Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Summary of comments for Question 16 (how should the Local Plan help us achieve 'good growth' that promotes wellbeing and social inclusion?): The key is to ensure new development focuses on placemaking with open space and sustainable living and movement at the heart of development principles

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In accordance with Paragraph 8 of the NPPF, it is important that the Plan delivers a sufficient number and range of homes to meet the needs of present and future generations, with accessible services and open spaces that reflect current and future needs, and support communities’ health, social and cultural wellbeing. Thakeham is of the view that new developments should comprise a mix of uses, that bring forward new facilities to the benefit of the wider community. The delivery of a larger volume of homes facilitates the delivery of new physical, social and green infrastructure. Thakeham is one of only 12 organisations that are members of the NHS Healthy New Towns Network, which is a collaboration between NHS England, Public Health England, Housing Developers and Housing Associations. The aim of this network is to build on the work of the Healthy New Towns Programme to share learning and best practise in healthy placemaking, with a shared vision for creating healthy neighbourhoods of the future. As a member, Thakeham has committed to incorporating the Healthy New Towns principles design principles throughout our schemes and prioritising health and wellbeing within all of our developments, creating the healthy neighbourhoods, towns and cities of the future. The principles that lie at the heart of creating healthy new places and showcasing the learning and innovation from the Healthy New Towns Programme are as follows: • Plan ahead collectively • Plan integrated health services that meet local needs • Connect, involve and empower people and communities • Create compact neighbourhoods • Maximise active travel • Inspire and enable healthy eating • Foster health in homes and buildings • Enable healthy play and leisure • Develop health services that help people stay well • Create integrated health and wellbeing centres These principles complement Thakeham’s vision for all new developments and implement the above principles where appropriate.

Summary of comments for Question 19 (How do you think new developments should support healthy lifestyles?): Focus on sustainable developments which follow the NHS Healthy New Towns principles.

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Very important

Very Important Cambridge has seen significant economic growth in the science, biotech and medical sectors. The creation of jobs has resulted in Gross Disposable Income per head growing by 11% between 2011 and 2016 in real terms. The contribution the area makes to the UK economy has been significant. However, growth in employment has not been matched by corresponding housebuilding or infrastructure. Thakeham support the Councils’ approach of significantly increasing housing supply to aid the recent and continuing economic growth and improve affordability across the district. In Thakeham’s view, it is vital that the Councils’ plan for sufficient housing numbers, in order to not hinder economic growth. In Thakeham’s view, the strategy for allocating new development should include planning for larger scale development through the provision of fully planned and infrastructure-led new settlements, as well as extensions to existing villages, which the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states is the best way to achieve supply of large numbers of new homes (Paragraph 74). The allocation of new settlements can deliver much-needed affordable housing, as well as access to employment, open space, and other community facilities while being able to implement all of the key themes of climate change, placemaking, social inclusion and wellbeing and biodiversity through responsible design. This will enable the benefits of economic growth of the district to be felt by all parts of the community. In addition, Thakeham support the provision of new modern flexible co-working space within any new developments, especially outside the centre of Cambridge, in order to promote economic growth, create new employment opportunities, and reduce the need to travel across the District to work. This will enable the benefits of economic growth of the District to be felt by all parts of the community, as well as contribute towards the Councils’ wider net-zero carbon goals through reduced travel.

Summary of comments for Question 24 (How important do you think continuing economic growth is for the next Local Plan?): Very important. Strong economy ensures retention and attraction of highly skilled workforce, but need to provide the homes and working environment.

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Thakeham would support policies within the GCLP which emphasizes the national importance and the strength of Cambridge’s Science and Technology sector. The GCLP must not seek to dilute or work against the promotion of start-ups and existing businesses. The GCLP will need to allow a degree of flexibility within the key employment policies in order to allow for the changing circumstances of the market which move much faster than planning policy. This flexibility is required to allow Cambridge to move forward on it’s leading edge and not to come up against policy barriers.

Summary of Comments for Question 25 (What kind of business and industrial space do you think is most needed in the ares?): Flexible space and jobs. Highly skilled jobs for science and tech, but also supporting jobs in all sectors

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Councils’ should not just focus on existing employment locations within Cambridge Cite Centre, but should also plan for new employment space or flexible co-working space in new settlements and adjacent to neighbourhoods or villages, thereby reducing the need to travel, and supporting the Councils’ net zero carbon aspirations. This would allow for new and flexible working practices and enable a rapid response to changes in economic circumstances in accordance with the NPPF (Paragraph 81).

Summary of Comments for Q28 (In providing for a range of employment space, are there particular locations we should be focusing on?): In new settlements, with sustainable transport links to residential, and adjacent to existing villages to reduce travel and improve zero carbon target

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Yes, strongly agree

Yes, strongly agree Thakeham note that the Councils’ current calculations using the Government’s ‘standard method’ indicate a need for 1,800 homes per year, or 40,900 homes for the suggested plan period of 2017-2040. However, Thakeham also note the Councils’ indicative calculation based on CPIER suggests that if the jobs growth is achieved, around 2,900 homes a year would need to be built in Greater Cambridge – an indicative total of 66,700 homes over 2017-2040. Thakeham is supportive of the Councils’ seeking to allocate additional provision beyond the local housing need derived from the standard method outlined above, in order to provide flexibility to support the Councils’ economic growth. Thakeham would like to highlight that Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) states that this is the minimum number of homes that must be planned for and therefore does not consider the impact of other factors (Housing Supply and Delivery - Paragraph: 001 Reference ID: 68-00120190722). This approach is also in accordance with PPG which identifies that the housing need number set out in household projections should be adjusted to reflect appropriate market signals including labour demand as well as other market indicators of the balance between the demand for and supply of dwellings (Housing and Economic Needs Assessment PPG Paragraph 027 Ref. 2a-027-20190220 Dated 20/02/2019). However, Thakeham would like to raise concern that there is no mention of a 5% buffer being applied to the Councils’ calculations. In accordance with PPG, to ensure that there is a realistic prospect of achieving the planned level of housing supply, the Local Planning Authority are required to provide a minimum buffer of 5% to ensure choice and competition in the market, applied to the requirement in the first 5 years (including any shortfall), bringing forward additional sites from later in the plan period which will result in a requirement over and above the level indicated by the local housing need figure. (Housing Supply and Delivery - Paragraph: 022 Reference ID: 68-022-20190722) Thakeham would like to raise concern that the Greater Cambridge Local Plan consultation document has not mentioned the wider housing market area and how this unmet need by neighbouring Authorities, impacts Greater Cambridgeshire’s housing need. Given the affordability issues in Cambridgeshire, it is highly likely the housing market area for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire is shared with neighbouring authorities. In accordance with the NPPF, the Councils’ have a duty to co-operate on housing issues crossing administrative boundaries. Local Plans are required to meet their “full objectively assessed need for market and affordable housing in the housing market area, as far as consistent with the policies set out in this Framework” (NPPF, paragraph 47). Whilst it is pleasing that the Councils’ appear to be looking to meet their housing needs in full it is important to consider whether any unmet needs from other authorities in the housing market area needs to be met within the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Based on the above, this means the Councils’ should be identifying sites in in the next Local Plan period, to incorporate a 5% buffer and unmet need from neighbouring authorities.