Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document re-consultation - 2025

The Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Draft for re-consultation- Autumn 2025 has missing links it refers to and missing paragraphs. The missing links were flagged to the 2 mentioned in the foreword (Councillor Katie Thornburrow and Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins) on 9th September but the link to " A summary of the issues raised in comments received to the earlier November 2024 consultation on the SPD is also provided " in 1.9 has not been made available to the Parish Council. Secondly, Chapter 4 Affordable Housing. 4.12 states “The method for calculating the contribution in lieu of provision is set out at paragraphs 4.41 – 4.45 below.” Chapter 4 goes up to….. 4.38. This was flagged to our District Councillors 20th September.

High quality documentation is essential for any consultation and with significant details missing, unfortunately this reflects badly on Greater Cambridge Planning.

We have only gone through parts of the document in detail so can not flag additional errors at this time.

As mentioned in the comments for chapter 1, 4.12 says 4.41 – 4.45 below shows calculations. Only goes up to 4.38!!!!

Without knowing the method for calculating the contribution, how can we make a comment to support this (or not)

With regards to Negotiation of affordable housing any negotiation MUST be made public and be readily available within the planning portal. Where a developer is unable to provide the required affordable housing, all communications resulting in a lesser amount MUST be made public and be readily available.

In the same way, any calculations made under "Calculation of payments in lieu of on-site provision" must also be made public and made readily available within the planning portal. Transparency on why applications which, for example, provide a lesser amount (including zero) must be made public with justification as to why approved when criteria is not met.

With regards to 4.37, we fully support this.

We would like to flag 17.1.

" All recycling and waste operations are based at the Waterbeach Depot"

There appear to be no mention of "Cambridge recycling waste is still being taken 400miles away to Northern Ireland for sorting, despite previous claims a UK mainland facility could open “within the first half of this year”.

Although we can not confirm without contacting the Council, local media dopes not appear to confirm 17.1 is correct.

If 17.1 is correct, please issue a public statement to confirm this as much criticism was made with regards to using a company 400 miles away.

Regarding "Obligations to support local employment and skills" without high quality infrastructure, many businesses will be unable to operate in such areas. The majority of businesses today require high quality stable electricity and broadband. Without these services, there will be little uptake.

When looking at supporting local employment, parking will still be a requirement for workers, suppliers, contractors and customers. Because a business is employing locally does not provide an excuse not to supply parking.

There appears to be no mention of Digital Tech Hubs. Such places are Recognised by the UK Government as the country’s fastest-growing tech sector.

A Tech Start-up with ambitious plans would likely start out with a requirement for a high quality affordable workplace. Cambridge is an area with a great deal of tech companies. If tech start-ups can not be supported in Cambridgeshire, they will in all likelihood start-up and expand in areas with support.