Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

It is considered that the growth of villages must be part of the development strategy for emerging GCLP, and there is national guidance that supports this approach. Paragraph 78 of the NPPF seeks to promote sustainable development in rural areas and acknowledges that housing can enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and support local services. Orwell contains a primary school, village store including a post office, a public house, a hairdresser, a village hall, church hall, recreation facilities and a mobile library service. There is a limited bus service to Cambridge. The promoted development at land off Leaden Hill in Orwell would support the existing services and facilities in the village. Paragraph 68 acknowledges the role that small and medium sized sites can make towards meeting the housing requirements, and that such sites are often built-out relatively quickly. Small and medium sized sites typically only require limited new physical infrastructure and amendments to the access arrangements. The housing monitoring data from Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire confirms that small and medium sites are delivered quickly i.e. within two to three years. It is considered that small and medium sized sites make a significant contribution towards the short term housing land supply and the five year housing land supply position in Greater Cambridgeshire. Therefore, it is requested that small sized sites such as land off Leaden Hill in Orwell are allocated to meet the requirement for a mix of sites including small sites that are easily deliverable. As set out in the call for sites submission, there are no significant constraints to development at land off Leaden Hill in Orwell. The trees and hedges on the site that contribute to the landscape character would be retained as part of the promoted development, and additional planting would be provided to protect and enhance that character.