4. Area Action Plan Boundary

4.1 The boundary of the AAP will define the area that the policies of the AAP will relate to; i.e. planning applications inside the boundary will be assessed against them. Inclusion within the boundary does not signify that facilities will be lost or a property will necessarily be subject to change; the boundary has no impact on land ownerships for example. However, in planning the development, the whole area needs to be considered in order to provide the best option.

4.2 A boundary for the CNFE area is proposed in the Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Local Plan policies (Policy 14 and SS/4 respectively – See Appendix 1) and reflected here. This takes account of a number of factors:

1. The ‘Station Gateway’: This relates to the committed and approved development of the proposed new railway station on the Chesterton Rail Sidings and Cambridgeshire Guided Busway extension linking to the proposed new railway station. Both schemes will be significant drivers for the redevelopment in the area and require enhancements to the approach along Cowley Road to provide an attractive gateway to Cambridge.

2. ‘Employment Opportunity’: The aspiration is for a new employment focused quarter to respond to and continue the dynamism of the growing Cambridge economy. It therefore makes sense to concentrate on the sites in this area with commercial potential for new employment development or more intensified employment development. This is particularly alongside Cowley Road and the Chesterton Rail Sidings, but also the existing office and industrial areas.

3. ‘Green Belt and protected designations context’: The Councils’ Local Plans identify the area to be considered through the AAP. This issues and options report identifies options consistent with the policies in the Local Plans. Two options to include land to the west or south are identified, which would be consistent with the Local Plans (as these areas are also already within the designated development boundaries of Cambridge). No options are included for land to the north or east. To include land to the north or east of the AAP area would include land which does not reflect the characteristics of the AAP area and would not be consistent with the submitted Local Plans. These areas are largely Green Belt. No changes to the Green Belt boundaries in these areas have been identified through the Local Plans’ Green Belt review. Much of the land near the river is also at flood risk. The area to the east contains Gypsy and Traveller site provision. Existing Gypsy and Traveller sites are proposed to be safeguarded in the South Cambridgeshire Submission Local Plan.

4. ‘Physical and visual envelope’: For CNFE, both the physical and visual envelope for the area is contained by the screening landscape alongside the A14 to the north, the highway environment along Milton Road to the west (with structural landscaping beyond), and the railway environment to the east created by the presence of the Cambridge to Ely line. The latter boundary feature will need to be strengthened by planting and potentially acoustic barriers to mitigate against the noise impact particularly for the existing residential uses to the east of the railway. To the south, the visual boundary is less clear. The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway provides a visual break, but it is proposed to use the residential edge as the primary defining feature.

5. ‘Green Network, Ecological mitigation and the water environment’: This AAP will promote the creation of a network of green spaces and corridors, proposes ecological mitigation and enhancement, and measures to manage surface water. Central to this integrated nature and water management approach is the First Public Drain which runs from the Cambridge Science Park, through the CNFE area and out into the River Cam.

4.3 In light of these factors, it is proposed the boundary continues to include the:

• St. John’s Innovation Centre;
• Anglian Water’s Water Recycling Centre;
• Golf driving range and former park and ride site north of Cowley Road;
• Cambridge Commercial Park (sometimes referred to as Cowley Road Industrial Estate);
• Chesterton Rail Sidings;
• Cambridge Business Park;
• Nuffield Road Industrial Estate and Trinity Hall Farm Industrial Estate, and
• Some protected open space alongside the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.

4.4 Two possible extensions to the boundary of the CNFE area have been identified below and on the following map.

Boundary Extension Option (A) Cambridge Science Park

4.5 Cambridge Science Park, to the west of Milton Road, has been a successful part of the Cambridge economy since the 1970s. It provides a home for a range of science and technology based industries, with a range of supporting facilities. Some of the building stock on the site is dated, and the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and the proposed new railway station mean that accessibility of the site is being significantly improved. The site offers opportunities for gradual redevelopment of some existing buildings and areas to deliver additional employment floorspace to help meet the future business needs of the Greater Cambridge area, and support the evolution of this important site. The Proposed South Cambridgeshire Local Plan includes a policy supporting this approach (Policy E/1 – see Appendix 2).

4.6 The CNFE AAP could enable a more proactive approach to include guidance, such as guiding principles to help steer the redevelopment, and consider linkages with the opportunities to the east of Milton Road.

Boundary Extension Option (B) Chesterton Sidings Triangle

4.7 To include a very small triangular area of land to the south of the sidings that may be used for the proposed new railway station and to provide a pedestrian/cycle access for CNFE as part of the Chisholm Trail.

Naming the new development area

4.8 We use Cambridge Northern Fringe East as a working title only. We are therefore keen to get your views on possible names for the new development area. There could be benefits of linking the name with existing employment areas or residential communities or maybe the development is of a scale that justifies its own name.

Naming the proposed new railway station

4.9 With the new development being built around the proposed new railway station, what do you think is an appropriate station name? It is important that the new name is inspirational, reflects the local location, but will also mean something important outside of Cambridge. Some suggestions have already been made. If you want to put forward your suggestion; perhaps related to your suggestion for the new development area or a person's name that is synonymous with the city (subject to the individual agreeing to its use). Your responses will be shared with Network Rail and the Department for Transport who will make the final decision on the name of the proposed new railway station.