Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

The strategy places too much emphasis in providing homes on large urban extensions to Cambridge City and new settlements in South Cambridgeshire. The limits placed upon small new housing sites in, and around smaller settlements are excessive. It fails to have sufficient regard to supporting sustainable rural development. The policy will not assist in maintaining and enhancing the vitality of rural settlements and fails to address the increasing demand for housing away from larger settlements because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) confirms that plans are sound if they are, among other things, consistent with national policy.

Paragraph 60 of the NPPF stipulates that to support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, it is important that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed.

Whilst Paragraph 73 of the NPPF indicates that the supply of large numbers of new homes can often be best achieved through larger scale development, that is not a requirement. Moreover, to ensure that there are sufficient small and medium sites included within development plans, Paragraph 69 of the framework requires the development plan to accommodate at least 10% of their housing on sites no larger than 1 hectare, unless it can be shown that there are strong reasons for not doing so. The strategy set out in Policy S/DS conflicts with NPPF Paragraph 69. It is contended therefore, that the over-reliance of Policy S/DS upon large sites does not comply with the aims of the Framework.

Whilst settlement boundaries are supported, these should be comprehensively reviewed, especially in those settlements where no growth is proposed, and are located beyond the Green Belt.

Those settlements where it is desirable to retain existing services and facilities through maintenance or enhancement of vitality, in Minor Rural Centres such as Gamlingay, should have revised boundaries that allow for limited growth and respect the existing form of the settlement.

This will allow for some flexibility so that there is choice in terms of where people wish to live, and not just where it is considered people should live.

Paragraph 78 of the NPPF confirms that in rural areas, planning policies should be responsive to local circumstances, with policy 79 stipulating that to promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will maintain the vitality of rural communities. Planning Policies should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services.

Therefore, it is considered that without a review of the settlement boundaries of Minor Rural Centres and the provision of additional sites that have been put forward through the call-for-sites, Policy S/SB would not comply with the aims of the Framework.