Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

These representations are submitted by Pegasus Group on behalf of Clarendon Land and Development Ltd who has land interests in land west of Long Lane, Fowlmere (LPA ref: 40327). We have previously submitted responses to the Call for Sites exercise (March 2019) and Regulation 18 Consultation (February 2020). These representations should be read in conjunction with these previous comments.

Policy S/JH: New Homes and Jobs seeks to deliver 2,111 homes per annum (44,400 homes in total) set against a job forecast of 58,500 new jobs during the plan period. It is encouraging that this target has increased from previous iterations of the Local Plan and the standard method calculation. However, it is considered that this does not go far enough. It is considered important to ensure that additional provision over and above the local housing need derived from the standard method is included within the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. This will provide flexibility to support the significant economic growth in the area.

The Councils are choosing to support the central jobs forecast scenario in the preparation of the GCLP as set out in the Housing and Employment Relationship Report (November 2020) (HERR). This forecast results in a need to plan for 58,500 new jobs in the area over the plan period 2020-2041 and is based on long term patterns of employment continuing, with the year-on-year growth in jobs comparable to that experienced between 2001-2017 and 1991-2017. To support the central level of employment, the GCLP puts forward a medium housing requirement of 44,400 dwellings over the plan period.

The HERR also provides an alternative higher job forecast which has not been taken forward by the GCLP. The higher forecast could deliver 78,700 jobs over the plan period, this equates to an additional 20,200 jobs when compared to the medium jobs forecast pursed by the GCLP First Proposals. This forecast places greater weight on the fast growth experienced in the recent past, with the year-on-year growth in jobs higher than that seen between 2001-17 and 1991-17, but lower than the ‘fast growth’ period of 2010-17. To support 78,700 new jobs the GCLP would need to propose a housing target of 56,500 dwellings, 12,100 more dwellings than currently proposed in the GCLP First Proposals. Given the level of investment and momentum behind growth initiatives and funding in Cambridge we consider more likely that the faster growth in the recent past will continue, rather than defaulting back to long term employment patterns continuing.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review (CPIER 2018) has shown that job growth has been faster than expected and that this growth is likely to continue. The report concludes that: "it is indisputable that high rates of employment growth have put great strain on the housing market in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, particularly around Cambridge. The result is exceedingly high living costs, longer commutes, social stratification, and extra cost for business. Ambitions for house building should be increased to deal with a housing deficit that has grown up following under-projections of growth" (para 4.5).

In view of these CPIER conclusions and the HERR report, it is obvious that housing growth needs to catch-up with this faster job growth in the area in order to redress the balance between affordability and availability. It is imperative to ensure that the growth in employment is matched by housebuilding. If a correct balance between jobs and houses is not achieved, this runs the risk of further increasing house prices.

It is considered that the housing provision in the forthcoming Local Plan period should be towards the top range of 2,900 homes per year as suggested by the CPIER report and 2,825 homes per year (56,500 homes over the plan period) as set out in the HERR report.