Question 12. How should the Local Plan help us improve the natural environment?

have wheelchair accessible routes in natural areas and raised beds in allotments.

Encourage farmers to plant hedgerows Plant wild flowers on grass verges to encourage bees and other insects https://plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk/roadvergecampaign Allow spare bits of land to be cultivated by locals residents https://www.guerrillagardening.org/ggtips.html

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There may be potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery or along river corridors for example, i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

Our chalk streams and unique and important but some are dry or nearly so. The Plan should protect them by not permitting building over the areas of land that feed the aquifer. Even with permeable surfaces between buildings, such development reduces the amount of rainfall that gets to the aquifer and chalk streams.

By making it the top priority, ahead of (for example) 'growth targets'.

Through the initiatives coming forward in the Environment Bill (including 10% Net Gain).

Protect the existing biodiversity assets and wildlife corridors that connect them.

Support and prioritise agroecological farming

The Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. Cambridge itself would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery - i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

The Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. Cambridge itself would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery - i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

Make a committment to work towards increasing the current figures as having a greater priority than development, building work or new infrasturcture. If the Plan allows for activities to happen that cause a drop in wildlife, woodland or any of the other parameters, it should be seen as having failed. Economic development, housing, transport all come lower than this.

Green spaces should be protected. Existing nature reserves, such as in Coton, should not be allowed to be ruined by concrete busways. More green space should be provided for public access. The existing green spaces in Cambridge suited a city of less than 100,000 well but are clearly inadequate as the city continues to grow from its current 130,000 population.

The Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. Cambridge itself would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery - i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

The Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. Cambridge itself would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery - i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

The Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. Cambridge itself would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery - i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

RSPB Ouse Fen is bucking the trend of biodiversity loss, with large areas of habitat creation. Supporting this and other nature reserves through funding (and sometimes streamlined planning) would allow extra habitat creation. Woodland is a slow win, wetlands are relatively rapid to create and are what Cambridgeshire does very well overall. RSPB Hope farm shows how farmland wildlife can be helped and could be used as a model for mitigation management for farmland after some is lost to development Cambridgeshire has a wide and growing number of dragonfly species. New water bodies and work to further increase water quality (eg buffer strips between farmland and water body) would help them and many other species (barn owls, water voles etc.). Overall though the good farmland should be used for farming, and the Fens has more biodiversity than the corporate-agriculture stereotype. South Cambridgeshire farmland could be improved significantly, especially the good chalky areas.

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. In particular land adjacent to areas proposed to be released from the Green Belt. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There may be potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. In particular land adjacent to areas proposed to be released from the Green Belt. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There may be potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt releases and development which is in more elevated locations.

This Local Plan must deliver effective policy which protects and enhances natural capital. We support delivery of net gain for new developments. Such policy must be flexible enough to enable creative and cost-effective solutions for the delivery of net gain and support the Vision for the Natural Future of Cambridgeshire in 2050 as outlined by Natural Cambridgeshire and affiliated organisations. An off-site net gain solution should be clearly allowed for by policy. While it is a Local Plan priority as a part of one of the four big themes, the Local Plan policy must allow for a planning judgement and balanced decision to allow for site- and development-specific issues to be considered. A policy basis to facilitate off-site biodiversity net gain is essential for smaller and medium sized developments. As recognised in the NPPF, small and medium developments, with their ability to be delivered early in the plan period at pace, will play an important role in meeting housing requirements and supporting existing villages. Such sites may best secure biodiversity net gain by contributing to an offsite initiative. A strategy for the delivery of off-site biodiversity net gain funded through development contributions would allow the Council new green infrastructure and biodiversity habitats to be strategically planned, which in turn, would provide greater benefit than the provision of small, uncoordinated and connected new habitats across a range of new developments.

See answers to Q8 (also copied below). By encouraging proposals and new site allocations that have the ability to secure a net gain in biodiversity and green infrastructure. • Employment uses focusing on innovation and technology in the aviation sector, which will include electric and electronic aircraft technologies and other aviation-related technologies which provide efficiencies to other industry sectors, aimed at lowering the aviation and other industry sectors’ CO2 emissions; • Residential uses (and enhanced local services) co-located with the employment on the same site and thus looking to optimise the amount of “self-containment,” reducing unnecessary car travel by making walking and cycling the preferred travel mode; • The proposals are within a public transport corridor close to Whittlesford Parkway station. The proposal will include a “Green Link” from Whittlesford through an extended Duxford village and onto Duxford IWM to reduce private car travel to the expanding museum facility; • Sustainable design and building construction techniques should be used to meet climate change demands, electric charging network provided, and walking and cycling encouraged. Further work will be undertaken to investigate use of renewable and low carbon energy sources; • Proposals include a new 40 ha country park (which will largely replace Grade 3 agricultural use which has a low biodiversity value) and a green network throughout the proposed development will lead to a net increase in tree and hedge cover, a net gain in biodiversity and green infrastructure; and • Extending an existing Cambridge village which is located outside the Green Belt (Duxford), providing the existing and new community with new and enhanced facilities such as school, health, culture, commercial and leisure provision, which will ensure the village remains sustainable, inclusive and diverse.

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There may be potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

The Local Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

Local Plan should take into account existing Neighbourhood Plans and local green space within them. Development of Neighbourhood plans in areas which do not have them (if that is the case) should be faciliatated. Minimum standards established for cover of different habitat/vegetation types (tree/woodland cover, amenity value green space, wetlands/ponds) for all developments over a certain size, and for access to green space in new developments and existing areas where density of housing is increasing Encouragement if green infrastructure and contracts awarded to companies who have shown innovation is area and on how to provide this in a way that is cost effective and also contributes to social objectives. Companies encouraged to maximise biodiversity value of their premises and land (new builds and existing premises) including through tree planting etc. Big up scale in tree planting

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. In particular land adjacent to areas proposed to be released from the Green Belt. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There may be potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt releases and development which is in more elevated locations.

The local plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. The City of Cambridge would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There may be potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt releases.

5.11 This Local Plan must deliver effective policy which protects and enhances natural capital. We support delivery of net gain for new developments. Such policy must be flexible enough to enable creative and cost-effective solutions for the delivery of net gain and support the Vision for the Natural Future of Cambridgeshire in 2050 as outlined by Natural Cambridgeshire and affiliated organisations. 5.12 An off-site net gain solution should be clearly allowed for by policy. While it is a Local Plan priority as a part of one of the four big themes, the Local Plan policy must allow for a planning judgement and balanced decision to allow for site and development specific issues to be considered. A policy basis to facilitate off-site biodiversity net gain is essential for smaller and medium sized developments. As recognised in the NPPF, small and medium developments, with their ability to be delivered early in the plan period at pace, will play an important role in meeting housing requirements and supporting existing villages. Such sites may best secure biodiversity net gain by contributing to an offsite initiative. A strategy for the delivery of off-site biodiversity net gain funded through development contributions would allow the Council new green infrastructure and biodiversity habitats to be strategically planned, which in turn, would provide greater benefit than the provision of small, uncoordinated and connected new habitats across a range of new developments.

The Plan should continue as per the current situation – protect important natural areas and, where appropriate, encourage the provision of new greenspace associated with large scale development. Cambridge itself would benefit from further large-scale greenspace on its periphery - i.e. areas large enough to serve the whole population. There are potential opportunities to achieve major new green infrastructure associated with Green Belt release.

We have a great opportunity to start putting in low impact cycle paths instead of bulldozing swathes of green land to make way for stinking cars. Major cycle routes need to be smoothly paved to make it easy for people to commute without cars but minor routes can be paved with less impactful surfaces.

New form of agriculture, that would help biodiversity