OBJECT

Mr Francis does not object to the principle of settlement boundaries being defined around villages. However, the existing defined settlement boundaries for most villages in South Cambridgeshire have remained largely unchanged since the Local Plan 2004. The settlement boundaries were adjusted in some cases to take into account allocations at some villages through the Site Specific Allocations DPD 2010 and the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018. In Fen Ditton, heritage assets, protected village amenity areas, and important countryside frontages restrict development opportunities within the settlement boundary. It is very likely most development opportunities that did exist within Fen Ditton have been taken up by now, and any that do remain would be for one or two dwellings only that are not required to provide affordable housing. There are no opportunities within the settlement boundary for Fen Ditton to deliver major development of 10 or more dwellings where affordable housing would be required.

The Councils have not undertaken an assessment of the capacity land within the existing settlement boundaries of villages to accommodate additional development. It is likely that such an assessment would demonstrate that the capacity is limited.

It is considered that the emerging GCLP should seek to allocate suitable sites on the edge of existing sustainable villages and to adjust the settlement boundary to accommodate those allocations. The site promoted by Mr Francis at land off Ditton Lane in Fen Ditton is suitable and available for housing, and should be allocated for development; the representations to Policy GP/LC: Protection and Enhancement of Landscape Character and to the site assessment in the HELAA address the Important Countryside Gap designation at the Ditton Lane site.

Requested Change

It is requested that a capacity assessment is undertaken of all villages in South Cambridgeshire to determine which potential housing sites might be deliverable or developable during the plan period to 2041 and the number of dwellings that might be delivered from each of those sites.

If the capacity assessment identifies no suitable sites to meet identified affordable housing needs it is requested that additional allocations are made on the edge of those villages to deliver sufficient housing to meet those affordable housing needs.