Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

Policy S/DS 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.

The Fulbourn and Ida Darwin Hospital allocation from the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan is proposed to be carried forward into the new Greater Cambridge Local Plan as a Mixed Use Allocation, under site reference S/RRA/H/3 : Fulbourn and Ida Darwin Hospitals. However, Land at Capital Park is not included as an allocation in the rest of the rural area
Janus Henderson supports the principle of policy S/RRA in allocating sites for employment in the rural area. However, the First Proposals document makes very few additional allocations in the rural area and Janus Henderson 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.
To fully support the rural area and develop a sound spatial strategy with a mixture of deliverable and suitable rural allocations, Land at Capital Park, Fulbourn should be identified as an allocation for commercial development
The Science and Technology sector is the engine of the Cambridge Phenomenon that has driven the economy and it will remain an important part of the local economy and job market. Alongside, it is important to have all types of commercial space to provide for a wide range of job opportunities and to serve Greater Cambridge at close quarters to not overly rely on long-distance travel to service the area with goods and services. Further prime office floorspace in high quality developments is also needed.
Growth relies on increases in employment and productivity and the Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER) emphasises the need for productivity growth in this region as employment rates are so high. Economic growth is therefore essential for the next Local Plan. As part of the devolution contract to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is a commitment to doubling the economic output of the area (Gross Value Added) over 25 years. This is a challenging target and needs to factor at the heart of the Plan.
Allocating Land at Capital Park for employment development in its location would help to meet the target of doubling GVA in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Land at Capital Park is a suitable location for flexible commercial development to maximise the site’s transport connections and location near to other key employment sites including ARM and other key research and laboratory space in the area. Clustering of like-minded companies is proven to be beneficial to those companies and their enhanced contrition to the local economy. Development at Capital Park could contribute further to the East Cambridge area.
The site is also well served by public transport and additional site assessments have been undertaken to address comments in the HELAA to confirm that there are no technical constraints to delivery of a sensitive, landscape-led commercial scheme as an extension to the Capital Park campus.
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. The consented care home that is due to be constructed adjacent to the site was found acceptable in heritage and design terms.
The site offers various transport connections and opportunities for sustainable travel which would help to reduce the need to access the site via polluting vehicles. In terms of transport connections, there are four bus stops located adjacent to the site offering regular services to the city centre and Arbury, approximately every half an hour. Fulbourn Greenway is also proposed to be delivered that would better connect the site to surrounding cycle networks and is expected to be routed approximately 100m to the north.
In conclusion, it is requested that Site Reference S/RRA/H/3 : Fulbourn and Ida Darwin Hospitals be extended to include Land at Capital Park as it is considered a suitable and sustainable location for additional development.

The First Proposals document makes very few additional allocations in the rural area and Janus Henderson objects to this approach.
It is requested that Site Reference S/RRA/H/3 : Fulbourn and Ida Darwin Hospitals be extended to include Capital Park as it is considered a suitable and sustainable location for additional development. In order to achieve the identified development aspirations it is also appropriate to release the developed area of Capital Park from the Green Belt.