Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

Response to Local Development Plan consultation February 2020 Little Abington Parish Council (LAPC) is broadly in agreement with the proposed key themes as the process for agreeing the new Local Development Plan gets underway. We would expect to see evidence of alignment with the plans of adjoining local authorities and other public authorities including the County Council, the Greater Cambridge Partnership and the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority as well as evidence of linkage with public service providers in this area such as Health and Social Care, Education and the Police. Development and transport plans in adjoining authorities, such as North Uttlesford District Council and West Suffolk Council/St Edmundsbury should also be considered.

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1. Potential for overdevelopment in and around Cambridge City including South Cambridgeshire. Clearly Cambridge City and the area around it is of significant national economic and strategic importance, particularly for life sciences/ biomedical sciences /information technology research and industry. However, there is a risk of over development in this area. This is a key issue for many residents who are concerned about the quantity and pace of development in the South Cambs district and query the numbers demanded by central government. Planners need to understand and reflect on what communities want and build on local knowledge and the tradition of the area. This must include planning for any new settlements or significant developments within existing communities. We recognise that land is scarce and building higher rise buildings might be appropriate in some parts of Greater Cambridge, but it would not be acceptable in rural villages and areas with a historical style of architecture. One Parish Councillor commented –“The SCDC vision is stated as “to put the heart into Cambridgeshire”, but I reject the implication that it currently lacks a heart. Let’s recognise both the city and its surrounding network of vibrant village communities as having a pretty healthy heart already. Keeping it beating and avoiding sclerosis should be the objective”.

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2. Transport and infrastructure More housing and other developments will lead to more traffic. Transport corridors in and around Cambridge and South Cambs are already highly congested. Putting more development near them without adequate consideration will only make things worse. The Greater Cambridge team needs to work with the transport providers such as Network Rail to improve train services into Cambridge, e.g. from Whittlesford and surrounding small stations. This needs to be phased with development, not an afterthought. Public transport must be affordable and accessible if drivers are to be encouraged off the road. Buses, trains, cycle paths and metros are great for people, but no good for transportation of goods, lorries, vans, and tradespeople. A better rail infrastructure might provide an opportunity to shift transportation of goods from roads to rail particularly on the route from the eastern ports to the Midlands. This would be a major strategic shift requiring collaboration with multiple agencies. However, there is no rail link to Haverhill to solve the problem of increasing goods traffic on the A1307. Much more thought needs to be given regarding the location of future distribution centres. They need to be closer to motorways and major routes and not in towns such as Haverhill with heavy goods traffic coming close to, or directly, through South Cambs villages.

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3. Zero Carbon/Electricity More homes, more jobs, increased development of business and science parks, electric cars. How will the increased demand for electricity and energy be met? All planning applications for new housing developments should require initiatives to reduce emissions such as heat pumps and solar panels.

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4. Water There has been concern about the aquifers in this part of South Cambridgeshire. Further development means increased demand for water. Although at present (February 2020) the news is full of problems with excess rainfall and resultant flooding, after a few dry weeks in the summer it will be a different story with warnings of water shortage. We need to conserve more water which will require increased storage capacity with larger reservoirs and underground storage of water. Planners should encourage/insist on more rainwater harvesting and use of grey water in all planning applications. Sustainable drainage systems (SUDs) should also be considered and measures taken to reduce leakage.

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5. Flooding Although this is not currently a problem in Little Abington, further development, without thoughtful planning, could heighten the risk. Any further development needs to ensure adequate drainage including upgrades of existing drainage whenever an opportunity ( such as house extensions or small-scale developments) arises. Ditches and rivers need to be kept clear and properly maintained with adequate flood defences provided in those areas prone to flooding.

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6. Green spaces and Green Belt The Plan must prioritise maintaining and protecting Local Green Spaces including Protected Village Amenity Areas (PVAAs). When opportunities arise new and accessible Local Green Spaces and PVAAs should be considered. Landscapes that are regarded as “special” by local communities should also be protected from development. These actions will protect biodiversity as well as providing more open spaces for recreation. Building on the Green Belt should be avoided whenever possible. However, if building on Green Belt is required, an area of at least the same size should be provided to compensate. Plans for new developments should include planting trees (not which trees will be removed as at present) and green spaces.

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7. Villages Small distinct villages are a characteristic of South Cambridgeshire. We feel there is risk of “sprawl” along new transport corridors and close to transport hubs. LAPC notes consideration for “small” site developments of less than 1 hectare. For a village the size of Little Abington this would be a significant development for perhaps as many as 30 dwellings. Any development should be in keeping with appearance and characteristics of the local area and address local need. Comment from a Parish Councillor: “my most serious comment relates to “locating development”. The percentage allocated to “rural areas” should be brought down to say 10%, or we shall almost certainly start to destroy the character of many of our villages, not least our own.

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8. Access to public services Public services in this area are already stretched. Schools are oversubscribed and NHS facilities are running over capacity. Primary Care is also overstretched. Any new developments will need close working with public agencies such as Health & Social Care and Education to ensure that there is adequate service provision planned to open at the same time as developments are completed.

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9. Biodiversity Comment from a Parish Councillor: “I would have liked to see a mention of supporting and promoting allotments and particularly of finding ways to link schools and the allotment movement. Learning how to grow our own and import less has an impact on food miles, plus the health benefits of exercise and connecting with the natural world”.

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