Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

The emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan must be confident that exceptional circumstances exist to demonstrate that releasing Green Belt at the fringes of Cambridge city is an appropriate strategy. This is entirely the responsibility of the Councils to identify whether these circumstances exist following the exhaustion of all other avenues in achieving adequate levels of development to meet the needs of the new Plan period. It is considered that whilst the Plan should ensure that it robustly considers the options in releasing land from the Green Belt to ensure that the development potential of sustainable sites can be realised, it should not preclude the consideration of other suitable sites that are not constrained by their Green Belt designation. This includes site at Fen End, Willingham which provides a further option to achieve sustainable development. Although it is not constrained by Green Belt, it should be considered an alternative route to achieve requisite levels of growth. It is emphasised that all options to achieve a robust spatial strategy should be considered, including the review of sites in the Green Belt at Cambridge city and the villages, as well as non-Green Belt sites located within the villages of South Cambridgeshire. However, the review of Green Belt sites at the edge of Cambridge must ensure that they do not directly contravene national guidance in relation to the purposes and strategic functionality of the Green Belt. The review of Green Belt sites at Cambridge is sensitive given that these sites demonstrate purposes in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment as well as checking urban sprawls (Paragraphs 134a and 134c of the NPPF). As such, consideration of any Green Belt sites at the fringes of Cambridge city must in the first instance be assessed against these strategic purposes to ensure that wider function of the Green Belt at the edge of the city is not detrimentally compromised. Therefore, it is maintained that the preferable approach should be to assess Green Belt and non-Green Belt sites beyond the fringes of the city, located within the villages of South Cambridgeshire given that the development at these locations will not result in significant sprawl or urbanisation. Summary of Comments - All options to achieve a robust spatial strategy should be considered including sites within the Green Belt as well as non Green Belt sites in village

It is considered that the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan should capitalise on the success of the strategic allocations that have been established through historical strategies made by South Cambridgeshire, such as Cambourne and those made more recently, such as 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. Sites such as at that Fen End, Willingham are considered to be less constrained by factors that would normally limit the delivery time of a strategic allocation. As such, the site should be considered as part of a wider, comprehensive spatial strategy that secures a range of sites across a variety of sizes and scales. The site at Fen End, Willingham could be more quickly brought forward to support housing numbers if circumstances were to arise where the delivery of strategic allocations were delayed. This approach would result in a sound strategy that would directly correlate with the requirements asserted in the National Planning Policy Framework. Therefore, it is considered that the new Plan should not provide inappropriate emphasis on allocation of new settlements or the delivery of those already identified. Their complexity, such as multiple 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. Supporting Documentation - 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 of 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. This 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 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 Centres and Minor Rural Centres. Willingham is regarded as a Minor Rural Centre in the adopted settlement hierarchy and is a preferable and suitable location to accommodate new residential allocations. The village itself benefits from an established service base that is within walking distance from the site. These include a primary school, public houses and medical centre which demonstrate that the village provides a significant range of facilities that reduces the need to travel out of the village to source such services. Furthermore, the village benefits from bus links into Cambridge as well as connections to other settlements in the wider area. This should be recognised within the emerging Local Plan, specifically the spatial strategy that needs to re-assess the status of these villages as sustainable and suitable settlements to accommodate moderate levels of residential growth. Through due recognition of the sustainabilty of Willingham following a robust review of the spatial strategy and the settlement hierarchy, the development potential of sustainable sites such as at Fen End, Willingham, can be realised. It is maintained 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. The consideration of the development dispersal to the villages should be included within the Plan preparation process, given the historical success in this approach. Supporting Information - Dispersal of development to the villages within South Cambridgeshire is supported as an appropriate approach for the new Plan.

The settlement hierarchy of the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan should be comprehensively reviewed as part of the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Willingham is inappropriately placed within the second tier of the adopted settlement hierarchy, which establishes the village as with lesser sustainability credentials than those placed in the top hierarchical tier. Willingham's current position within the adopted spatial hierarchy undermines the suitability of the village to accommodate moderate levels of residential development. It benefits from an established service base and is located within reasonable catchment of higher level services, such as secondary schools, within nearby villages. The site at Fen End also benefits from being within walking distance of a number of amenities within the settlement, including a medical practice and primary school which supports the suitability and sustainability and of the site and so its consideration for residential allocation. It is also important to note that whilst it has been historically demonstrated that strategic allocations and delivery of new settlements has contributed significantly to achieving the housing requirement for South Cambridgeshire, such as at Cambourne, the emerging Local Plan should apply inappropriate reliance on the delivery of these 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 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. It is maintained 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 at Fen End, Willingham. Supporting Comments - A review of the South Cambridgeshire settlement hierarchy is recommended to ensure that an appropriate new spatial strategy is established.

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A review of all spatial options into include in the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan is required to ensure that 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 this growth to continue through the next Plan period. This will need to include making appropriate directions to ensure that an adequate number of homes can be delivered to support this economic growth, given that this will result in a substantial increase in demand and increase in housing costs. To avoid an uncontrolled growth which will exacerbate housing pressures, the Plan should ensure it takes robust action in identifying sufficient sites to meet this demand. This should include consideration of all options as identified in the Issues and Options draft of the new Plan. If the new spatial strategy inappropriately focusses on limited options to achieve this growth, this will limit the flexibility that is required to ensure the maintenance of a robust housing supply. Without maintaining the supply, this will risk demonstrating a strong 5-year housing land supply, which will result in the Councils from being vulnerable to speculative development which deviates from the preferred growth strategy of the emerging Plan. 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, given that there is land located outside the Green Belt at sustainable settlements such as Willingham, it would be inappropriate of the new Plan to exclude this approach. If new development is not considered at village locations, this would result in a spatial strategy that would be inappropriately attributing weight towards alternative development avenues, such as strategic sites and Green Belt release. Whilst it is considered that these strategies demonstrate a reasonable and deliverable approach to growth, it would not be appropriate if these strategies were not complemented by development directed towards the villages. This would provide a comprehensive spatial strategy which would achieve moderate levels of growth, but that which can contribute towards the strategic requirement of the new Plan period. Consideration of sites at the villages, such as the site at Fen End, Willingham demonstrate a reasonable and sustainable approach to strategic development. The site at Willingham is located within walking distance to a range of services that are established within the village, including a primary school as well as benefitting from access to public transport provision which provides linkages to nearby secondary schools at adjacent settlements and to Cambridge. 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.

Nothing chosen

The Local Planning Authority should look to remove land from the Green Belt to support sustainable development options such as reducing travel distances and thereby reducing climate impacts. The direction established by the new Plan in reviewing Green Belt land at locations benefitting from public transport and thereby, enhanced accessibility, is supported. This complies with the National Planning Policy Framework at Paragraph 123a which encourages efficient use of land for housing, particularly towards locations well served by public transport. It also asserts that appropriate densities should be achieved at these locations, with particular consideration of higher densities to ensure that the best use of these accessible sites can be encouraged. By directing development towards these accessible locations, the emerging Plan will also contribute towards strengthening a modal shift away from the use of private cars which is a fundamental concept of the NPPF in its movement towards achieving sustainable development. Furthermore, it will contribute towards combating the impacts of climate change through reduction of carbon emissions and easing the congestion and pressure on the national highway system. However it is maintained that seeking the release of sites from the Green Belt alone will not ensure that sufficient sites are identified to meet the need of the new Plan period. Identification of land that benefits from high degrees of accessibility should also include land that is located outside the Green Belt, but also at locations that benefit from access to services as well as public transport options. The site at Fen End, Willingham benefits from access to social infrastructure, which includes amenities such as a primary school and medical centre. These are within walking distance from the site and therefore should be recognised as demonstrating a sustainable location for new development. Furthermore, the site is not designated Green Belt and so its development will not result in wider impacts or harm to the strategic purposes of it. As such, review of Green Belt sites alone will not go far enough in ensuring an adequate spatial strategy, given that there are suitable locations for development that exist beyond it and located in sustainable settlements that are able to and have the capacity to accommodate new development to meet the needs of the new Plan period. Releasing sites from Green Belt should be an element of wider and more comprehensive spatial strategy that includes other approaches.

Somewhat flexible

It is considered that the Local Plan should be flexible towards development of both jobs and homes on the edge of villages. It is considered that the Local Planning Authority should be more flexible to the scale of development within the village framework and should allow a more flexible approach to development on the edge of villages. The adopted settlement hierarchy of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan recognises that there are sustainable villages within the District that can appropriately accommodate levels of growth that can both contribute towards meeting the strategic needs of the Plan area. Accordingly, a flexible approach to development should be applied to the most sustainable settlement. The site promoted at Fen End, Willingham represents a deliverable and appropriate example of an edge of village site that can be sensitively developed to contribute towards the strategic requirements of the new Local Plan. It demonstrates the criteria needed to be a suitable and preferable location for growth, benefitting from walking distance to local services within the village and is unconstrained by local or national designations. The site is significantly influenced by existing built form to the west and to the south, the curtilages of which comprise the resepective boundaries of the site. Given the extent of this built form, the devevelopment of the site will not result in inappropriate extension of the village into the countryside. Rather it will demonstrate a coherent and logical extension to Willingham in line with the linear development that is located along Earith Road, which extends the built-up area of the village northwards. As such, development of the site will reflect this establised built pattern of Willingham and provide a suitable expansion to the village. A spatial strategy which considers development at the edge of villages should ensure that it maximises sustainable development opportunities. It is considered that sites such as at Fen End, Willingham represent such opportunities and omission of them will result in a spatial strategy which has not appropriately explored all deliverable or realistic directions of growth to assist in meeting the demanding housing needs for Greater Cambridge. Summary of Comments - Development at the edges of villages is supported, as it is a sustainable approach which can contribute towards meeting the OAN of the Plan area.

Dry Drayton Road, Oakington, CB24 3BD

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No choices made

Response to Question 42 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 at Fen End, Willingham would robustly complement a comprehensive spatial strategy that considers multiple avenues of achieving the requisite levels of development. European Property Ventures recognise 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 at Fen End, Willingham to support the maintenance of a robust housing supply, given that these sites present schemes that are less complex 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.