Full text:
Dear Madam/Sir
Response on behalf of Lands Improvement Holdings Limited and Pigeon Land to
Regulation 16 consultation on the draft Stapleford and Great Shelford
Neighbourhood Plan
I write on behalf of Pigeon Land (‘Pigeon’) and Lands Improvement Holdings Ltd (‘LIH’) in response
to the consultation on the Stapleford and Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan (‘the S&GS NP’)
Submission (Regulation 15 version), November 2024.
LIH and Pigeon are jointly promoting 190 hectares of land for development, known as Cambridge
South, located between Cambridge Road and the M1 and south of Addenbrookes Road, immediately
south of Trumpington (‘the Site’). A Site Location Plan is enclosed. The vision for Cambridge South is
to deliver an exemplary new residential community comprising circa 4,500 new homes – of which 50%
would be affordable – plus ancillary commercial uses and amenities alongside supporting social,
transport, green and blue infrastructure. Much of the housing would be dedicated to meeting the
documented need for homes to support existing needs and planned growth at the Cambridge
Biomedical Campus. The majority of that land falls within the S&GS NP area and LIH and Pigeon
therefore have a keen and valid interest in the Neighbourhood Plan.
The opportunity that Cambridge South provides is being put to GCSP and the Cambridge Growth
Group (‘CGG’) so that it may form part of their emerging plans.
We recognise that it is not for the Neighbourhood Plan to confirm such an allocation given that the
land is currently designated as Green Belt. The purpose of this letter is to make sure that the authors
of the NP are aware of the Cambridge South development and that any restrictive allocation of the
land set out in this NP may need to be reviewed at a relatively early stage, given the national
importance of meeting the identified need for supporting CBC’s expansion and tackling Greater
Cambridge’s housing issues.
Quod | 21 Soho Square London W1D 3QP | 020 3597 1000 | quod.com
Quod Limited. Registered England at above No. 7170188
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Background
LIH and Pigeon have promoted Cambridge South for a number of years and have engaged at each
stage of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan (‘GCLP’) currently being prepared by the Greater
Cambridge Shared Planning Service (‘GCSP’).
Most recently, LIH and Pigeon made a joint submission to the GCLP First Proposals consultation held
in Spring 2021 alongside a consortium of landowners of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (‘CBC’).
The submission set out the needs case for growing CBC and a holistic vision for achieving this
alongside delivering much needed housing on Cambridge South to support the Campus’ expansion
and address the wider chronic issues facing the Cambridge housing market.
That submission comprised the following reports and studies (all of which are available to view via the
GCSP Local Plan consultation webpage):
CBC Vision 2050
Planning Report, prepared by Quod
Building a World Leading Innovation District for the Life Sciences, prepared by Creative
Places
Spatial Masterplan Report, prepared by Allies and Morrison
Environmental Appraisal, prepared by Quod
Transport Strategy, prepared by Vectos
Utilities Appraisal, prepared by Buro Happold
The very serious issues facing the Cambridgeshire housing market are well known. The S&GS
Housing Needs Assessment (2024 amendment) sets things out in stark terms:
“Local households on average incomes are unable to access even entry-level homes unless
they have the advantage of a very large deposit. Market housing, even with the benefit of a
higher than average income, is likely to remain out of reach to most. Private renting is generally
only affordable to higher earners, with average earners able to afford entry-level market rents.
Households made up of one or two lower quartile earners cannot afford the given rental
thresholds.” (paragraph 10)
S&GS are by no means alone in recognising the severity of these issues. A Housing Study
commissioned by CBC Ltd based on a broad survey of people who work on the Campus (i.e., doctors,
nurses, lab technicians, researchers, estate management staff) sets out the housing challenges they
face, with many struggling to meet their housing needs. 30% of CBC workers are currently unable to
afford rents on the open market; healthcare workers – who account for 70% of the total workforce
within CBC – face having to pay 13-15 times their earnings to afford a property, which is twice the
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national average.
0F
1The effects of this are substantial and pervasive. High demand and low supply of
affordable housing forces many to live in unsatisfactory conditions or to look for housing further field,
leading to longer commute times which has effects on congestion, air pollution, climate change and
quality of life. This imperils Cambridge’s ability to attract workers, threatening its economy and long
term prosperity.
The draft Neighbourhood Plan acknowledges and understands these issues and neatly summarises
the problems they cause:
“It is very difficult for younger generations and even middle to high income earners to put down
roots in Stapleford and Great Shelford. Property prices are high and trending upwards and there
is a limited supply of suitable housing, affordable or otherwise, relative to demand. Without a
better balance, Stapleford and Great Shelford could become ageing dormitory villages rather
than the thriving multi-generational communities which they aspire to be.” (paragraph 4.13)
Cambridge South provides an opportunity to address the housing needs of Stapleford and Great
Shelford, of CBC and of the wider City. It can accommodate circa 4,500 new homes, half of which
would be affordable. There is a real prospect of making a meaningful difference and addressing the
very serious challenges that people face in finding well connected, affordable, high quality housing in
the local area. LIH and Pigeon are continuing to engage with GCSP and CGG to make them aware
of this and to seek its incorporation into their plans for the area. LIH and Pigeon would welcome
engagement with the Parish Councils on their plans for Cambridge South, should either Council wish
to.
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Government support for growth in Cambridge
Successive governments have been clear in their support for growth in Cambridge and specifically in
southern Cambridge as expressed across budget announcements, Written Ministerial Statements
(‘WMS’) and Government publications. The consistent message is that there is a strong backing for
realising the true potential of Greater Cambridge, which the Government sees as a national priority.
For instance:
In September 2023, Michael Gove MP issued a WMS declaring the Government’s support
for “transformational change” to address barriers caused by “lack of new space for
laboratories and the new housing necessary to attract and retain talent.”
1Cambridge Biomedical Campus Housing Study: Establishing the housing needs of the CBC workforce (April
2024). Available here: https://cambridge-biomedical.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CBC-Housing-Study
Report-Final-May24.pdf
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In March 2024 Government published The Case for Cambridge, which recognises the
city’s incredible history, built environment and institutions and seeks to “give new life to
the spirit of innovation and endeavour which has been the cornerstone of Cambridge’s
success.”
Following that, a further WMS was published in May 2024, setting out unusually location
specific policy. It directly acknowledged the critical role that the Cambridge Biomedical
Campus plays in the regional and national economy and invited proposals for its
expansion. That WMS also set out the Government’s ambitions to:
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“address any barriers to the early expansion and coherent enhancement of the campus,
including through the accelerated delivery of any associated housing development and the
provision of appropriate levels of affordable housing to meet the housing needs of those working
at the campus.”
1F
Matthew Pennycook MP wrote an open letter to leaders and executives within GCSP in
August 2024 to make clear that the current Government thinks the “recent focus on
Cambridge and its untapped economic potential are entirely warranted.”
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2F
Ambitions for growth are being matched by investment in the infrastructure to support it. The Minister
for Housing and Planning set out plans to invest £7.9 billion investment in the next 5 years for water
companies across the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, including to delivering the new Fens Reservoir
serving Cambridge.
3F
5
4This follows Government funding for the Cambridge South Train station in 2019,
due for completion in 2025.
4F
The above WMSs are not referenced in the as being relevant ministerial statements in paragraph 3.2
of the Basic Conditions Statement (2024) despite them clearly being so.
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Relationship between the Neighbourhood Plan, the emerging GCLP and national
policy
Cambridge South is the only site of scale within active travel distance of CBC that could sustainably
meet the need identified in the WMS. It is apparent, therefore, that these national priorities could have
2
Available
online
here:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-05
08/debates/24050858000017/CambridgeDeliveryGroupUpdate
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Letter
from
Matthew
Pennycook
MP,
23rd
August
2024.
Available here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66cdf3f68e33f28aae7e1f67/housing-minister-letter-to-greater
cambridge-leaders.pdf
4MHCLG Growth Corridor Strategy Statement made, 29 January 2025
5Cambridge South infrastructure enhancement: Transport and Works Order, 18 June 2021
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implications for the local area and the Neighbourhood Plan needs to be careful not to set itself in
conflict with national policies.
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The most effective way of doing this may be to recognise in the Plan itself that it would need to be
reviewed in the event that the Greater Cambridge Local Plan or the Spatial Plan proposed to be
produced by the Cambridge Growth company confirms plans for strategic scale growth within the
Neighbourhood Plan Area. Without this, several policies will likely become out of date and carry limited
weight.
5F
It is also important in any event to be sure that the Neighbourhood Plan policies are consistent with
other current national planning policies.
LIH and Pigeon would welcome the opportunity to engage with the Parish Councils if and when a
review of the Neighbourhood Plan is carried out.
Summary
Pigeon and LIH are seeking to have Cambridge South allocated in the emerging Greater Cambridge
Local Plan to deliver approximately 4,500 new homes to help meet Greater Cambridge’s acute need
for housing. LIH and Pigeon recognise that it is not for this version of the Neighbourhood Plan to
allocate Cambridge South for this purpose. Should GSCP remove Cambridge South from the Green
Belt and allocate it for development, however, the Neighbourhood Plan would require an early review
to ensure that it does not undermine or constrain strategic policies in the newly adopted GCLP or
conflict with national policy. LIH and Pigeon would be pleased to engage with the Parish Councils on
any such review of the Neighbourhood Plan that may happen in the future.
We request pursuant to Regulation 19(b)(ii) to be notified of any decision made by the local planning
authority under section 38(4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended).
Yours sincerely
Gregory Blaxland
Associate Director
