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

Object

Representation ID: 168568

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Bidwells

Cambridge East - land north of Newmarket Road

The Councils' have misdirected themselves by arguing that there is no evidence that housing completions will not continue to be delivered.

Hill are expected to have only one sales outlet, unless they can achieve some market differentiation across the site. It is possible that plots could be sold to other housebuilders which would increase delivery, although there is currently no evidence of this.

The site wide phasing plan clearly indicates that the primary school would be constructed following completion of the phase one infrastructure works and completed before March 2022. However, the detailed planning application for the primary school was refused in September 2019. There is nothing to prevent continuation beyond 500 dwellings without the primary school in place, however it would not be surprising if the Councils were to delay approval of further reserved matters applications.

It is realistic to assume that the site could contribute 420 dwellings to the 5YHLS. The alternative would be the 239 dwellings with reserved matters approval.

Object

Representation ID: 168569

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Bidwells

Land North of Worts' Causeway

At the time that CEG responded they considered it likely that the application would be submitted in July 2019. The Council confirmed in July 2019 that an EIA would be required. This was clearly unexpected at the time the questionnaire was completed and has resulted in a delay to the application.

The Councils' state that "a revised timetable for submission of the outline planning application is being prepared". Therefore, it is not at all clear when the outline planning application will be submitted, when it might be approved, when the site might be sold to a housebuilder, when reserved matters might be submitted or when construction might start onsite.

There is no clear evidence that this site is a realistic prospect of being deliverable within the five-year period and should therefore be entire removed from the 5YHLS.

Object

Representation ID: 168570

Received: 14/10/2019

Respondent: Bidwells

Waterbeach New Town

It is questionable whether this permission should be taken into consideration given that it was achieved almost five months after the base date, although it is acknowledged that the site would already be part of the land supply by virtue of its allocation.

It is understood that a reserved matters application for the first phase is likely to be submitted imminently, which could reasonably be approved by the end of the 2019/20 financial year. Therefore, it is realistic to assume that there will be some completions in 2021/22; for ease it is assumed that this is 30dpa, the equivalent of one sales outlet operating for six months.
It is unrealistic to assume that two sales outlets would be operating by year-two and four by year-three. This would require considerable infrastructure to be implemented. Also, whilst it is plausible that have already agreed terms with one housebuilder, it is unlikely that agreements with others have yet progressed.
It is realistic to assume that a second sales outlet could be achievable in 2020/23 with a third in 2023/24. There is a realistic prospect that 390 dwellings are deliverable on this site within the five-year period.