Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner has interests in land across the GCLP area and has promoted a number of sites for development within Cambridge, the edge of the city, and across the rural area.

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner supports the focusing of development on Cambridge City and the city hinterland. Paragraph 120(d) of the NPPF expects planning policies to promote and support the development of under-utilised land and buildings and to use sites more effectively including for housing. The County Council is promoting a number of sites within Cambridge City: Hawthorn Community Centre (ref 40166) and Bellersby College (ref 40172), and the new submissions of the Cambridge Professional Development Centre and Horizon Resource Centre sites. These are all existing sustainably located brownfield sites which are either currently available or can be made available within the plan period.

Land at Chandos Farm adjacent to Babraham Park and Ride (ref 40141) is similarly an underutilised mixed-use site that could be more effectively developed as employment land.

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner supports limited Greenbelt release in edge-of-city locations. The site at Newbury Farm, Worts Causeway (ref 40139) is situated between the Babraham Park and Ride to the east, an already committed housing development to the west, and a proposed expansion of the Biomedical Campus to the south. This site could be developed to provide new housing, including key worker housing, and green infrastructure to link with these existing and planned growth areas.

However, the overall development strategy set out in the emerging GCLP is very reliant on the delivery of an extensions to an existing new settlement (Cambourne West + an additional 1,950 dwellings at Cambourne), planned new settlements (Northstowe, Waterbeach and Bourn Airfield) and new communities on the edge of Cambridge (North East Cambridge and Cambridge East). It is acknowledged that the principle of development at most of these strategic sites is already established through adopted development plan documents; the additional dwellings at Cambourne are proposed through emerging GCLP and associated with East West Rail. However, it is considered that there are a number of risks associated with the preferred development strategy, which relate to housing delivery rates and whether these can be increased at some new settlements; the relocation of existing uses from some sites; and the delivery of affordable housing.

The most recent housing trajectory for Greater Cambridge (published April 2021) already predicts high average annual housing delivery rates for the new settlements; Northstowe and Waterbeach are predicted to deliver 250 dwellings per annum, and Camboure West and Bourne Airfield are predicted to deliver a combined total of 300 dwellings per annum. Cambourne has historically delivered approximately 230 dwellings per annum. Hampton (in Peterborough) has historically delivered 259 dwellings per annum. Cranbrook (in East Devon) which has the highest annual delivery rate of current new settlements is delivering at 295 dwellings per annum. The Inspector for the Huntingdonshire Local Plan recommended that the combined housing delivery rates Alconbury Weald (the former Alconbury Airfield and Grange Farm) should be no higher than 300 dwellings per annum, and for St Neots East (Loves Farm and Wintringham Park) should be no higher than 200 dwellings per annum. The predicted average housing delivery rates at Northstowe, Waterbeach and Cambourne West/Bourn Airfield already appear to be at levels comparable to or higher than other new settlements elsewhere. It is likely that current predicted delivery rates are already optimistic, but there is no credible evidence that faster housing delivery rates can be achieved at Northstowe or Waterbeach. It is noted that Cambourne, Hampton and Cranbrook all had multiple housebuilders on site at the same time and delivered affordable and market housing in conjunction with one another. It is requested that predicted housing delivery rates for the new settlements take into account the above comments, and the assumption that faster housing delivery rates can be achieved at Northstowe and Waterbeach should be deleted from the development strategy.

North East Cambridge and Cambridge East are allocated in both Local Plans as strategic sites. It is acknowledged that these sites involve the re-use of previously developed land. However, the redevelopment of these sites is complex and involves the relocation of the existing uses; the relocation of a sewage treatment works and existing businesses in the case of North East Cambridge, and the relocation of airport related uses and businesses in the case of Cambridge East. It is considered that the delivery of development at these sites will need to be realistic, taking into account all of the challenges that need to be overcome prior to the commencement of development. It is requested that realistic assumptions about delivery are applied for North East Cambridge and Cambridge East.

It is noted that most of the new settlements will deliver less affordable housing than the normal policy requirement of 40%, mainly because of the need for these developments to also deliver significant levels of new transport and community infrastructure in initial phases. The affordable housing contributions are 20% at Northstowe, 30% at Waterbeach, 30% at Cambridge East (Wing), 30% at Cambourne West and 40% at Bourn Airfield, although all are subject to a review mechanism that could result in adjustments to the level of affordable housing. The proportion of affordable housing that will be provided from the developments at North East Cambridge and Cambridge East are unknown at this stage, but because of the costs associated with the relocation of existing uses and the delivery of new transport infrastructure it is very unlikely that 40% affordable housing will be provided at least in the initial phases. It is clear that the existing and planned new settlements and new communities in the edge of Cambridge are not and will not provide enough affordable housing, which should be a concern in an area such as Greater Cambridge which has significant housing affordability issues. It is requested that, in order to address the under-delivery of affordable housing from Northstowe, Waterbeach, Cambourne West, North East Cambridge and Cambridge East, the development strategy should allocate additional sites that are capable of providing policy compliant levels of affordable housing including small and medium sites in the villages.

The preferred development strategy for the rest of the rural area is based on the assumption that the villages in this area are unsustainable because existing and future residents would need to travel by car to access services and facilities and employment opportunities. It is considered that this assumption is incorrect for many villages, which contain a good range of services and facilities and are accessible by sustainable modes of transport. In addition, the preferred development strategy for the rest of the rural area provides no support for existing services and facilities in villages and provides no strategy to meet current identified affordable housing needs of villages. Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner is not advocating a dispersed development strategy whereby most development is directed to the villages, but is requesting that a sufficient amount of land is allocated at the more sustainable villages to support services and ensure that identified affordable housing needs are met.

There are three paragraphs in the NPPF that suggest a different approach is required in the development strategy for the rest of the rural area. Paragraph 105 seeks to ensure that development is located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised, but acknowledges that the opportunities will be different in urban and rural areas. Paragraph 79 seeks to promote sustainable development in rural areas by locating housing where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and enable villages to grow and thrive. Paragraph 62 expects the size, type and tenure of housing needs of the community to be assessed and reflected in planning policies, including for example those with an affordable housing need, students, renters and self-builders.

Cambridge County Council supports the allocation of Mansel Farm, Oakington (reference 40455). Oakington contains a good range of services and facilities, and the site is highly accessible to the Cambridge Guided Busway. This is reviewed further in representations to policy S/RRA/MF.

The County has sought to promote additional sites for development at locations in Cottenham (ref 40176), Histon (refs 40193 and 40192), Sawston (ref 40146), Waterbeach (ref 40183), Willingham (ref 40179), Melbourn (ref 40199) and Foxton (ref 40148). All are ranked in the current Local Plan as either Rural Centres or Minor Rural Centres, and Foxton (currently a Group Village) has a train station and is potentially to become a rural travel hub. All of these villages contain a good range of services and facilities, including schools, shops and public transport links. Several of the sites benefit from close proximity to rail stations with links to central Cambridge and London.

South Cambridgeshire District Council's 'Housing Statistical Information Leaflet' (December 2019) identified 1,222 applicants on the housing register, including 88 in urgent need (see https://www.scambs.gov.uk/media/18316/affordable-housing-housing-statistical-information-leaflet-december-2019.pdf) This identified need would not be met without further allocations in the larger villages of the Plan area. The sites promoted by the County Council would include housing and affordable housing to meet local needs of the village.

For all these reasons, small scale housing allocations should be made in the more sustainable villages within the rest of the rural area, because those villages are accessible by sustainable modes of transport, there is a need to support the existing services and facilities within those villages, and there is an identified need for affordable housing in those villages which would not be met via other means.

Requested Change
The following changes are requested to Policy S/DS: Development Strategy:

It is requested that predicted housing delivery rates for the new settlements take into account the evidence from similar development elsewhere.

It is requested that the assumptions about faster housing delivery rates for Northstowe and Waterbeach are deleted from the development strategy.

It is requested that realistic assumptions about delivery are applied for North East Cambridge and Cambridge East.

It is requested that additional sites that are capable of providing policy compliant levels of affordable housing are identified in the development strategy, including small and medium sites in the villages, in order to address the under-delivery of affordable housing from Northstowe, Waterbeach, Cambourne West, North East Cambridge and Cambridge East.

It is requested that small scale housing allocations should be made in the more sustainable villages within the rest of the rural area, because those villages are accessible by sustainable modes of transport, there is a need to support the existing services and facilities within those villages, and there is an identified need for affordable housing in those villages.

As set out in the representations to Policy S/SB: Settlement Boundaries, it is considered that there is limited capacity for further development within the settlement boundaries of most villages. Current policy sets out development of up to 8 dwellings in Group Villages, 30 dwellings in Minor Rural Centres and unlimited development within Rural Centres. However there are few outstanding development opportunities for development of this scale within existing settlement boundaries. It is likely that in most cases only small sites for one or two dwellings would be available. It is considered that the site size thresholds for each category of village are largely irrelevant and ineffective because very few sites are actually available, and those that are available would fall below the threshold where affordable housing is required (i.e. fewer than 10 dwellings).

Requested Change
It is requested that a capacity assessment is undertaken of all villages in South Cambridgeshire to determine which potential housing sites might be deliverable or developable during the plan period to 2041, and the number of dwellings that might be delivered from each of those sites.

It is requested that the site size limits for each category of village are deleted and replaced with a general policy that supports development within existing settlement boundaries, in conjunction with a revised development strategy that allocates suitable sites on the edge of existing sustainable villages.

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner does not object to the principle of settlement boundaries being defined around villages. However, the existing defined settlement boundaries for most villages in South Cambridgeshire have remained largely unchanged since the 2004 Local Plan. The settlement boundaries were adjusted in some cases to take into account allocations at some villages through the Site Specific Allocations DPD 2010 and the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018. It is very likely that most of the development opportunities within existing village boundaries would have been taken up by now. It is also likely that heritage assets within some villages, such as conservation areas and listed buildings, will constrain development opportunities.

The Councils have not undertaken an assessment of the capacity land within the existing settlement boundaries of villages to accommodate additional development. It is likely that such an assessment would demonstrate that the capacity is limited.

It is considered that the emerging GCLP should seek to allocate suitable sites on the edge of existing sustainable villages and to adjust the settlement boundary to accommodate those allocations. There is a need for additional housing sites in the more sustainable villages to support existing services and facilities and to meet identified affordable housing needs in those villages.

Requested Change
It is requested that a capacity assessment is undertaken of all villages in South Cambridgeshire to determine which potential housing sites might be deliverable or developable during the plan period to 2041, and the number of dwellings that might be delivered from each of those sites.

If the capacity assessment identifies no suitable sites to meet identified affordable housing needs it is requested that additional allocations are made on the edge of those villages to deliver sufficient housing to meet those affordable housing needs.

As noted in the representations to section S/DS, Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner supports the focus on Cambridge as the most sustainable location for new development. The County supports the ambition to regenerate brownfield land with high quality new development.

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner support the continued allocated of Cambridge Professional Development Centre (allocation ref R16) and the Horizon Resource Centre (allocation ref R11). Both can be made available for residential development within the plan period, and additional submissions have been made to indicate their suitability, availability and achievability.

It is noted that only two new sites are proposed for allocation within the City boundary (S/C/SMS and S/C/SCL). The majority of allocations within Cambridge are carried forward from the previous local plan.

Cambridgeshire County Council supports the allocation of the former Bellerbys College (ref 40172) and Hawthorn Community Centre (ref 40166). Bellerbys is a brownfield site where the building, previously occupied by a private education provider, has been demolished as it was beyond its economic life. Cambridgeshire County Council, as landowner, would be pleased to work with the adjacent landowner CMAT in bringing forward residential development of the site. The County Council already has access rights from Arbury Road.

Cambridgeshire County Council supports the allocation of Hawthorn Community Centre (ref 40166). This is a single storey building in a highly sustainable site which could be better utilised for residential development. Cambridgeshire County Council has rights of access to the site from the public highway (with the access under the ownership of the City Council), and is therefore achievable.

Requested Change
It is requested that the development strategy for Cambridge City reinstates the allocation at Cambridge Professional Development Centre, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 1.49 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 67 dwellings including affordable dwellings
• Access to Foster Road and provide improved links to Clay Farm

It is requested that the development strategy for Cambridge City reinstates the allocation at Horizons Resource Centre, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 0.82 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 40 dwellings

It is requested that the development strategy for Cambridge City includes an additional residential allocation at the former Bellerby’s College, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 0.25 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 20 dwellings including affordable dwellings
• Access from Arbury Road

It is requested that the development strategy for Cambridge City includes an additional residential allocation at the Hawthorn Community Centre, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 0.43 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 15 dwellings including affordable dwellings

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner supports the limited release of land on the edge of Cambridge. These allocations are mostly of a large scale, and are mostly already committed in the previous local plan. As noted in the representations to S/DS, North East Cambridge and Cambridge Airport both rely on the relocation of existing uses and the provision of significant new infrastructure. It is therefore important to continue to support allocation of greenfield sites, including smaller greenfield sites, which can be built out faster.

Cambridgeshire County Council requests the allocation of land at Chandos Farm (reference 40141) for employment uses. The site currently comprises low density development of residential dwellings, unused paddocks and a car workshop. It is surrounded by other more intensive and higher density uses including Arthur Rank Hospice and the former Focus School. It has no links to the wider countryside and is screened from the golf club to the east by mature trees. The site therefore makes little contribution towards the Cambridge Green Belt and could be better utilised as employment land. The County requests that the site is de-allocated from the Green Belt and allocated for employment development. It is estimated that the site could accommodate around 11,350sq.m (122,000sq.ft) of employment floorspace over a three floor development, similar to the scale of the neighbouring hospice.

Cambridgeshire County Council requests the allocation of land at Newbury Farm, Worts Causeway (reference 40139). This is a greenfield site that would be available for development in the short term. It is adjacent to land recently approved for development (site GB2 in the current Local Plan) and is close to the area proposed for expansion of the Biomedical Campus. As a result the site could provide new access links between Babraham Park and Ride, site GB2 and the Biomedical Campus. It could accommodate market and affordable housing, potentially including specialist and key worker housing for the Addenbrookes site. The site could also deliver new green infrastructure on the eastern parts of the site which are more visually sensitive, which would provide biodiversity gain and open up parts of the Green Belt for public recreation.

Requested Change
It is requested that the development strategy for the Edge of Cambridge includes an additional employment allocation at Chandos Farm, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 0.76 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 11,350sq.m (122,000sq.ft) of employment development (commercial, R&D, office)
• Provide open space and green infrastructure
• Upgrade existing vehicular access from Cherry Hinton Road

It is requested that the development strategy for the Edge of Cambridge includes an additional residential allocation at Newbury Farm, Worts Causeway, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 16.34 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 300 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build plots
• Retain and enhance existing trees and hedgerows at site boundary
• New pedestrian and cycle links between Babraham Road, Worts Causeway, site GB2 and Cherry Hinton Road
• Provision of open space and green infrastructure

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner considers that the growth of the more sustainable villages must be part of the development strategy for emerging GCLP, and particularly those villages that contain a very good range of services and facilities, are accessible by a range of modes of transport, and where there is an identified need for affordable housing for those with a local connection to the village.

Cambridgeshire County Council is seeking to promote development at Robinson Farm, Sawston (reference 40146). The site is located within the Green Belt, and in these representations it is requested that the site is released to accommodate housing and affordable housing with reference to Chapter 13 of the NPPF.

Paragraph 140 of the NPPF allows Green Belt boundaries to be altered through the plan-making process provided exceptional circumstances exist, and those exceptional circumstances should be based on evidence and justified. It is considered that exceptional circumstances exist to release land from the Green Belt, which are related to the significant need for housing and affordable housing in Greater Cambridge and the need to support economic growth. The exceptional circumstances to release land from the Green Belt applies to all parts of Cambridge covered by this designation, and it is proposed that other land in Great Shelford/Stapleford and within the Rural Southern Cluster is released from the Green Belt for these reasons.

The land at Robinson Farm, Sawston is contained on both sides by infrastructure and bordered by residential and educational development to the south. It is well related to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Unity Campus, and other employment opportunities within the Southern Cluster.

Paragraph 141 requires plan-making authorities to examine all other reasonable options to meet identified development needs before considering whether exceptional circumstances exist to justify changes to Green Belt boundaries i.e. make as much use of previously developed land, increase the density of development, and consider whether development needs could be accommodated in neighbouring areas. In the case of Cambridge increasing densities and reusing previously developed land is not straightforward and may be inappropriate because of heritage assets and the difficulty of finding alternative sites for existing uses. The adopted Local Plans for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire already identified previously developed land opportunities, and the emerging GCLP seeks to do them same. As such, previously developed land opportunities that are deliverable have already been identified within and on the edge of Cambridge.

Paragraph 142 requires any review of Green Belt boundaries to consider the need to promote sustainable patterns of development, and that where the release of land from the Green Belt is necessary, that priority is given to previously developed land or sites that are well-served by public transport. It is acknowledged in emerging GCLP and the associated Sustainability Appraisal that the edge of Cambridge is a sustainable location because of its close proximity to employment and the opportunity to travel by non-car modes of transport.

Sawston has rapid bus links to central Cambridge and is close to Whittlesford Parkway Station (which is proposed to become a new rural transport hub). The site borders Cambridge Road to the east and the A1301 to the west, with the potential for new bus links on both roads. The Cambridge South East Transport project by the Greater Cambridge Partnership includes a stop at Sawston. Sawston and the land at Robinson Farm are sustainable locations in transport terms, and additional development in this location would be consistent with Paragraph 104. Therefore, the release of Robinson Farm from the Green Belt would be consistent with the approach in national policy to give priority to those Green Belt sites that are well served by public transport.

Robinson Farm in Sawston makes a limited contribution to openness and the purposes for including land within the Green Belt, and does not contribute towards the wider landscape of Cambridge or Sawston, and should be released from the Green Belt in emerging GCLP.

Paragraph 79 of the NPPF seeks to promote sustainable development in rural areas and acknowledges that housing can enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and support local services. Sawston is the largest settlement within the Rural Southern Cluster and has significant existing infrastructure, including a High Street, College, medical services, and employment parks. It is also centrally located for Granta Park, Babraham Research Park, the Biomedical Campus, and the newly approved Genome Campus at Hinxton. The promoted development of Robinson Farm, Sawston would support the existing services and facilities in the settlement. It would also provide housing and affordable housing for workers at these significant employment sites.

Paragraph 62 of the NPPF expects the size, type and tenure of housing needs of the community to be assessed and reflected in planning policies, including for example those with an affordable housing need, students, renters and self-builders. South Cambridgeshire District Council's 'Housing Statistical Information Leaflet' (December 2019) identified a need for 115 affordable dwellings in Sawston for those with a local connection to the village. This identified need cannot be met only by the allocation of site S/RSC/H/1 (c), which is for 260 dwellings. The promoted development by Cambridgeshire County Council at Robinson Farm, Sawston would include housing and affordable housing to meet local needs of the village, and there would be a policy requirement to include a proportion of self/custom build housing plots.

For all these reasons, additional allocations should be made in the more sustainable villages within the Rural Southern Cluster, including Sawston, because it is accessible by sustainable modes of transport, it is well related to employment opportunities, there is a need to support the existing services and facilities within the village, and there is an identified need for affordable housing in the villages which would not be met via other means. The affordable housing needs for Sawston would not be met by the single allocation for Sawston which is currently preferred.

Requested Change

It is requested that the development strategy for the Rural Southern Cluster includes an additional residential allocation at Robinson Farm, Sawston, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 14.8 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 300 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build plots
• Retain and enhance existing trees and hedgerows at site boundary
• New pedestrian and cycle links between Cambridge Road and the A1301
• Provide open space and green infrastructure
• Upgrade existing vehicular access on Cambridge Road

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner supports the promotion of an enhanced rural travel hub at Whittlesford Station and would like to continue to promote their site at Whittlesford Depot (reference 40165) for mixed use development. The County Council will seek to work with the GCLP, Greater Cambridge Partnership and adjacent landowners to identify opportunities to further improve and develop the wider area.

Cambridgeshire County Council would like to work with the GCLP in identifying suitable land to relocate the Highways Depot currently occupying their site. This is outlined in more detail in the response to I/FD.

It is considered that the growth of the more sustainable villages must be part of the development strategy for emerging GCLP, and particularly those villages that contain a good range of services and facilities, are accessible by a range of modes of transport, and where there is an identified need for affordable housing for those with a local connection to the village.

Paragraph 79 of the NPPF seeks to promote sustainable development in rural areas and acknowledges that housing can enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and support local services.

Paragraph 69 acknowledges the role that small and medium sized sites can make towards meeting the housing requirements, and that such sites are often built-out relatively quickly. Small and medium sized sites typically only require limited new physical infrastructure and amendments to the access arrangements. The housing monitoring data from Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire confirms that small and medium sites are delivered quickly i.e. within two to three years. It is considered that small and medium sized sites make a significant contribution towards the short term housing land supply and the five year housing land supply position in Greater Cambridgeshire.

Paragraph 104 of the NPPF expects transport issues to be considered at the earliest stages of plan-making. Those issues include opportunities created by existing or proposed transport infrastructure in terms of the scale, location and density of development, and opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use. Paragraph 105 expects significant development to be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable.

The Greater Cambridge area includes many large villages (currently classified as Rural Centres, Minor Rural Centres and Group Villages) which have train stations, guided busway routes, rapid bus connections and greenway cycle lanes with link to employment centres and Cambridge city centre. They are accessible to a variety of services and facilities by realistic alternatives to the car. Further, these villages contain a variety of services and facilities which would be supported by new residents.

Paragraph 62 of the NPPF expects the size, type and tenure of housing needs of the community to be assessed and reflected in planning policies, including for example those with an affordable housing need, students, renters and self-builders. South Cambridgeshire District Council's 'Housing Statistical Information Leaflet' (December 2019) identified a need for a significant number of affordable homes in many of the District’s villages. This identified need would not be met without allocations in these villages, which would include housing and affordable housing.

The County has sought to promote additional sites for development at locations in Cottenham (ref 40176), Histon (refs 40193 and 40192), Waterbeach (ref 40183), Willingham (ref 40179), Melbourn (ref 40199) and Foxton (ref 40148). All are ranked in the current Local Plan as either Rural Centres or Minor Rural Centres, and Foxton (currently a Group Village) has a train station and is potentially to become a rural travel hub. All of these villages contain a good range of services and facilities, including schools, shops and public transport links. Several of the sites benefit from close proximity to rail stations with links to central Cambridge and London.

For all these reasons, small scale housing allocations should be made in the more sustainable villages within the rest of the rural area because those villages are accessible by sustainable modes of transport, there is a need to support the existing services and facilities within those villages, and there is an identified need for affordable housing in those villages which would not be met via other means.

Requested Change

It is requested that the development strategy for the rest of the rural area includes additional allocations in the following locations:

Glebe Farm, Twenty Pence Road, Cottenham Glebe Fen Farm
• Site area of 6.8 Ha
• Capacity of approx. 150 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build
• Provision of significant new open space, including a buffer to the church yard
• Retain key views of the Church and Conservation Area and minimise harm to heritage assets

Land west of Cottenham Road, Histon (Buxhall Farm)
• Site area of 4.8 Ha
• Capacity of approx. 40 dwellings, including affordable housing, to the front of the site along Cottenham Road
• Provision of new open space and potentially community land to the rear, with biodiversity enhancements and strategic landscaping

Land adjacent to Histon School, Glebe Way, Histon
• Site area of 2.32 Ha
• Capacity of approx. 60 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build
• Provision of new open space and landscaping, including links to Northern Buxhall Farm local green space

Land to the north of Cardyke Road, Waterbeach Cardyke Road
• Site area of 2 Ha
• Capacity of approx. 40 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build
• Pedestrian and cycle links to Cambridge Road and Cardyke Road

Belsar Farm, Willingham
• Site area of 0.88 Ha
• Capacity of approx. 26 dwellings, including affordable housing
• Pedestrian and cycle links to neighbouring development and Sponge Drove

Tostock Farm, Cambridge Road, Melbourn
• Site area of 13.01 Ha
• Capacity for approx. 150 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build
• Significant new open space and strategic landscaping
• New pedestrian links to Cambridge Road and Portway
• Enhancement of existing agricultural access to Cambridge Road

Herod’s Farm, High Street, Foxton
• Site area of 5 Ha
• Capacity of approx. 90 dwellings, including affordable housing and self/custom build
• Provide open space and green infrastructure, including enhanced biodiversity and landscape buffer as requested by Neighbourhood Plan
• Upgrade existing vehicular access on High Street and provide new links to Rowlands Close

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner is seeking to promote land adjacent to Buckingway Business Park (reference 40191) for a new Highways Depot for the County Council. This would involve the relocation of this use from their existing premises on Station Road, Whittlesford, thus freeing up that land for development as part of the Opportunity Area (GCLP policy reference S/SCP/WHD).

The existing depot at Whittlesford Parkway is too small for operational purposes. Its location off the A505 impacts its accessibility at peak times, which in turn impacts the County’s ability to efficiently treat the road network. It is also an unneighbourly use in close proximity to residential and leisure uses as it requires 24hr access. Noise, odour, dust and lighting can all have adverse impacts on neighbouring amenities. Further, the existing buildings are no longer fit for purpose and require significant investment for continued use.

For these reasons the County as landowner and as highways authority would support the relocation of their highways depot to the land north of the A1307 at Buckingway Business Park. The 7.54ha site is located immediately north of the de-trunked A1307. It is currently accessed via Anderson Road which runs through Buckingway Business Park and CCC's site identified for proposed employment allocation (reference S/RRA/BBP). It has the potential for direct access to the A1307 and A14.

This allows co-location of compatible uses away from sensitive neighbours. The site has much better access to the strategic road network and is central within the County, minimising lengths of journeys that highways vehicles need to take. Please see letter of support from the Director of Highways, Cambridgeshire County Council.

Requested Change
It is requested that the development strategy for freight and delivery consolidation includes an additional allocation at Buckingway Business Park, as promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, with the following policy requirements:
• Site Area of 7.54 Ha
• Provision of highways depot and associated facilities
• Access from Anderson Road and A1307

Cambridgeshire County Council as landowner supports the proposed allocation of Mansel Farm, Oakington (reference S/RRA/MF). The site is sustainably located and adjacent to the busway station. The constraints set out in the GCLP can be addressed and the site remains suitable, available and achievable for the allocation proposed.

It should be noted that at a density of 25dph (suitable for a rural context), the site could support around 35 dwellings. This would still allow for a landscape buffer whilst ensuring development relates well to Meadow Farm Close. The 'Housing Statistical Information Leaflet' for South Cambs indicates a need for 20 affordable dwellings in Oakington, and an allocation of 35 homes (as proposed by the County) could support a greater proportion of this need than an allocation for 20 homes (as is currently preferred).

Cambridgeshire County Council supports the allocation of land at Buckingway Business Park, Swavesey (reference S/RRA/BBP). The site is located adjacent to the existing business park and close to the strategic highway network, and would be suited for a variety of B-class uses. The constraints set out in the GCLP can be addressed and the site remains suitable, available and achievable. Access is to be achieved via the existing agricultural access from Anderson Road.

Requested Change
S/RRA/MF Land at Mansel Farm, Station Road, Oakington
• Site area of 1.4 hectares
• Capacity for approximately 35 homes
• Provision of pedestrian access towards the busway stop
• Provision of substantial landscape buffer on eastern boundary

S/RRA/BBP Land at Buckingway Business Park, Swavesey
• Site area of 2.1 Ha
• Suitable for Class B2 or Class B8 uses
• Development should include a detailed odour assessment related to the nearby Uttons Drove Water Recycling Centre
• Access to be via Anderson Road