Waterbeach New Town Supplementary Planning Document

Comment

Representation ID: 167516

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

1. INTRODUCTION
We welcome the emphasis on a coordinated approach to design and delivery of the new town. This is essential to achieve a high quality and sustainable new settlement, that delivers on many of the requirements and aspirations set out in the SPD.
We are also broadly supportive of the approach to provision of green infrastructure and biodiversity enhancements, although reference should be made to the need for the development to deliver a net gain in biodiversity, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework.
As recognised in the SPD, it is important that the overall context is firmly established through the adoption of a final SPD before planning applications for the new town are considered. Further it is essential that consultees be given more time to respond to the individual applications in order to be able to frame our responses having regard to the final adopted SPD.

Comment

Representation ID: 167517

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

1.3 KEY ISSUES
We suggest that the second paragraph of Key Issues point 4 be edited to read "As well as protecting and promoting ecological habitats to deliver a net gain in biodiversity, and providing key place-making benefits..."

Comment

Representation ID: 167518

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

2.4 LANDSCAPE, ECOLOGY & WATER
Should also recognise that there are existing areas of species-rich and semi-improved grassland. Constraints and Opportunities maps (figures 11 and 12) should recognise existing grassland habitats within the site as well as woodland, and also show links to Wicken Fen.
Reference should be made to achieving environmental net gains.

Comment

Representation ID: 167519

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

4.2 KEY STRUCTURING ELEMENTS (FIXES)
Public spaces
Another potential benefit which could be referred to here is the opportunity to provide attractive high quality greenspaces within the development which could help to reduce the scale of potential recreational impacts on Wicken Fen.
Greenways and corridors
The Wildlife Trust is satisfied with the overall approach to the design of the green infrastructure network and the locations of the major greenways. We would like to highlight the importance of the east-west corridors as connections between the other areas of green infrastructure, as noted in point 6. We are also pleased to see consideration has been given to provision of circular and well-connected leisure routes within the development.
Summary at table 8 should include reference to the proposed Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) as a document/plan

Comment

Representation ID: 167520

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

5.5 OPEN SPACE, PLAY AND SPORT
The Wildlife Trust supports the overall approach outlined in point 20 (Create a multifunctional green network). However, the fourth bullet point should reference delivering a measurable net gain in biodiversity"

The summary at table 12 should include reference to the proposed Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP). The Mechanism(s) section for these issues should also refer to not just how these elements will be provided, but how they will be managed and maintained in the long term.

Comment

Representation ID: 167521

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

5.6 SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE
We support the inclusion of the reference to enhancing biodiversity through the provision of wetland habitats and associated native planting. We also note that point 25 refers to maintenance of SuDS in the long term. As noted above in relation to key issues 5, 6, 7 and 10, and guiding principle 5.5, there is also a need to consider maintenance of green infrastructure in the long term, and we suggest a similar approach to that taken in point 25 - SuDS maintenance, could be applied to green infrastructure, i.e. the addition of specific point outlining long-term maintenance and management requirements.

Comment

Representation ID: 167522

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

5.8 Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change
First bullet point under 29 - remove the wording "where possible" and read "Avoiding adverse impacts on biodiversity and the natural environment, promoting and enhancing them..."

We support point 34 (Integrate and Enhance Biodiversity), and are pleased with the approach which bases decisions on a full programme of surveys and monitoring, and considers existing and created habitats as part of a wider ecological network.

We support the proposed production of a Biodiversity Management Plan, although for consistency with the rest of the document, suggest that this should be referred to as a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP),

We are pleased to see that in table 15, the LEMP is included in the list of documents/plans for point 34 and that there is a reference in the Mechanism(s) section to management and to applicants being expected to demonstrate that their proposals are capable of delivery. However, for clarity we suggest the following changes to the table.

Comment

Representation ID: 167523

Received: 26/10/2018

Respondent: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust

6.2 INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLAN
It is currently not clear from the infrastructure delivery plan and table how the habitat creation and enhancement measures, and in particular the detailed design of the North Park Strategic Landscape area will be implemented and long-term management secured. It is not clear from the SPD who will be providing these spaces, nor how they will be managed in
perpetuity. South Cambs DC do not adopt greenspaces, therefore the SPD needs to identify a solution or range of potential solutions, that can be delivered by Urban & Civic and RLW jointly. This needs to be set out within the Infrastructure Delivery Programme and included in the S106 agreement.