Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

The site is located within the village of Stapleford, outside of the village’s Development Framework and
within the Cambridge Green Belt. Representations were submitted to the Issues and Options 2020
consultation to present the initial case for the site’s removal from the Green Belt and were accompanied
by a commentary note that provided an initial consideration of the site’s contribution to the purposes of
the Green Belt.
These representations relate only to the site’s Green Belt designation and continue to support the case
for the site’s removal from the Green Belt.
Policy GP/GB: Protection and enhancement of the Cambridge Green Belt
The proposed policy direction of Policy GP/GB seeks to protect land within the Green Belt in accordance
with national policy. It also identifies the established local purposes of the Cambridge Green Belt. In
addition to the five purposes of the Green Belt, which are set out in the National Planning Policy
Framework (NPPF) (2021) at paragraph 138, the Cambridge Green Belt has particular purposes and
was established to protect the historic city and its setting.
The purposes of the Cambridge Green Belt, are to:
● Preserve the unique character of Cambridge as a compact, dynamic city with a thriving historic
centre;
● Maintain and enhance the quality of its setting;
● Prevent communities in the environs of Cambridge from merging into one another and with the city.
As part of the preparation of the Local Plan, all land within the Green Belt should be thoroughly examined
to assess whether land within the Green Belt still serves the five purposes as set out in the NPFF and the
three local purposes of the Cambridge Green Belt. Where it is demonstrated that land no longer meets
these national and local purposes, or the fundamental aim of Green Belt policy, which is to prevent urban
Greenhedge Farm, Stapleford – GCLP Preferred Options Consultation 2021 Representations
Page 2
sprawl by keeping land permanently open (NPPF paragraph 137), the Green Belt boundaries as shown
on the Proposals Map should be altered in the emerging Local Plan accordingly.
Representations regarding Greenhedge Farm’s compliance with the NPPF’s purposes of the Green Belt
were submitted as part of the Issues and Options 2020 consultation. These representations were
accompanied by a commentary note (Appendix A) that provided an initial consideration of the site’s
contribution to the purposes of the Green Belt. The note identifies the following preliminary
considerations:
● The existing built form and surrounding mature planting provides an opportunity to reconsider the
Green Belt boundary in this location;
● The site should not be assessed in isolation, the Green Belt review should also consider the
adjoining land. However, it is considered that the southern parcels have a stronger connection to the
surrounding built form which lessens their contribution to the Green Belt;
● Discrete areas within the site, particularly the southern parcels, have different degrees of enclosure
due to built form and tree cover. As such, they have less ‘visual openness’;
● The site is not located between villages nor does in contribute to the separation of settlements;
● The site, due to its location and scale, is not considered to relate to the contribution of the Green Belt
to the setting and character of Cambridge.
This initial analysis begins to demonstrate that the site may no longer contribute to the fundamental aim
of Green Belt policy nor the five purposes of the Green Belt. The note strongly recommended that a full
Green Belt review is undertaken and that the site’s contribution to each purpose of the Green Belt is
assessed.
It is also considered that the site:
● Does not check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas – it is surrounded on all four
boundaries by built development, with three of those boundaries comprising the development
framework of Stapleford. The removal of the site from the Green Belt would therefore not lead to
unrestricted sprawl;
● Does not prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another – the site is not located between
towns or villages and is enclosed by the existing built development of Stapleford. The removal of the
site from the Green Belt would not result in the coalescence of adjoining settlements;
● Does not contribute to safeguarding the countryside from encroachment – the site is surrounded on
all four boundaries by built development and whilst located outside of the development framework, is
not considered to encroach on the countryside that is beyond the settlement pattern; and
● Does not preserve the setting and special character of a historic town – it is considered that the
removal of the site from the Green Belt would not impact on the setting and character of the
Stapleford Conservation Area given the distance and intervening built form between the site and the
Conservation Area. Furthermore, due to its location and scale, the site is not considered to relate to
the contribution of the Green Belt to the setting and character of Cambridge.
The evidence base for the Preferred Options consultation includes the Greater Cambridge Green Belt
Assessment 2021. The Green Belt Assessment is a comprehensive study, which provides a robust
assessment that:
● Identifies variations in openness and the extent to which land contributes to the purposes of the
Green Belt; and
Greenhedge Farm, Stapleford – GCLP Preferred Options Consultation 2021 Representations
Page 3
● Uses this to determine variations in the potential harm to those Green Belt purposes of releasing land
within Greater Cambridge from the designation.
Appendix B of the Green Belt Assessment includes a detailed contribution and harm assessment of all
land within the Cambridge Green Belt. Greenhedge Farm has been assessed as part of the study as site
reference GS 10. The assessment of the site is included at Appendix B of these representations.
The assessment of the site presents supportive evidence for its removal from the Green Belt. In relation
to the site’s contribution to the Cambridge Green Belt purposes, it finds the following:
● Purpose One: Land is open and is adjacent to Great Shelford, which is contiguous with Cambridge
but which retains a degree of distinction from the main City area. There is weak distinction between
the parcel and the urban area, which decreases the extent to which development would be perceived
as diminishing Cambridge's compact character. Overall, the parcel makes a relatively limited
contribution to Cambridge Purpose 1. Contribution: Relatively limited.
● Purpose Two: Land has a weak distinction from the edge of Great Shelford/Stapleford, meaning it
has a strong relationship with the inset area. However, it is open and land use within the majority of
the parcel is not associated with the urban area, and therefore has some rural character. It has a use
to the north-east (Stapleford/Jubilee Pavilion) and south (allotments) that associate with the inset
area and weaken its rural character. It does not form or contain any specific features/aspects that
contribute to the quality of Cambridge’s setting. Overall the parcel makes a limited contribution to
Cambridge Purpose 2. Contribution: Limited /no contributions and
● Purpose Three: Land is too closely contained by the settlement of Great Shelford to contribute to its
separation from Cambridge. Contribution: Limited / no contribution.
The Council’s assessment concludes with the following statement regarding the overall harm of releasing
the land from the Green Belt.
Parcel GS10 makes a relatively limited contribution to preserving Cambridge's compact character. The
additional impact on the adjacent Green Belt of the release of the parcel would be negligible. Therefore,
the harm resulting from its release, as an expansion of Cambridge, would be low.
Overall, the Local Plan evidence clearly demonstrates that the site makes at best a relatively limited or
limited contribution to the Cambridge Green Belt and in terms of purposes two and three it makes no
contribution at all. In addition, its release would have negligible harm on the adjacent Green Belt and a
low harm overall. The Council’s own evidence, alongside that prepared by Peterhouse, clearly points in
favour of releasing the site from the Green Belt.
It is important that any retained Green Belt fulfils the purposes of the Green Belt in order to have a
robust, long-term and defensible Green Belt. The Green Belt Assessment undertaken as part of the
Councils’ evidence base clearly demonstrates that the site makes little to no contribution to the national
or local purposes of the Green Belt. In this case the Local Plan process must take the opportunity to
review and amend the Green Belt boundary to remove the site from the Green Belt in the preparation of
the Proposals Maps. A more appropriate designation for the site would be that of open countryside
outside of the village’s Development Framework. As such, it would act to strengthen a more logical and
defensible Green Belt boundary to Stapleford.

Peterhouse support the principle of the proposed development strategy for Greater Cambridge
and the approach to directing development to locations where active and new public transport is
the natural choice, where green infrastructure can be delivered alongside new development, and
where jobs, services and facilities can be located near to where people live. This approach is
consistent with the NPPF, which at paragraph 11.a) states that all plans should promote a
sustainable form of development.

Peterhouse supports the principle of including allocations for housing and employment in the rest
of the rural area as part of the proposed development strategy. The Local Plan should seek to
allocate a component of its housing needs towards growth at existing villages. Sustainable
development in rural areas makes an important contribution to ensuring the vitality of villages and
supporting existing rural services and facilities.

This approach is supported by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which at
paragraph 79 states that to promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be
located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. Planning policies
should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local
services.

Notwithstanding this clear direction in national policy, the emerging Local Plan makes very few
additional allocations in the rural area and Peterhouse objects to this approach. This approach
threatens the vitality of villages within the rural area and stifles opportunities for further growth
and supporting local services. The allocation of additional small to medium sized sites in the rural
area will also help to ensure that the housing supply for the Local Plan is balanced and robust,
reducing the reliance on strategic sites and the limited allocations in villages. As such, the
Development Strategy should include for further allocations in the rural area to ensure that a
sound spatial strategy is developed and delivered.

It is important that any additional allocations accord with the principles of the proposed
development strategy. Land south of Hattons Road, Longstanton accords with the proposed
development strategy as follows:

● Directing development to where active and public transport is the natural choice:
− Longstanton Park and Ride is located approximately 1.5km to the north of the site and
provides residents with access to a high frequency service between Cambridge and St.
Ives. The Park and Ride is within easy cycling distance of the site and would provide
residents with access to sustainable modes of transport.
− There is a footpath public right of way running along the eastern boundary of the site,
which connects Hattons Road with School Lane and a footpath on the opposite side of
Hattons Road. A tactile paving crossing point and footway could be created along the
northern boundary of the site on the south side of Hattons Road to improve connectivity.
A footpath link can also be created to the south to the existing footway on School Lane
and the Citi5/5A/5C bus stop around 100m from the south eastern boundary of the site.
This would provide the potential new residents with safe pedestrian access to services,
facilities and public transport from within the site.
Preferred Options Consultation 2021 – Land South of Hattons Road, Longstanton
● Where green infrastructure can be delivered alongside new development:
− The proposal includes multi-functional public open space including parklands, woodlands
and nature reserves which are connected by green corridors to enhance and build upon
existing corridors in the surrounding landscape. A total of 5.89 hectares (approximately
half of the site) is proposed for open space, including a continuation of the public open
space allocated in SC/1(b) to create a meaningful green spine through Longstanton.
− The site is predominantly agricultural land and can currently be considered to be of low
ecological value. Through enhancements the proposals present an opportunity to deliver
a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%.
● Where jobs services and facilities can be located near to where people live:
− Locating residential development in a sustainable location, within close proximity to
existing and proposed services, facilities, infrastructure and employment opportunities.
The site is located approximately 150m from the village High Street, located near to
Northstowe, which will provide a wide range of town centre uses, and is well within
cycling distance of the Longstanton Park and Ride. The site is therefore well placed for
future residents to be able to walk and cycle, rather than travel by private car, to meet
their daily needs.