Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) recognise that the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan will capitalise on the success of the strategic allocations that are already established through historical strategies made by South Cambridgeshire, such as Cambourne and those made more recently, at Northstowe. The allocation of the new town at Cambourne has delivered strategically significant numbers of new homes to meet the needs of the District and this approach should form part of the comprehensive spatial strategy of the new Plan. However, it is considered that the inclusion of new settlements as strategic opportunities to achieve substantial housing numbers should not prejudice other sources of housing from other elements of the spatial strategy. The National Planning Policy Framework provides the basis as to how Local Planning Authorities should approach identifying the realisation of new settlements at paragraph 72 where it states that; "The supply of large numbers of new homes can often be best achieved through the planning of larger scale development, such as new settlements […]." However, it also asserts that elsewhere in the Framework, specifically at paragraph 68, that the identification of smaller sites is vital to ensure a robust housing delivery that can maintain a consistent residential supply. Therefore, it is considered that the new Plan should not provide inappropriate emphasis on allocation new settlements or the delivery of those already identified. Their complexity, such as overlapping land interests and provision of infrastructure can result in significant delay in implementation and so can result in detrimental impacts to the anticipated housing trajectory and supply. To reduce the risk and avoid such a scenario, it is stressed that the emerging Local Plan and its spatial strategy should include new settlements, but not as a primary source of housing numbers. New settlement allocations should form part of a comprehensive arrangement of multiple strategies to ensure a robust housing delivery programme for the new Plan period. Summary of Comments: Inclusion of new settlements is supported, but should not be considered a primary mechanism for housing delivery.

The adopted spatial strategy of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan appropriately recognises the opportunity and potential that exists at the villages within the District to accommodate strategically significant numbers of housing which can make a materially beneficial impact on meeting the residential needs of the Local Plan area. European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) contend that this recognitions should be reflected within the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan by establishing that these settlements remain suitable locations to accommodate moderate levels of growth which can represent a major component of the spatial strategy and between them, deliver a substantial number of homes to meet the objectively identified need of the Plan area. It is understood that a number of these villages, such as those established as Group Villages in Policy S/10 of the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan are recognised as being less sustainable locations for development and therefore not preferable to accommodate new growth. However, there remains other settlements that can demonstrate enhanced sustainability credentials which are established in the South Cambridgeshire Plan as Rural Centre, Minor Rural Centres and Group Villages. It is considered that Group Villages, such as Oakington, represent sustainable locations for growth where it can be established that appropriate and suitable sites are identifiable. The site under the control of European Property Ventures at Dry Drayton Road, Oakington is a sustainable location for development. It is within walking distance of a number of services and amenities available in the village, including a primary school, public house and convenience store. Furthermore, Oakington is located close to Cambridge city and therefore benefits from a frequent bus service which connects the village to the city centre, half hourly. The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway also passes to the north of the village, which also provides high frequency rapid bus links into Cambridge every 2 to 5 minutes. These are considerations which support the overall sustainability of Oakington and materially support its position as a more appropriate location for new development than is established within the current spatial strategy. The site and the village therefore should be duly considered as a location for new residential development within the emerging Greater Cambridge Plan. It is acknowledged that development in villages such as Oakington must be implemented carefully and in a way that preserves their rural character and does not harm the capacity of infrastructure locally. The site south of Dry Drayton Road at Oakington is able to provide a level of development that would be approaite to Oakington and support the delivery of housing. It is recognised that the strategy in dispersing development to the villages of the Plan area cannot demonstrate a sustainable spatial strategy alone. Identification of the suitable sites at the villages should represent an element of a comprehensive strategy that includes other approaches to achieve the requisite level of growth that meets the identified demand of the Plan area. Summary of Comments: European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) support a strategy in dispersing development to the villages, alongside consideration of other approaches.

European Property Ventures (Cambridgehire) maitnain that whilst it has been historically demonstrated that strategic allocations and delivery of new settlements can contribute significantly to achieving the housing requirement for South Cambridgeshire, the emerging Local Plan should not apply inappropriate reliance on the delivery of further largescale allocations. The National Planning Policy Framework asserts at Paragraph 72 that strategic allocations can deliver a substantial number of homes and make a valuable contribution to the supply of housing to a Local Plan. However, it also advises that these allocations must include realistic delivery rates due to their long lead-in times. As such, the Framework emphasis elsewhere at Paragraph 68 that spatial strategies must also include small to medium sites for development, given that they experience faster build-out rates and therefore can make more rapid contributions to the housing requirement of the Plan. These sites can therefore can more robustly maintain a housing trajectory in circumstances where delays to the delivery of strategic allocations may result in significant detriment to the housing position of a Planning Authority. Euopean Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) instead content that the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan should consider a range of small to medium sites, to ensure that the housing supply position of the new Plan is maintained. This should include consideration of sites such as Dry Drayton Road, Oakington. The current adopted spatial strategy and settlement hierarchy of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan should be comprehensively reviewed to ensure that appropriate villages can be identified to accommodate additional levels of growth to meet the needs of the new Plan period. Although the dopte development plan identifies somesmaller settlements as appropriate in accommodating development, the new plan should go further by actively dsitributing development quantum amongst lower order settlements, including thorugh re-asessment of settlements which are currently regarded as unsuitable. Oakington is not currently recognised as a sustainable location to accommodate levels of development being promoted by European Property Ventures(Cambridgeshire) as their site on Dry Drayton Road. This is not an effective approach, as it undermines the practical sustainability credentials that are identifiable within the village, such as its service base and accessibility to public transport given the close relationhip to Northstowe. The spatial strategy should ensure that appropriate consideration is given to the new Plan to identify where moderate levels of growth can be achieved. This will in turn contribute towards meeting the strategic requirements of the new Local Plan, in particular the residential need of Plan area, as well as the local need within Oakington. Currently, without a robust re-assessment of the spatial strategy, such sites may be omitted from the new Plan which will undermine its ability in seeking a sufficient number of sites to meet the strategic housing need of the new Plan period. Directing development towards sustainable villages, including Oakington, should be regarded as a significant component of the new spatial strategy that demonstrates a deliverable approach to spatial planning. Summary of Comments: The most sustainable settlements recognised in the South Cambs hierarchy should be reinforced and supported to accommodate new growth.

It is the opinion of European Property ventures (Cambridgshire) that a review of all spatial options is required to ensure that the quantum of development an needs of the new Plan period can be met. Given that the growth of the local economy has significantly exceeded forecasts and expectations (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review), it is vital that the new Plan makes provisions to support similar levels of growth and ensure that similar growth is continued through the next Plan period. This will involve making appropriate allocations to ensure that an adequate number of homes can be delivered to support the levels of economic growth, given that this will result in a substantial increase in demand for homes and increase in housing costs. To avoid an uncontrolled trajectory in growth that will exacerbate housing pressures, the Plan should ensure it adopts a robust approach to identifying sufficient sites to meet this demand. This should include consideration of the distribution of development alongside other spatial options identified in the Issues and Options draft of the new Plan, such as focusing growth around Cambridge and at strategi growth locatinos such as Waterbeach. If the new spatial strategy were to inappropriately focus growth upon a single spaital option, the policy's flexibility will be limited and any opportunity to respond to market factors, infrastructure delays or national economic influences would be removed. The ability of a strategic approach to respond to such infleunces is an important consdieration, especially in respect of providing a continual supply of development across the plan area and at levels appropriate to the commnities it is intended to serve. A spatial strategy is advanced that concentrates a level of housing around Cambridge and main settlements, whilst a quantum of growth is distrubuted amongst rural settlements and will provide that is required to ensure the maintenance of a robust housing supply. Without maintaining the supply, the 5-year housing land supply will be at risk, which could result in the Councils being vulnerable to speculative development. It is considered that a sustainable and appropriate strategy approach to achieve the requisite levels of residential development is identifying sufficient sites at village locations within South Cambridgeshire. This has formed an element of the adopted spatial strategy of the District and it would be a logical step to consider incorporating this into the new spatial strategy of the emerging Greater Cambridge Plan. Furthermore, it has been established through the representations made to the Issues and Options Consultation that there are suitable sites in the Green Belt that should be considered for allocation and development. The site at Dry Drayton Road, Oakington, provides an opportunity to secure development at a location that would not result in wider harm to its strategic function or the intrinsic value of the open countryside. Furthermore, villages such as Oakington should be recognised as sustainable locations, particularly where it can be demonstrated that existing public transport provision enhances linkages that do not necessarily require to the use of private cars to access job markets, such as the rapidly expanding market within Cambridge. Consideration of sites at the villages, such as the site at Dry Drayton Road, Oakington demonstrate a reasonable and sustainable approach to strategic development.. Therefore, it is maintained that the emerging Greater Cambridge Plan must consider the development potential of sites located at villages if it is to adopt a comprehensive and deliverable spatial strategy. If it does not do so, it will risk implementing a poorly deliverable strategy which will not be able to meet the identified needs of the Plan area over the new time period. Summary of Comments: The new Plan needs to consider all spatial options to ensure adequate numbers can be realised, including the identification of sites at villages.

No choices made

European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) considers that no single development option for the new spatial strategy represents the most appropriate approach and engagement with multiple options provides the most sustainable strategy to ensure that adequate growth can be realised. In the first instance, developments directed towards the edges of villages is a suitable approach that will help identify a range of small to moderately sized sites which will be able to robustly contribute towards the objectively assessed housing need of the Local Plan area. For example, European Property Ventures (Cambridgeshire) own land south of Dry Drayton Road at Oakington that has preiously been identified through the SHLAA as suitable in accommodating up to 20 dwellings across an area of approximately 2hectares. It is considered that the scale of this promotion site would be appropriate to the size of the village, its facilities and the connections that it exhibits to Northstowe. The site's location on Dry Drayton Road, Oakington would establish a defensible and robust edge to the settlement through a revised development framework boundary, whilst its delivery would complement a comprehensive spatial strategy that would consider multiple avenues of achieving the requisite levels of development. It is recognised that the emerging spatial strategy of the new Local Plan will involve a number of strategic sites which will deliver a significant number of homes over the Plan period, such as Northstowe and Waterbeach New Town. However, the emerging spatial strategy must consider small to medium sized sites, such as that being promoted at Dry Drayton Road Oakington to deliver inestment in existing communities. Such sites would also be easily delivered and boot provision, supporting the maintenance of a robust housing supply on the basis that smaller sites are delivered by SME developers and demonstrate faster build-out times. The National Planning Policy Framework asserts that Plans need to identify a range of smaller sites to offset any possible delays that are often attracted to strategic developments and therefore the spatial strategy should reflect this by identifying small to medium sized sites towards the edges of sustainable villages in the Local Plan area. The most preferred option for the new Plan to explore in the first instance is to disperse development to the villages. However, it is maintained that this should not be the only option considered as part of a new comprehensive spatial strategy. The identification and allocation of new settlements can provide a robust element to a strategy which provides significant numbers of housing to a supply, as recognised at Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, over-emphasis on the delivery of strategic allocations to a housing supply opens the spatial strategy up to possible impacts to the established housing trajectory due to likely delays related to the complex delivery mechanisms of strategic allocations. Therefore, it is more appropriate for a spatial strategy to encompass multiple development and delivery options to ensure that the residential requirement is satisfied, and delivery is maintained consistently over the new Plan period. Summary of Comments: Dispersal of development to villages is the preferable option, but it must form part of a comprehensive strategy including other development options.

No choices made

Southern and Regional Developments (Swavesey) consider that no single development option for the new spatial strategy represents the most appropriate approach and consideration with a range of options provides the most sustainable strategy to ensurethat adequate growth can be realised. It is considered that developments directed towards the edges of villages is a suitable approach that will help identify a range of small to moderately sized sites which will be able to robustly contribute towards the objectively assessed housing need of the Local Plan area. For example, the site under the control of Southern and Regional Developments (Swavesey) at Boxworth End, Swavesey would robustly and suitably complement a comprehensive spatial strategy that considers multiple avenues of achieving the requisite levels of development. It is recognised that the emerging spatial strategy of the new Local Plan will involve a number of strategic sites which will deliver a significant quantum of homes over the new Plan period, such as at Northstowe and the Waterbeach New Town. It is maintained that the emerging spatial strategy must also consider a range of small to medium sized sites, such as that being promoted by Southern and Regional Developments (Swavesey) at Boxworth End, Swavesey. Delivery of such scaled sites will able to more appropriately support the maintanence of a robust housing supply, given that these sites present schemes that are less complex and more easily deliverable. Therefore, if circumstances arise which delay the delivery of the strategic sized sites in the Plan area, small and medium sized sites could be brought forward to overcome any possible adverse impacts to the housing trajectory. This would comply with the National Planning Policy Framework where it asserts that Plans need to identify a range of smaller sites to offset any possible delays that are often attracted to strategic developments. As a result, the spatial strategy should reflect this by identifying appropriate small to medium sized sites that are located towards the edges of sustainable villages in the Local Plan area. The most preferred option for the new Plan to explore in the first instance is to disperse development to the sustainable sustainable settlements, which includes villages such as Swavesey. However, it is maintained that this should not be the only option considered as part of a new comprehensive spatial strategy. The identification and allocation of new settlements can provide a robust element to a strategy which provides significant numbers of housing to a supply, as recognised at Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, over-emphasis on the delivery of strategic allocations to a housing supply opens the spatial strategy up to possible impacts to the established housing trajectory due to likely delays related to the complex delivery mechanisms of strategic allocations. Therefore, it is more appropriate for a spatial strategy to encompass multiple development and delivery options to ensure that the residential requirement is satisfied, and delivery is maintained consistently over the new Plan period. Summary of Comments: Dispersal of development to villages is the preferable option, but it must form part of a comprehensive strategy including other development options.

No choices made

It is considered that no single development option for the new spatial strategy represents the most appropriate approach and consideration of a range of options provides the most sustainable strategy to ensure that adequate growth can be realised. It is considered that developments directed towards the edges of villages is a suitable approach that will help identify a range of small to medium sized sites which will be able to robustly contribute towards the objectively assessed housing need of the Local Plan area. For example, the site under the control of Southern and Regional Developments (Waterbeach) at Bannold Road, Waterbeach has been identified as suitable in accommodating development. It is considered that the scale of this site would be sympathetic to the size of the village and would robustly complement the strategic allocation to the north of the village. Furthermore, small to moderate sites, such as that at Bannold Road, Waterbeach have widely recognised faster build-out rate than strategic sized sites as seen allocated at the village. The National Planning Policy Framework asserts that Plans need to identify a range of smaller sites to offset any possible delays that are often attracted to strategic developments and therefore the spatial strategy should reflect this by identifying small to medium sized sites towards the edges of sustainable villages in the Local Plan area. The most preferred option for the new Plan to explore in the first instance is to disperse development to the villages. However, it is maintained that this should not be the only option considered as part of a new comprehensive spatial strategy. The identification and allocation of new settlements can provide a robust element to a strategy which provides significant numbers of housing to a supply, as recognised at Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, over-emphasis on the delivery of strategic allocations to a housing supply opens the spatial strategy up to possible impacts to the established housing trajectory due to likely delays related to the complex delivery mechanisms of strategic allocations. Therefore, it is more appropriate for a spatial strategy to encompass multiple development and delivery options to ensure that the residential requirement is satisfied, and delivery is maintained consistently over the new Plan period. Summary of Comments: Dispersal of development to villages is the preferable option, but it must form part of a comprehensive strategy including other development options.

No choices made

Southern and Regional Developments (Willingham) consider that no single development option for the new spatial strategy represents the most appropriate approach and consideration with a range of options provides the most sustainable strategy to ensure that adequate growth can be realised. It is considered that development directed towards the edge of sustainable villages is a suitable approach that will help identify a range of small to moderately sized sites which will be able to robustly contribute towards the objectively assessed housing need of the Local Plan area. For example, the site under the control of Southern and Regional Developments (Willingham) at Priest Lane, Willingham would robustly complement a comprehensive spatial strategy that considers multiple avenues of achieving the requisite levels of development. It is recognised that the emerging spatial strategy of the new Local Plan will involve a number of strategic sites which will deliver a significant number of homes over the Plan period, such as Northstowe and Waterbeach New Town. It is maitained that the emerging spatial strategy must consider small to medium sized sites, such as that being promoted by Southern and Regional Developments (Willingham) at Priest Lane, Willingham to support the maintenance of a robust housing supply, given that these promoted sites would present schemes that are less complex and demonstrate faster build-out times. This would be compliant with the National Planning Policy Framework where it asserts that Plans need to identify a range of smaller sites to offset any possible delays that are often attracted to strategic developments and therefore the spatial strategy should reflect this by identifying small to medium sized sites towards the edges of sustainable villages in the Local Plan area. The most preferred option for the new Plan to explore in the first instance is to disperse development to the villages. However, it is maintained that this should not be the only option considered as part of a new comprehensive spatial strategy. The identification and allocation of new settlements can provide a robust element to a strategy which provides significant numbers of housing to a supply, as recognised at Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, over-emphasis on the delivery of strategic allocations to a housing supply opens the spatial strategy up to possible impacts to the established housing trajectory due to likely delays related to the complex delivery mechanisms of strategic allocations. Therefore, it is more appropriate for a spatial strategy to encompass multiple development and delivery options to ensure that the residential requirement is satisfied, and delivery is maintained consistently over the new Plan period.

No choices made

Response to Question 42 Southern and Regional Developments (Cottenham) consider that no single development option for the new spatial strategy represents the most appropriate approach and consideration with a range of options provides the most sustainable strategy to ensure that adequate growth can be realised. It is considered that developments directed towards the edges of villages is a suitable approach that will help identify a range of small to moderately sized sites which will be able to robustly contribute towards the objectively assessed housing need of the Local Plan area.. For example, the site under the control of Southern and Regional Developments (Cottenham) to the north east of Cottenham has been identified as a suitable site that can assist in meeting the development needs of the plan area. This site would robustly complement a wider spatial strategy that includes multiple avenues in achieving the requisite levels of development. Furthermore, moderate sized sites such as that to the north east of Cottenham, have widely recognised faster build-out rates than strategic sized allocations. The National Planning Policy Framework asserts that Plans need to identify a range of smaller sites to offset any possible delays that are often attracted to strategic developments and therefore the spatial strategy should reflect this by identifying small to medium sized sites towards the edges of sustainable villages in the Local Plan area. Delivery of such scaled sites will able to more appropriately support the maintanence of a robust housing supply, given that these sites present schemes that are less complex and more easily deliverable. Therefore, if circumstances arise which delay the delivery of the strategic sized sites in the Plan area, small and medium sized sites could be brought forward to overcome any possible adverse impacts to the housing trajectory. This would comply with the National Planning Policy Framework where it asserts that Plans need to identify a range of smaller sites to offset any possible delays that are often attracted to strategic developments. As a result, the spatial strategy should reflect this by identifying appropriate small to medium sized sites that are located towards the edges of sustainable villages in the Local Plan area. The most preferred option for the new Plan to explore in the first instance is to disperse development to the sustainable sustainable settlements, which includes villages such as Cottenham. However, it is maintained that this should not be the only option considered as part of a new comprehensive spatial strategy. The identification and allocation of new settlements can provide a robust element to a strategy which provides significant numbers of housing to a supply, as recognised at Paragraph 72 of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, over-emphasis on the delivery of strategic allocations to a housing supply opens the spatial strategy up to possible impacts to the established housing trajectory due to likely delays related to the complex delivery mechanisms of strategic allocations. Therefore, it is more appropriate for a spatial strategy to encompass multiple development and delivery options to ensure that the residential requirement is satisfied, and delivery is maintained consistently over the new Plan period. Summary of Comments: Dispersal of development to villages is the preferable option, but it must form part of a comprehensive strategy including other development options.