Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

The development strategy is broadly supported in terms of directing development to where it has the least climate impact, where active and 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, whilst ensuring all necessary utilities can be provided in a sustainable way.

Jesus College supports the principle of policy S/RRA in allocating sites for housing and employment in the rural area. However, the First Proposals document makes very few additional allocations in the rural area and Jesus College objects to this approach. This approach threatens the vitality of villages within the rural area and on the edge of Cambridge and stifles opportunities for further growth and supporting local services. 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.
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. 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 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.
The ability of new development to support rural communities is especially important given the loss of rural services experienced in recent years. The impact of these service losses on rural communities is accentuated when considering pre-existing low service levels compared to better served, urban areas.
The approach of directing some growth to the villages should also take account of existing and proposed public transport improvements. With reference to Harston, whilst it is a relatively small village, it benefits from being within the A10 corridor, plus close proximity to further facilities and services available in nearby villages.
To fully support the rural area and develop a sound spatial strategy with a mixture of deliverable and suitable rural allocations, Land at Station Road Harston should be identified as an allocation for residential development.
Harston is considered a suitable location for further residential development to support an existing rural community. The site is considered to represent a sustainable location for development which will help to meet the housing needs of Greater Cambridge in the next Local Plan period. With the right design, including a suitable layout and design concept, the proposed development on the site could be accommodated without having a significant impact on the surrounding heritage context of the site or landscape setting.
The land is considered to be available, achievable and suitable and the development proposals will bring a number of tangible social, economic and environmental benefits to support the delivery of a sound and sustainable spatial strategy as part of the Local Plan, including:
● Development in a sustainable location with good transport links north into Cambridge via the A10;
● Close proximity to existing services including primary school; doctors surgery;
● Development between existing built development;
● Development within Flood zone 1;
● Access to local green space;
● Contributions to affordable housing in accordance with Local Plan Policy;
● Improved transport hub at Foxton railway station (3km from the site);
● Proposed improved transport interchange at Trumpington A10/M11 junction (3.2 km from the site);
● Park and ride site at Hauxton;
● Off road cycle links along the A10; and
● Walking and cycling links to Melbourn and Bassingbourn Village Colleges.
In conclusion, it is requested that Land at Station Road Harston is identified as an allocation for residential development in the Plan.

Notwithstanding the underlying purposes of the Green Belt (Para. 138 of the NPPF), where it can be demonstrated that appropriate development can be brought forward in the Green Belt, sites should be considered within the context of their individual circumstances.
Para. 149 of the NPPF confirms that exceptions to inappropriate development in the Green Belt can include for limited infilling of villages. The adopted South Cambridgeshire District Council Local Plan includes for a policy to allow for infilling in the Green Belt (Policy NH/9). Policy GP/GB should equally be clear on the forms of development that would not constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
The proposed residential development on Land off Station Road, Harston, is considered appropriate development in the context of Para. 149 and would comprise suitable infill development that would extend only as far as the existing development line of its neighbouring residential and agricultural properties. The proposed residential development would respect the immediate character and would retain the openness of the Green Belt and purpose of the land to the same extent as existing neighbouring development. Land off Station Road is therefore considered suitable to become a residential site allocation as it would comprise a moderate extension to the village and
suitable infill development.

Land to the north of Station Road continues to be excluded from the designation despite the fact that it has an important role to play in a coordinated and long-term Vision for the central business district along Station Road.
These representations therefore object to Policy S/AMC as currently drafted and it is requested that the boundary of the ‘Station Areas West and Clifton Road Area of Major Change’ is reviewed to include for Land on north side of Station Road to make sure its long-term future is properly considered and secured to best support the Cambridge Station Area.

The College supports draft Policy S/OA and the proposal to carry forward the Cambridge Railway Station, Hills Road Corridor to the City Centre Opportunity Area to the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan.
The College is also supportive of the proposed policy direction, in particular the drive to deliver public realm improvements. The Opportunity Area policy should provide clear indication that positive weight would be provided to those developments that help to achieve the aims of the policy and act to fulfil the opportunity identified

Land to the north of Station Road, Cambridge is submitted as a potential allocation for employment in the Local Plan.
The supporting Planning Representations and Vision Document provides further detail on the significant opportunity that the site presents, informed by additional site assessment work and in light of the four ‘big themes’ identified in the consultation document.
Land to the north of Station Road is the last section of the Station Road area to benefit from a clear and shared long-term vision and so represents a significant opportunity to continue the successful transformation of this part of the city and provide additional capacity to support the further clustering around the Station.
The Site is within single ownership and capable of delivering a well-designed, high quality development that could make efficient use of a brownfield site, in a highly sustainable location, whilst also being able to respect its historic context. The site’s proximity to Cambridge railway station, links to the Chisholm trail and the transport interchange at the Station also enables opportunities to promote sustainable transport modes.

Land to the north of Station Road, Cambridge is submitted as a potential allocation for employment in the Local Plan.
The attached Planning Representations and Vision Document provides further detail on the significant opportunity that the site presents, informed by additional site assessment work and in light of the four ‘big themes’
identified in the consultation document.
Land to the north of Station Road is the last section of the Station Road area to benefit from a clear and shared long-term vision and so represents a significant opportunity to continue the successful transformation of this part of the city and provide additional capacity to support the further clustering around the Station.
The Site is within single ownership and capable of delivering a well-designed, high quality development that could make efficient use of a brownfield site, in a highly sustainable location, whilst also being able to respect its historic context. The site’s proximity to Cambridge railway station, links to the Chisholm trail and the transport interchange at the Station also enables opportunities to promote sustainable transport modes.

Policy S/DS: Development strategy
Policy S/DS sets out the proposed strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places created in Greater Cambridge, not only for the plan period but beyond to 2050.
The proposed development strategy for Greater Cambridge is to direct development to where it has the least climate impact, where active and 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, whilst ensuring all necessary utilities can be provided in a sustainable way.
The development strategy is broadly supported

Policy S/RRA: Site Allocations in the Rest of the Rural Area
Policy S/RRA allocates sites for homes or employment that support the overall development strategy within the rural area, excluding the rural southern cluster.
Jesus College supports the principle of policy S/RRA in allocating sites for housing and employment in the rural area. However, the First Proposals document makes very few additional allocations in the rural area and Jesus College objects to this approach. This approach threatens the vitality of villages within the rural area and on the edge of Cambridge and stifles opportunities for further growth and supporting local services. As such, the Development Strategy should nclude for further allocations in the rural area to ensure that a sound spatial strategy is developed and delivered.
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. 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 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.
The ability of new development to support rural communities is especially important given the loss of rural services experienced in recent years. The impact of these service losses on rural communities is accentuated when considering pre-existing low service levels compared to better served, urban areas.
The approach of directing some growth to the villages should also take account of existing and proposed public transport improvements. With reference to Harston, whilst it is a relatively small village, it benefits from being within the A10 corridor, plus close proximity to further facilities and services available in nearby villages.

Policy GP/GB : Protection and enhancement of the Cambridge Green Belt
Policy GP/GB sets out the framework for consideration of development proposals in the Green Belt.
Notwithstanding the underlying purposes of the Green Belt (Para. 138 of the NPPF), where it can be demonstrated that appropriate development can be brought forward in the Green Belt, sites should be considered within the context of their individual circumstances.
149 of the NPPF confirms that exceptions to inappropriate development in the Green Belt can include for limited infilling of villages. The adopted South Cambridgeshire District Council Local Plan includes for a policy to allow for infilling in the Green Belt (Policy NH/9). Policy GP/GB should equally be clear on the forms of development that would not constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt.