Grafton Area of Major Change SPD 2017

The Draft offers a thorough review of the challenges and opportunities of the area and overall the proposals will make a positive impact to the conservation area and provide public benefit. It is obvious that this part of the city has been neglected and ignored and a comprehensive plan to bring it back to life is very welcome.
Several of the key areas for improvements include the current Park and Ride bus drop off and pick up area, the service areas and delivery areas, the public realm (including signage, street furniture and trees) and interconnectivity between spaces. It also looks to promote more evening activities, however, we question if this may result in competition for the proposed evening economy in the Market Square in the longer term. The Draft includes the creation of a proper visual frontage or entrance to the site, which is also welcome.
The Master Plan document appears to address most issues CambridgePPF would wish to see and is relatively all inclusive.
It is important to note that the Draft SPD cannot be adopted until the Local Plan examination has completed. As a result, no formal applications should be accepted until both the Local Plan and the SPD have been formally adopted. Applications have been submitted prematurely for other sites and this results in confusion, poor design details and lack of clarity of vision.

The Draft offers a thorough review of the challenges and opportunities of the area and overall the proposals will make a positive impact to the conservation area and provide public benefit. It is obvious that this part of the city has been neglected and ignored and a comprehensive plan to bring it back to life is very welcome.
Several of the key areas for improvements include the current Park and Ride bus drop off and pick up area, the service areas and delivery areas, the public realm (including signage, street furniture and trees) and interconnectivity between spaces. It also looks to promote more evening activities, however, we question if this may result in competition for the proposed evening economy in the Market Square in the longer term. The Draft includes the creation of a proper visual frontage or entrance to the site, which is also welcome.
The Master Plan document appears to address most issues CambridgePPF would wish to see and is relatively all inclusive.
It is important to note that the Draft SPD cannot be adopted until the Local Plan examination has completed. As a result, no formal applications should be accepted until both the Local Plan and the SPD have been formally adopted. Applications have been submitted prematurely for other sites and this results in confusion, poor design details and lack of clarity of vision.