Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Summary of comments for Question 38 (What do you think the priorities are for new infrastructure?): Sustainable transport focusing on prioritising pedestrian / cycle movement over the car. Creating places to live/work/play to reduce external movement

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Dispersal: New Settlements, Dispersal: Villages, Public Transport Corridors, Edge of Cambridge: Outside Green Belt, Densification of existing urban areas, Edge of Cambridge: Green Belt

The GCLP should not focus on a single strategy to deliver its development needs. The GCLP needs to include a range of strategies so it has the best chance of securing a mix of scale of different development to be able to deliver its housing and employment needs on the ground within the plan period. In ranking the options for Q42, our proposal is as follows: 1. Dispersal: New settlements 2. Dispersal: Villages 3. Public transport corridors 4. Edge of Cambridge: outside of green belt 5. Densification fo existing urban area 6. Edge of Cambridge: green belt In particular, we support the creation of new towns or villages which would be supported by the necessary infrastructure in a new location and, importantly, supported by new strategic transport information for ease of connectivity to Cambridge. As part of the strategy, the GCLP should also spread new homes and jobs out to the villages through new site allocations, utilising existing and adding new physical and social infrastructure into those villages.

Agree

Agree Thakeham agree with the Councils’ approach to collaborate with neighbouring authorities, especially in relation to assessing housing need. Whilst Section 4.6.3, details the Councils’ objectively assessed housing need, there appears to be no allowance for any shortfall in delivery that has been identified in neighbouring Local Authorities. 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 can be met within the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham.

Thakeham is of the view that the Councils’ should ensure the Local Plan locates new development where it can bring wider benefits to existing communities in terms of access to services, facilities and green space. Development should also enable access to new employment spaces for both existing and new communities. Thakeham urge the Councils’ to allocate development and growth across the wider district to include villages, in order to allow them to grow and thrive in accordance with Paragraph 78 of the NPPF. The allocation of larger developments adjacent to village settlements can deliver much-needed affordable housing and infrastructure such as access to employment, open space, and other community facilities in rural areas. This will enable the benefits of economic growth of the district to be felt by rural communities. Development within existing villages will provide financial support for local infrastructure and increase demand to support local services that are at risk from closure. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham.

Strongly agree

Strongly Agree As a sustainable placemaker, Thakeham strongly agrees with the theme ‘Great Places’ as Thakeham are not just a housebuilder, but are committed to creating new, extraordinary places, where the highest attention to detail makes a positive difference. In accordance with Paragraph 124 of the NPPF, the creation of high-quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve, and good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, which creates better places in which to live and work. Thakeham also strongly agree with the key theme ‘Wellbeing and Social Inclusion’ and strongly urges the Councils’ to ensure the plan supports development and growth across the wider district to include villages, in order to allow them to grow and thrive in accordance with the NPPF (Paragraph 78). Thakeham strongly agree that Climate Change should be a big theme for the Local Plan. We believe that our ambitions set ourselves apart from other developers, being able to deliver developments which can provide both new and improved sustainable transport links, the creation of Zero Carbon homes, and new employment opportunities which link to and sustain existing villages and settlements. Thakeham would also like to urge the Councils’ to work with environmentally focused developers, such as ourselves, to deliver developments which have a positive impact in production. We excel in reducing construction waste, water consumption, and carbon emissions in the production of developments, offsetting our impact to become carbon neutral. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham

Thakeham is of the view that the Local Plan should focus on delivering growth across the District, in order to provide new sustainable transport links, new energy efficient homes including affordable homes, and new local employment opportunities which link to and sustain existing villages and settlements in order to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050. The provision of new sustainable transport links (Greenways) and flexible co-working employment spaces in villages, will reduce the reliance on travel across the wider district, especially by private car. The Land east of Long Road, Comberton could deliver part of the proposed Comberton Greenway, as well as much-needed new modern, flexible co-working space in the form of both homes that have been designed to allow working from home and new modern business/flexible co-working space for the wider community, reducing commuter travel, keeping employment local, and supporting new fledgling businesses. The new co-working space could include an office rental space, such as a ‘WeWork’ style initiative, or through rental laboratory space, such as a ‘Biocity’ style concept for the medi-tech sector. This co-working space would be developed in consultation with the community, which could then be gifted to the community as a community asset. Thakeham also urge the Councils’ to review potential allocation sites based on the credentials of the developer, and work with environmentally conscious developers like Thakeham to deliver high quality, sustainable developments. Thakeham are forerunners in creating sustainable developments and have committed that from 2025, every Thakeham home will be Zero Carbon, designed to operate at net-zero carbon in the operation of its heating, lighting, and ventilation.. In addition, we have committed to be Carbon Neutral in production; reducing carbon emissions and mitigating any remaining impact through verified offsetting schemes. As a business, we have committed to being zero carbon by 2025, and are well on the way to achieving this. Thakeham believes in a proactive approach and as a result our commitments, we are streets ahead of other developers in the industry and are demonstrating a capacity to change the future of UK new housing, 25 years ahead of current UK Government targets. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham

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. The Land east of Long Road, Comberton, could assist in delivering part of the proposed ‘Comberton Greenway’ sustainable transport link as shown in the ‘Greater Cambridge Greenways – Comberton Greenway’ consultation leaflet 2018, which would encourage walking, cycling and exercise as part of daily life. The site could also deliver new areas of open space including allotments in order to create places that offer natural sociability, interaction and access to nature as well as healthy and affordable food. In addition, 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 the Land east of Long Road, Comberton where Thakeham will implement the above principles where appropriate. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham

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 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 larger developments adjacent to village settlements can deliver much-needed affordable housing, as well as access to employment, open space, and other community facilities in rural areas. This will enable the benefits of economic growth of the district to be felt by rural communities, allowing them to grow and thrive in accordance with Paragraph 78 of the NPPF. 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 rural communities, allowing them to grow and thrive in accordance with Paragraph 78 of the NPPF, as well as contribute towards the Councils’ wider net-zero carbon goals through reduced travel. The Land east of Long Road, Comberton could deliver new modern, flexible co-working space in the form of both homes that have been designed to allow working from home and new modern business/flexible co-working space for the wider community. The new co-working space could include an office rental space, such as a ‘WeWork’ style initiative, or through rental laboratory space, such as a ‘Biocity’ style concept for the medi-tech sector. This co-working space would be developed in consultation with the community, which could then be gifted to the community as a community asset. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham

Nothing chosen

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 can 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, of which the Land east of Long Road, Comberton could contribute towards. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham

Thakeham is of the view that the Councils’ should not just focus on existing employment locations but should also plan for new business space or flexible co-working space in 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). The Land east of Long Road, Comberton could deliver both modern homes, that have been designed to allow working from home, as well as new modern business/flexible co-working space for the wider community, to respond to the community’s requirements. The new co-working space could include an office rental space, such as a ‘WeWork’ style initiative, or through rental laboratory space, such as a ‘Biocity’ style concept for the medi-tech sector. This co-working space would be developed in consultation with the community, which could then be gifted to the community as a community asset. Please refer to the appended Vision Document titled 'Land east of Long Road, Comberton' produced by Thakeham.