Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
Representation ID: 200296
Received: 24/01/2025
Respondent: Savills UK
Please see attached document for representations on behalf of Pigeon.
Please see attached document for representations on behalf of Pigeon.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
Representation ID: 200324
Received: 24/01/2025
Respondent: Home Builders Federation
The SPD suggests that planning obligations will be sought from all residential development, with major developments encouraged to contribute towards the provision of skills and employment opportunities for local residents through the provision and implementation of an Employment and Skills Plan.
The HBF is concerned that there are no policies in either Plan in relation to this requirement, and therefore, this is not in line with the NPPF or the PPG. The HBF is also concerned that this means that this requirement has not been tested at examination and the impact of this requirement on the delivery of development has not been considered. The HBF considers that it is also unlikely that the impacts of this requirement have been considered in terms of viability.
This section of the SPD is based on a strategic objective in the Cambridge Local Plan to assist in the creation and maintenance of inclusive, environmentally sustainable communities, and text within the South Cambridgeshire Local plan to ensure that all new development provides or has access to a range of services and facilities that support healthy lifestyles and well-being for everyone. The SPD suggests that planning obligations will be sought from all residential development, with major developments encouraged to contribute towards the provision of skills and employment opportunities for local residents through the provision and implementation of an Employment and Skills Plan.
The HBF is concerned that there are no policies in either Plan in relation to this requirement, and therefore, this is not in line with the NPPF or the PPG. The HBF is also concerned that this means that this requirement has not been tested at examination and the impact of this requirement on the delivery of development has not been considered. The HBF considers that it is also unlikely that the impacts of this requirement have been considered in terms of viability.
Increasing the number of people working within the construction workforce, and the skills and diversity of this workforce, is a top priority for the HBF. The construction workforce is ageing, and is facing critical shortfalls in many trades, such as bricklaying and ground working. Our work in this area, is managed by the HBF's Home Building Skills Partnership (HBSP), we work closely with home builders, the supply chain companies and industry training bodies to address common challenges in recruiting and developing the workforce. The HBSP’s focus stretches beyond traditional training and upskilling to include equality, diversity and inclusion, and employee wellbeing initiatives. This is delivered under two core workstreams: talent attraction and skills and development. A genuine strategic approach is needed to improve the training of people in the construction trades. This includes an evaluation of the future skills needs of employers, and an evaluation of the quality of the training that is available through colleges. Without this essential basic assessment, any skills initiative devised by the Councils represents a waste of public and private resources. The HBF’s Home Building Skills Partnership would welcome the opportunity to discuss the construction skills needs of the area with the Council, this would likely be more beneficial than the currently proposed policy.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
Representation ID: 200355
Received: 24/01/2025
Respondent: Jaynic
Jaynic understands that the Councils are still in the process of preparing a template for the Employment
and Skills Plan, that the developer will be responsible for the delivery of the Employment and Skills
Plan, and they must use their best endeavours to meet their employment and skills obligations on-site.
It should also be noted that the Occupier should also be involved in the Plan.
Please find attached our representations regarding the Planning Obligations SPD Consultation which ends at 5pm today.
You will see from our comments that we have raised a number of matters pertaining particularly to commercial development and would be more than happy to assist the Planning Policy Team going forward if required.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
Representation ID: 200380
Received: 24/01/2025
Respondent: University of Cambridge
Paragraph 19.10 refers to having Skills and Employment Plans approved 3 months prior to the
implementation/commencement of development. This is a very early trigger and if everything
else was in place for development to begin (i.e. the discharge of relevant planning
conditions/obligations), we see no reason why a development should be delayed by a further
3 months. This will harm the delivery of schemes. The trigger for approval should relate to the
commencement of development or any other suitable trigger as agreed on a case by case
basis through planning application discussions. The text should be amended to reflect this.
Within paragraph 19.16, the requirement for 1 apprenticeship per 1,000 sqm of employment
space could be appropriate for a higher employment density uses such as office or retail, but
is not likely to be achievable for lower density uses such as logistics, datacentres,
manufacturing etc. A variation for lower density uses should be reflected in the text.
Please find attached a response from the University of Cambridge to the Planning Obligations SPD consultation.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
Representation ID: 200447
Received: 24/01/2025
Respondent: Mr Howard Felstead
Regarding 19.13 A best endeavours obligation is highly onerous and normally commercially unacceptable. It would provide a significant disincentive to prospective developers, investors and commercial occupiers which could be obstructive to economic growth in the region and undermine the availability of skills, training and supply chain opportunities. A reasonable endeavours obligation would be sufficient and could result in greater availability of skills, training and supply chain opportunities.
Paragraph 19.14-In a similar vein to the comments on paragraph 19.13, these requirements are likely to be viewed as onerous by some commercial occupiers and flexibility is needed.
Please see attached comments on the draft SPD.
Comment
Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Consultation
Representation ID: 200588
Received: 24/01/2025
Respondent: Cambridgeshire County Council
The penultimate bullet point at Paragraph 19.16 could be strengthened with the mention of training and employment opportunities for green skills specifically, whilst retaining the good retrofitting example provided.
Please find attached comments made on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council in response to the consultation on the Planning Obligations SPD.