Question 5

Not at all

It would be good to reduce the housing and make way for more community space, which is lacking in North Cambridge. It does not provide much in the way of improved or exciting community facilities for residents and seems to be designed to maximise the developer's profit margin. There are a lot of allotments in North Cambridge and long waiting lists for plots to grow fruit and vegetables. Allotments would be a fantastic asset to the area which has very little green space and no gardens. In recent years there has been a resurgence of people growing their own vegetables and it has been proved that it helps mental health. The recent lockdown highlighted the importance of people being able to connect with nature and their natural surroundings and allotments provide the opportunity. I work in a local nursery school and as far as i can see there seems to be no provision for any nursery schools places. The plan is expecting approximately 19,000 residents to move to the area yet there are no plans to build a secondary school. The closest school is North Cambridge Academy but it is unlikely it will have enough places for the children of NE Cambridge. Many schools in Cambridge are at, or close to, capacity and with a boom in housing they will soon be an acute shortage of schools. If by the time a new school is needed will the allocated space in case one is needed in future already be built on and will there be enough land for playing fields etc?

Neutral

Simple minimum developer stopgap measure to meet council demands. Like with recent Orchard Park development, the shops will be just 1 or 2 tiny One Stops and I suppose it is unrealistically expected that everybody cycles over Coston bridge to bigger Tesco. And you'll get community hub facilities dwarfed by high rise building.

Neutral

Haven't found any evidence of sufficient community facilities - there's a bit of a shortage of them in the city already.

Mostly yes

No answer given

Mostly yes

Note the housing mix can have a significant impact on the number of children and therefore the education need. The current ask for 3 primary school sites, and reserved land for a secondary school co-located with one of the primary schools is based on early housing mix proposals. Flexibility is required because it is only when the majority of residential development has gained outline planning permission, and the number of houses and mix is fixed as part of the planning permission, the County Council can say with certainty the final education requirements. Education supports the allocation of 3 primary schools within the site. These will include early years provision. Being located within the new community means they are accessible and promote sustainable travel. The schools require good cycle and walking links from when the schools open. A secondary school site is safeguarded within the plans, to be co-located with one of the primary schools. This is welcomed, noting it is not possible to confirm the need for new secondary school on site until such time as there is greater certainty as to the housing quantum and detailed mix. i.e A sufficient number of homes have been granted outline planning permission. Acknowledging the unique built environment proposed for North East Cambridge and in relation to policy 10e, the Cowley Road Neighbourhood Centre, the need to look more radically at best use of space in a high density development is noted. The last bullet point of the policy states, “Opportunities for schools to be part of a mixed use building should be explored.” It should be noted this needs to be without detriment to the quality of education provision and assurance for the securing of the building and land. The draft AAP indicates the delivery of a secondary school, (should on-site provision be needed), will be at towards the end of the plan period. “Local secondary school provision will be kept under review throughout the plan period to determine whether a secondary school at North East Cambridge is required and when it will need to be delivered. Based on the housing trajectory for the Area Action Plan, it is anticipated that if it is required, then it is likely to be delivered towards the end of the plan period.” In the programme at the end of the Draft AAP shows the secondary school being opened in the period 2035-2040. This is at a too late a stage in development to provide the Council with the requisite flexibility to plan and deliver sufficient places. With regard to phasing, it is assumed secondary school provision will be required early in the development, depending on demand for places across the wider area and housing mix from early stages of the development. There may be the option of providing a temporary facility off site for a duration of time before the delivery of new secondary school facilities (if required). Should a new secondary school be required on site, the delivery of such a facility could be from an early stage of development. Policy 15 Shops and Local Services. Inclusion of full day-care (education) use should be included to enable commercial providers to set up full-day care provision (Southern Fringe demonstrates the negative impact of having a shortfall of this type of commercial opportunity) Policy 2 states non-residential buildings are to meet BREEAM excellent. Furthermore it states. “Alternative construction methodologies, for example Passivhaus, will be supported subject to early engagement with the Councils to agree the approach. The alternative to BREEAM excellent is very welcome and the County Council supports this. BREEAM excellent is not always an appropriate measure in the delivery of schools. The County Council is looking into PassivHaus as a more effective tool.

Neutral

Where are the secondary schools age children going to go? You need a secondary school if this is to be a community of families.

Neutral

No answer given

Neutral

No answer given

Mostly not

This would be an ideal place for a large concert hall, which would double as a conference centre for the business community - plenty of car parking on the science park, for those who couldn't travel by train or bus in the evenings. There are not enough community facilities to support a successful new community. A new secondary school would also be a community facility for after school and weekend activities. Where are the playing fields?

Mostly not

Appropriate and adequate community facilities are vital to the successful delivery of the vision for NE Cambridge. We are concerned about the vagueness of some proposals that we see as vital, for example a secondary school “if needed”, a nursery “pending further engagement with Cambridgeshire County Council”, health provision “pending further engagement with health providers” and indoor sports and swimming provision “pending further engagement with Sports England and through the updating of the Sport Strategies for both Councils”. Community facilities must be in place as the first new residents move in, to avoid locking residents into car ownership. In the absence of adequate provision on site, huge stresses will be placed on already over-subscribed schools, health centres and exercise facilities in the surrounding areas.

Mostly not

You cannot 'expect' developers to provide the facilities needed, it needs to be part of a water-tight contract. Nurseries will be needed, and a secondary school, as well as many more facilities for this huge number of people. And access to health care will be needed from the start - not 'when needed'.

Mostly yes

There are lots of provision for Arts in town and extra provision may dilute their attendance. I think there should be more emphasis on a new sports centre and that this should be an integral and prominent part of the plans. Especially important would be a large, easily accessible swimming pool. Provision of tennis courts would be a good thing.

Neutral

A concert venue for live music would also be a great addition to the area, both for people living locally and for people living to the north of Cambridge that could take advantage of the train links. The community facilities need to be accessible and available to people living in the surrounding areas such as Kings Hedges and not just new residents of the development to ensure that this development becomes an integrated part of the local community and helps to alleviate some of the huge inequality across the city. It is vital that this development does not become a repeat of the CB1 development and that the buildings and facilities being promised for the local community, such as the community centre, are not reduced in size or scope later on in the development, or even removed completely and replaced expensive luxury flats as has happened before. The developer needs to be held to this.

Neutral

What about access to A level education which at present is particularly focussed on the other side of town at Hills Road and Long Road?

Mostly not

There is no provision for a gym in the proposal. The current proposals will remove R P Fitness on Nuffield Road Industrial Estate. A similar gym should be included in the new development. Physical activity is an important part of developing a lively community. There is only an allowance for a secondary school and no commitment. There should be a commitment for a new secondary school.

Mostly not

• There is no certainty of dedicated performing arts – to try to have one space to serve production studios, a gallery/museum, theatre and conference space is effectively providing a ‘village hall’. • There is no dedicated provision for sports facilities (pending further engagement with Sports Engliand …) included. Just not good enough. • Will the space set aside for a secondary school be ring-fenced against other development or uses? A development with a population equivalent to the size of Ely has to accommodate educating 11-18-year-olds locally.

Not at all

A secondary school is very likely to be needed, along with more leisure and sports facilities as these are lacking in this part of the city.

Mostly yes

I thinkthere may be the need to reserve space for a secondary school in the middle years of this area being built out

Not at all

No comments

Not at all

What’s proposed shows thinking is based on housing the size of Ely but with facilities of Swavesey: madness ! Covers lack in all areas of key community facilities to serve such a dense housing area/community - availability of GPs & healthcare services; lack of schools planned - all ages; no swimming pool; no cultural centre; no new sports pitches; no facilities for the disabled/elderly; no new allotments; no major venue included; independent shops concept has been lost; green space by river is vague; no recognition that Milton Country Park is already at capacity etc. Clearly all driven by greedy Developers looking to make massive monies, leaving the local ‘mess’ behind, long after the Developer’s diggers have upped and left. Will lead to major degradation (of already very stretched facilities) on rest of Cambridge, as well as massive increases in local travel etc. - gridlocks are ALREADY a major issue. Where do you plan to put roads for everyone’s (high density housing) home delivery van access?? They can’t come on a bike/walking.

Nothing chosen

Sport pitches, sport clubs, a swimming pool?

Not at all

From what I have read the sites for swimming pools etc have yet to be established.

Mostly yes

This is impossible to judge. I have no idea who will be attracted to a high rise development on the site of a Victorian sewage treatment works. No other area of Cambridge can be used as a comparison.

Nothing chosen

You can plan for the, but will they happen? A library? A lot of libraries are closing

Mostly not

Same response as for Qs 3 &4. If more of us continue to work remotely essential dwellings are designed with 'work life' spaces and community low cost office spaces.

Mostly yes

A decent library is a good idea, but we also need community meeting places at low cost venues. Eddington seem to have got it right.

Mostly not

No provision for cost effective local space for clubs and activities. This will entirely discourage people staying in the area.

Yes, completely

No comments

Neutral

No comment

Neutral

No comment