements. Farming practises can not be relied upon to deliver such enhancements and the only means of positively contributing to the green space and ecological qualities of any settlement is through the development influence of land. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) contend that land within their control at Oakington has the ability to provide new Green Space within parts of their site that are influenced by local drainage patterns. The frontage of their Dry Drayton Road site has the potential to contribute toward the provision of new green spaces that will positively influence the setting of the village, which alongside residential development will provide public access to natural environments that occur with the emerging plan's objective to contribute new green spaces through the development strategy. The resulting green space on the site would be multi-functional through he mitigation of flood waters and a positive drainage strategy, defining a landscaped edge to the south through a new development framework limit and significant enhancement through orchard planting around the new dwellings. Summary of Comments: Delivery of green spaces must be recognised as linked to provision of development.

Claremont Planning are instructed on behalf of European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) to submit representations to influence the emerging plan's consideration of green spaces alongside the emerging strategy to address the cause of Climate Change. It is advanced that the enhancement of the biodiversity of existing settlements can only be delivered through development that recognises the necessity to deliver improved green spaces and ecological enhancements. Farming practises can not be relied upon to deliver such enhancements and the only means of positively contributing to the green space and ecological qualities of any settlement is through the development influence of land. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) contend that land within their control at Oakington has the ability to provide new Green Space within parts of their site that are influenced by local drainage patterns. The frontage of their Dry Drayton Road site has the potential to contribute toward the provision of new green spaces that will positively influence the setting of the village, which alongside residential development will provide public access to natural environments that occur with the emerging plan's objective to contribute new green spaces through the development strategy. The resulting green space on the site would be multi-functional through he mitigation of flood waters and a positive drainage strategy, defining a landscaped edge to the south through a new development framework limit and significant enhancement through orchard planting around the new dwellings. Summary of Comments: Delivery of green spaces must be recognised as linked to provision of development.

European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) agree that the Local Plan should seek to achieve 'good growth' that promotes wellbeing and social inclusion across the whole plan area. As such, the social and housing need of smaller communities such as at Group Villages and Rural Centres should not be ignored. The Plan mus positvely address the needs of all its communities to be able to provide for 'good growth'. To achieve the 'good growth' benefits the Councils are seeking, the Plan must deliver development that also recognises the needs of existing communities, including the needs of the settlements within the rural areas. This is especially relevant to the provision of affordable housing and homes that address specific needs such as small families, down-sizing households and the needs of larger families. The housing stock within villages has not benefited by the delivery of such accommodation, with development relying upon small infill development that is not of a scale that can contribute to these requirements. Similarly, the existing facilities within villages has not been able to be supported by required growth levels, with schools relying upon larger and larger catchments, whilst shops and pubs have not has sufficient customer base to sustain their business. To address the wellbeing of existing communities and contribute to their social inclusion, the Plan must consider the positive distribution of a suitable level of development. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) believe that the expansion of settlements such as Oakington, with good facilities and access to wider facilities at nearby strategic allocations through public transport and sustainable modes of transport such as cycling; would be an effective way to provide good growth that address this objective. Pursance of this strategy would mean including suitable sites such as the sit south of Dry Drayton Road at Oakridge within the Development Framework and capable of delivery. Claremont Planning are instructed on behalf of European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) to promote the site south of Dry Drayton Road, Oakington for residential development to achieve the 'good growth' and its consideration within the emerging spatial strategy for allocation. The site is available, suitable and viable for residential development, representing a location to acheieve moderate growth of the village that will be able to contribute towards the housing supply of the Plan area within a location that has previously been identified for strategic levels of expansion nearby through the Nothstowe new settlemen at Longstanton. As such, Oakington should be reconsidered as a poissible settlement that could accommodate development that would deliver the over the extended plan period. THE SITE: The Dry Drayton Road site has access to Gas Main, Foul Sewer, Water Main and electricity from the highway frontage. Vehicular access from Dry Drayton Road exists with full visibility splays to th east and west along the national speed limit highway. The site experiences some noise levels from traffic along Dry Drayton Road but at a level that can be mitigated through building orientation and glazing specification. An existing footpath connects the site to Oakington, and shared pedestrian-cycle paths connect Oakington with Cambridge. The northern boundary of the site is defined by hedgerows and shrubs which run parallel to a footpath and Dry Drayton Road, which leads to Oakington to the east. Beyond the Dry Drayton Road is Oakington Tomato Farm. To the east of the site is Fare Acres Farm and the Avicentre pet shop, with Oakington town approximately 350m east. Further east are the towns of Rampton and Cottenham which are also part of Cottenham Ward, located 4.5km and 5.5km from the site respectively. The proximity of Oakington to the new settlement of Northstowe should not be disregarded, particularly in respect of the community facilities that will be provided. Oakington is effecively contiguous with the Northstowe Settlement as demonstrated through the allocation's masterplan, so the suitability of Oakington village to accommodate expansion and extension of the existing Development Framework is justified. The site is influenced by the local drainage environment, with a number of brooks located beyond the site's limits. Fluvial flood risk Zone 2 influences the southern areas of the site where housing development could be suitably located, with flood water mitigation provided with Flood Zone1 areas. As such housing development would be set back from the road frontage to mitigate against flood risk and noise impacts, that affect the route of Dry Drayton Road. The environment of the site is characterised by its current pastural use, alongside mature hedgerows to the boundaries. An assessment of its potential biodiversity contribution has not identified significant biodiversity apart from the hedgerows and related ditches, although the site has the potential to contribute toward providing connectivity across the highway and local green connectivity. The ditches were inspected and deemed unsuitable for dormice due to their engineered structure. From this assessment of the site's biodiversity contribution it can be identified that significant enhancements are possible through the site's development. This enhancement would be in the form of naturalised ditch courses and drainage features as well as the delivery of new orchard planting areas. Views into the site are currently restricted due to the surrounding hedgerows and shrubs, to the northern and southern boundary with some gaps into the site. Views into the site from the northern boundary are from Dry Drayton road and from the southern boundary is from a dirt track running along the boundary. Views into the site from the eastern boundary are restricted by Fare Acres Farm. Views into the site from the western boundary are from a dirt track into the site, past the Oakington Garden Centre. Given the context of the Northstowe new settlement, the character and context of the village is expected to be changed significantly. Amendment to the Development Framework to include the promoted site and existing development along Dry Drayton Road would respond positively to the change in the north-eastern landscape and establish a revised settlement limit to the southwest where substantial planting could be focused to provide an identifiable settlement edge. The promoted site at Dry Drayton Road is advanced for development alongside the promotion of Oakington as a sustainable location where appropriate extension of the Development Framework could deliver suitable locations for new housing delivery. These potential homes would contribute toward widening the local housing stock through housing that responded to specific local requirements rather than just strategic growth. Summary of Comments: Distribution of some growth across smaller settlements within the rural area is essential to deliver good growth and address local needs.

European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) agree that the Local Plan should seek to achieve 'good growth' that promotes wellbeing and social inclusion across the whole plan area. As such, the social and housing need of smaller communities such as at Group Villages and Rural Centres should not be ignored. The Plan mus positvely address the needs of all its communities to be able to provide for 'good growth'. To achieve the 'good growth' benefits the Councils are seeking, the Plan must deliver development that also recognises the needs of existing comminities, including the needs of the settlements within the rural areas. This is especially relevant to the provision of affordable housing and homes that address specific needs such as small families, down-sizing households and the needs of larger families. The housing stock within villages has not benefited by the delivery of such accommodation, with development relying upon small infill development that is not of a scale that can contribute to these requirements. Similarly, the existing facilities within villages have not been able to be supported by required growth levels, with schools relying upon larger and larger catchments, whilst shops and pubs have not has sufficient customer base to sustain their business. To address the wellbeing of existing communities and contribute to their social inclusion, the Plan must consider the positive distribution of a suitable level of development. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) believe that the expansion of settlements such as Oakington, with good facilities and access to wider facilities at nearby strategic allocations through public transport and sustainable modes of transport such as cycling; would be an effective way to provide good growth that address this objective. Pursance of this strategy would mean including suitable sites such as the site south of Dry Drayton Road at Oakridge within the Development Framework and capable of delivery. The revision of Development Frameworks and village extents can be best achieved through the requirement of local communities to accommodate minimum levels of development, so that windfall development or positive allocations through the neighbourhood plan process can be identified. Claremont Planning are instructed on behalf of European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) to promote the site south of Dry Drayton Road, Oakington for residential development to achieve the 'good growth' and its consideration within the emerging spatial strategy for allocation. The site is available, suitable and viable for residential development, representing a location to achieve moderate growth of the village that will be able to contribute towards the housing supply of the Plan area within a location that has previously been identified for strategic levels of expansion nearby through the Nothstowe new settlement at Longstanton. As such, Oakington should be reconsidered as a settlement that could accommodate development to deliver the over the extended plan period. The Plan should require a review of development frameworks at settlements with wider linkages and facilities as a direct result of the new Plan's adoption. Summary of Comments: The Plan should require a review of development frameworks at settlements with wider linkages and facilities, such as Oakington.

European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) agree that the Local Plan should seek to deliver 'good growth' that achieve safe and inclusive communities across the whole plan area. As such, the social and housing need of smaller communities such as at Group Villages and Rural Centres should not be ignored. The Plan must positively address the needs of all its communities to be able to provide for 'good growth'. To achieve the 'good growth' benefits the Councils are seeking, the Plan must deliver development that also recognises the needs of existing communities, including the needs of the settlements within the rural areas. This is especially relevant to the provision of affordable housing and homes that address specific needs such as small families, down-sizing households and the needs of larger families. The housing stock within villages has not benefited by the delivery of such accommodation, with development relying upon small infill development that is not of a scale that can contribute to these requirements. Similarly, the existing facilities within villages have not been able to be supported by required growth levels, with schools relying upon larger and larger catchments, whilst shops and pubs have not has sufficient customer base to sustain their business. To address the wellbeing of existing communities and contribute to their social inclusion, the Plan must consider the positive distribution of a suitable level of development. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) believe that the expansion of settlements such as Oakington, with good facilities and access to wider facilities at nearby strategic allocations through public transport and sustainable modes of transport such as cycling; would be an effective way to provide good growth that address this objective. Pursance of this strategy would mean including suitable sites such as the site south of Dry Drayton Road at Oakridge within the Development Framework and capable of delivery. The revision of Development Frameworks and village extents can be best achieved through the requirement of local communities to accommodate minimum levels of development, so that windfall development or positive allocations through the neighbourhood plan process can be identified. Claremont Planning are instructed on behalf of European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) to promote the site south of Dry Drayton Road, Oakington for residential development to achieve the 'good growth' and its consideration within the emerging spatial strategy for allocation. The site is available, suitable and viable for residential development, representing a location to achieve moderate growth of the village that will be able to contribute towards the housing supply of the Plan area within a location that has previously been identified for strategic levels of expansion nearby through the Nothstowe new settlement at Longstanton. As such, Oakington should be reconsidered as a settlement that could accommodate development to deliver the over the extended plan period. The Plan should require a review of development frameworks at settlements with wider linkages and facilities as a direct result of the new Plan's adoption. Summary of Comments: The Plan should require a review of development frameworks at settlements with wider linkages and facilities, such as Oakington.

European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) agree that the Local Plan should seek to deliver 'good growth' that achieve safe and inclusive communities across the whole plan area. As such, the social and housing need of smaller communities such as at Group Villages and Rural Centres should not be ignored. The Plan must positively address the needs of all its communities to be able to provide for 'good growth'. As part of this objective development should be planned so that it is able to support healthy lifestyles, reinforcing local linkages and making use of facilities whilst supporting investment in delivering tangible benefits. To achieve the 'good growth' benefits the Councils are seeking, the Plan must deliver development that also recognises the needs of existing comminities, including the needs of the settlements within the rural areas. This is especially relevant to the provision of affordable housing and homes that address specific needs such as small families, down-sizing households and the needs of larger families. The housing stock within villages has not benefited by the delivery of such accommodation, with development relying upon small infill development that is not of a scale that can contribute to these requirements. Similarly, the existing facilities within villages have not been able to be supported by required growth levels, with schools relying upon larger and larger catchments, whilst shops and pubs have not has sufficient customer base to sustain their business. To address the wellbing of existing communities and contribute to their social inclusion, the Plan must consider the positve distribution of a suitbable level of development. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) believe that the expansion of settlements such as Oakington, with good facilities and access to wider facilities at nearby strategic allocations through public transport and sustainable modes of transport such as cycling; would be an effective way to provide good growth that address this objective. Pursance of this strategy would mean including suitable sites such as the site south of Dry Drayton Road at Oakridge within the Development Framework and capable of delivery. The revision of Development Frameworks and village extents can be best achieved through the requirement of local communities to accommodate minimum levels of development, so that windfall development or positive allocations through the neighbourhood plan process can be identified. Claremont Planning are instructed on behalf of European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) to promote the site south of Dry Drayton Road, Oakington for residential development to achieve the 'good growth' and its consideration within the emerging spatial strategy for allocation. The site is available, suitable and viable for residential development, representing a location to acheieve moderate growth of the village that will be able to contribute towards the housing supply of the Plan area within a location that has previously been identified for strategic levels of expansion nearby through the Nothstowe new settlemen at Longstanton. As such, Oakington should be reconsidered as a settlement that could accommodate development to deliver the over the extended plan period given that it has easily accessible linkages to wider strategic development and associated facilities. Encouraging linkages from Oakington to Northstowe will in turn make use of established public trasnport routes and cycle routes. The Plan should require a review of development frameworks at settlements with wider linkages and facilities as a direct result of the new Plan's adoption. Summary of Comments: The Plan should require a review of development frameworks at settlements with wider linkages and facilities, such as Oakington.