Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

These representations have been prepared by Bidwells on behalf of Peterhouse, Cambridge (hereafter
’Peterhouse’) in response to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options, “First Proposals” 2021
consultation. These representations relate to land at Greenhedge Farm, Stapleford (hereafter “the site”)
which is within Peterhouse’s ownership.
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.

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.