Great Abington Former Land Settlement Association Estate Neighbourhood Plan - Submission Plan

SCDC welcomes the opportunity to make comments on the submitted Neighbourhood Plan. The Council commends the Parish Council and local community for the time and effort that they have put into preparing this Neighbourhood Plan.

SCDC is fully supportive of Great Abington Parish Council's decision to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan and officers have been supporting the Parish Council in the plan's preparation.

SCDC supports the intentions of the Neighbourhood Plan to provide clear, consistent and transparent planning policies for the future development of the area. The Council welcomes the refinements to the plan that have been made since the pre-submission version.

SCDC has the following comments based on an assessment of the submission Neighbourhood Plan against the 'basic conditions':
* The Council considers that the Neighbourhood Plan is consistent with national policies and advice in that the core land use planning principles set out in the NPPF have been embodied in the Neighbourhood Plan.
* The Council considers that the Neighbourhood Plan contributes to the achievement of sustainable development.
* The Council considers that Policies 1-3 of the Neighbourhood Plan are in general conformity with the strategic policies in the adopted South Cambridgeshire LDF and the new South Cambridgeshire Local Plan.
* The Council considers that the submission version of the Neighbourhood Plan does not breach and is compatible with EU Obligations.

SCDC is supportive of Policy 1 (and its supporting text) given that it is supported by the evidence in and conclusions from the accompanying Character Assessment and Evidence on Dwelling Sizes.

SCDC is supportive of Policy 2 (and its supporting text) given that it is supported by the evidence in and conclusions from the accompanying Transport Statement, Character Assessment and Evidence on Dwelling Sizes.

SCDC is supportive of Policy 3 (and its supporting text) given that it is supported by the evidence in and conclusions from the accompanying Transport Statement and Character Assessment. For clarity, it is suggested that minor amendments are made to the wording of the policy.

If the examiner is minded to recommend that the Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to referendum, the Council does not feel that the referendum area needs to be extended beyond the Neighbourhood Area. The planning policies included in the Neighbourhood Plan would not have a substantial, direct or demonstrable impact beyond the Neighbourhood Area.

Further details are provided in the attached response.