Draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan

Support

Representation ID: 54436

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

The proposed retention and intensification of Business uses in this location is supported. As with any City, Cambridge needs to be able to provide jobs for a wide mix of residents with a variety of skill sets. Currently this area, including the Science Park is able to accommodate a variety of business uses, including industrial, some of which complement one another. There are very few examples of this type of provision within the City and to lose such uses in this location would not only alter the character of the area significantly but would also alienate a large proportion of the local workforce.

There is, however, a need to ensure that the promoted uses are safeguarded and continue to offer a wide range of employment spaces to ensure that there is long-term flexibility in the future.

Support

Representation ID: 54439

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

The proposal to ensure that there is not a net loss of either Class B2 or Class B8 uses is supported. Further, the intention to increase this provision is a positive response to the needs of the Cambridge economy ensuring that a mix of uses can be provided across the wider site, allowing the retention and provision of jobs for a wide mix of residents with a variety of skill sets. This is a key location for employment floorspace in industry, storage and distribution in Cambridge. This should be protected and where demand exists expansion should be facilitated for the long term.

In adopting this approach there should be recognition that where a mix of uses are proposed to be consolidated, including residential, that this does not restrict or prejudice the delivery of much needed Class B2 and Class B8 provision. This is supported by the findings of the G L Hearn study, Mixed Use Development: Overcoming barriers to delivery at North East Cambridge, which emphasised the importance of the ‘agent of change’ principle introduced through the NPPF 2018 which places responsibility on new development to take responsibility for mitigating the impacts of existing uses and particularly cites the relationship between residential development and existing industrial units.

Object

Representation ID: 54441

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

It is acknowledged that it is desirable and beneficial to create walkable and sustainable neighbourhoods within mixed use schemes such as that being proposed by the Area Action Plan. However, where industrial uses (Class B2 and B8) are included, it is important to ensure that vehicle access to these businesses and the areas in which they are located is safeguarded. Given the nature of the uses, vehicular trips are unavoidably by large vans and HGVs and the street hierarchy proposed should take this into account. This is particularly relevant to the bus company which occupies a unit on the site, access provision for buses and coaches would need to be retained and at a good standard.

The use of traffic calming and other related measures can often result in difficulties for the operators of these businesses which can affect their operations. Streets need to be of an appropriate design to manage the nature of the traffic to ensure the network operates efficiently and to ensure the safety and comfort of all road users.

Object

Representation ID: 54447

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

This policy seeks to ensure development would meet sustainability objectives thereby delivering a ‘low carbon development’. However in seeking to achieve this the operational requirements of all users must be considered and accommodated within the AAP. For example, many of the business operators currently occupying the units on the eastern side of Milton Road need car parking for customers as well as employees and often the hours of operation of these businesses means that there is a greater reliance on cars to access the site. The study commissioned by G L Hearn, Mixed Use Development: Overcoming barriers to delivery at North East Cambridge acknowledges that whilst commercial elements need to be managed to minimise effects there is a need to ensure that they are not operationally constrained. This is particularly the case for operators of trade counters or manufacturers of large items, where the use of public transport or ‘last minute hubs’ would not be practicable. Car parking provision adjacent to these types of commercial uses is essential in order for them to operate efficiently. This, along with vehicular access, is very important and if future proposals do not take account of and allow for this then the impact on the continued success of these businesses could be jeopardised particularly as they rely on being close to the City but due to affordability constraints are unable to relocate closer to the City Centre.

Comment

Representation ID: 54450

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

With regard to criterion (f) of the policy, early engagement with key stakeholders is fundamental to the delivery of a successful scheme in a timely manner. It is acknowledged that there have been Stakeholder Design Workshops undertaken and the outcome of these is included in the Council’s evidence base. However, not all affected landowners were included, particularly those related to the industrial use element of the site. Additional information should be set out in the Area Action Plan as to how this should be undertaken, with a specific requirement for discussions to be undertaken with all affected landowners prior to any proposals being drawn up and brought forward.

Object

Representation ID: 54451

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

While it is understood that any acquisition of property or land would be subject to a payment at market value, the lack of alternative industrial and other business premises within the City could result in the closure of and loss of employment for local residents. It is critical that in bringing sites forward, due regard is had to the provisions of criterion (c), and that this should be the starting point before any consideration of Compulsory Purchase Powers takes place.

It is vital that discussions are undertaken with all landowners in the first instance to try and agree/negotiate a combined approach. The site as a whole has a number of land owners and the Area Action Plan makes no reference to a ‘joined up’ approach. Early engagement with all land owners going forward is crucial and this does not seem to have been resolved yet.

Support

Representation ID: 54452

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: Orchard Street Investment Management

Agent: Turley

The provisions of this policy are supported, and particularly those set out in criterion (e) which refers to no unreasonable restrictions on existing business operations and facilities. Existing businesses and uses should not be prejudiced nor penalised by the introduction of new uses. All new developments should be required to demonstrate that existing uses and their operation can be protected for the long term. The G L Hearn evidence based study Mixed Use Development: Overcoming barriers to delivery at North East Cambridge makes reference to the need for new development to mitigate impacts such as noise effects from current land uses in line with the ‘agent of change’ principle introduced through the NPPF 2018.