Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply - Main Document

Comment

Representation ID: 168393

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Cambourne Town Council

Support the identification of a 5 year housing land supply, but have significant concerns regarding the marginal level of supply identified at just 5.3 years. Commend the Councils in the production of a robust and broadly reasonable assessment of forecast supply, but wish to highlight a few of points of concern.

We urge the authorities to press on with the production of their new Joint Local Plan in a timely manner and to consider the need for a broader ranger of smaller housing sites in years 5-10 of the current trajectory where there is an overreliance on strategic scale developments.

Comment

Representation ID: 168394

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Cambourne Town Council

Concerned by the Councils' approach to developing lead-in times based on type of planning application rather than size of site. The report recognises that larger sites have longer lead-in times and yet it would appear that there is no recognition of this in the assumptions made. This approach is clearly at risk of challenge as it will underestimate the time it takes for delivery to start on larger sites.

Comment

Representation ID: 168395

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Cambourne Town Council

Bourn Airfield New Village

Concerned regarding the forecast date of first completions at Bourn Airfield of 2021/22. This would require a start on site in mid-2020 which is clearly over-optimistic considering that outline planning permission is still pending.

Generally supportive of the forecast build-out rates at West Cambourne and Bourn Airfield. The forecast peak delivery on these sites of 150 dwellings per year is broadly reasonable and the combined figure of 300 dpa across both sites (which is lower than would be assumed for separate developments located further apart) importantly recognises likely issues with market absorption that were highlight in Sir Oliver Letwin's Independent Review of Build Out - Final Report (October 2018). This figure should, however, clearly be kept under review to ensure it is accurate.

Comment

Representation ID: 168396

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Cambourne Town Council

Struck by the reliance on delivery from just 4 strategic level developments in years 5-10 of the housing trajectory (i.e. Bourn Airfield, Northstowe, Waterbeach and West Cambourne). These sites are expected to deliver 800 dpa (approximately half the total requirement) which raises significant concern regarding the impact of any delays in the delivery of these sites on future 5 year supply calculations.

Comment

Representation ID: 168397

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Cambourne Town Council

There is reference to developments on unallocated sites with a resolution to grant planning permission being included in the supply. This is contrary to several recent appeal decisions (e.g. Bures Hamlet ref: 3207509 and Woolpit ref: 3194926) that make clear permissions issued after the base date should not be counted (including sites subject to a resolution to grant at the base date). There does not appear to be any reliance in the forecast supply on such sites and it is unclear why this reference is included as it simply serves to open up the Council's methodology to criticism.

Comment

Representation ID: 168398

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Cambourne Town Council

Cambourne West

Generally supportive of the forecast build-out rates at West Cambourne and Bourn Airfield. The forecast peak delivery on these sites of 150 dwellings per year is broadly reasonable and the combined figure of 300 dpa across both sites (which is lower than would be assumed for separate developments located further apart) importantly recognises likely issues with market absorption that were highlight in Sir Oliver Letwin's Independent Review of Build Out - Final Report (October 2018). This figure should, however, clearly be kept under review to ensure it is accurate.