Draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan

Comment

Representation ID: 56145

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Retail uses: 3,000m2– This is very specific, should state a range with a higher maximum. We do not yet know if this is the
right amount of retail here, further work and studies are needed before this is, eg on connectivity and movement.
Schools: Need further work to establish proposed location of schools and relationship to proposed neighbourhood
centres. Disagree with safeguarding for secondary school which is not supported by the evidence base.
Milton Road Crossing: The AAP is very specific about a bridge across Milton Road but the need for a bridge has not yet
been established, an at-grade option is still being considered.

Comment

Representation ID: 56146

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

‘An element of new business floorspace’ (see comment on UCO changes below table) insufficient. We are looking for
77,400m2 in our emerging masterplan. We are developing a mixed use city district not a housing estate next to a business park.

Comment

Representation ID: 56147

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Welcome proposals for 10% ‘affordable’ industrial floorspace and small ‘last mile’ delivery & distribution hubs.

Comment

Representation ID: 56148

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Welcome provision for specialist housing; 60% of affordable tenure being social/affordable rent.
Shortfall of affordable housing from BTR shouldn’t fall upon other developments including Core Site to address.

Comment

Representation ID: 56149

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Welcome distribution of BTR across developments.
However, BTR cap is too low across NEC – need to recognise appealing to an international / global audience that want to rent.
Proposals on breaks in tenancies – unsure if commercially acceptable to BTR operators.

Comment

Representation ID: 56150

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Notwithstanding the challenge of providing custom build at scale, greater than 2% of ‘custom finish’ should be achievable, particularly as the industry innovates over time. A higher aspiration would be welcomed. Policy support for group custom build (ie cohousing) would be welcomed.

Comment

Representation ID: 56151

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Welcome broad range of community infrastructure proposed, particularly visual & performing arts hub (though the
evidence base is perhaps a little weak) and community garden. Also the co-location of facilities and services which would
help to provide additional gravity to the Cowley Road centre.
However, some of this (eg swimming facilities) could be costly and burden shouldn’t fall disproportionately on the Core
Site.
Question whether all schools should be located on Core Site and the health facilities. Insufficient evidence requiring
safeguarding of land for secondary school. Cultural placemaking strategy is useful.

Comment

Representation ID: 56152

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

How will Use Classes Order changes impact on provisions (Class E contains B1 + A Classes)?
The maximum size of 150m2 and restriction on merging of units are too onerous – need some flexibility to account for
changing retail trends over the years.

Comment

Representation ID: 56153

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

Support the policy objectives, the measures to reduce car-based travel, the wider connections including green space.
However the concept of net neutrality will not be possible either 1) for the Core Site alone (because of very low levels of
existing traffic) or 2) in the short term across NEC. This has been recognised by officers of Cambridgeshire County Council.
The draft AAP needs to acknowledge this and not introduce dependencies on the Core Site in relation to other users
reducing their volume of parking or trips.

Comment

Representation ID: 56154

Received: 05/10/2020

Respondent: U+I PLC.

Agent: We are Town

i) Milton Road crossing: Form of crossing as yet undetermined. Adjoining landowners, whose land would be required for
construction of a bridge, are known not to favour such a crossing and delivery could therefore prove protracted. The
policy should not predetermine the nature of the crossing here.