Decision details

To recommend to Council that the Cambridge Local Plan: Towards 2031 is adopted. Supplementary Planning Documents that have been prepared in parallel with the new Local Plan will be adopted by the Executive Member after the Local Plan is adopted.

Matter for Decision

 

       i.          The preparation of the new Cambridge Local Plan had now reached the end of the plan making process. The Inspectors’ Report had been received, and subject to incorporating the associated Main Modifications identified by the Inspectors, they conclude that the Local Plan was sound. The Local Plan may now be presented to Council to be adopted as part of the Development Plan.

 

     ii.          During the Examination process, the Council took the decision to move forward with the preparation of a number of site specific SPDs. This was a pragmatic response to the lengthy examination process, allowing further detail to be provided and assist with the implementation of specific proposals. As a result, seven SPDs had been prepared in parallel with the Cambridge Local Plan.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport

 

       i.          Noted the Inspectors’ Report containing the Inspectors’ Main Modifications to be made to the submitted Cambridge Local Plan in order for it to be found sound (Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report);

     ii.          Noted the schedule of Additional Modifications (Appendix 2 of the Officer’s report) to the submitted Cambridge Local Plan to make factual and typographical corrections; and

   iii.          Noted the Main Modifications to the submitted Policies Map published alongside the Inspectors’ Report as a reference document to the examination (Appendix 3 of the officer’s report);

   iv.          Recommend to Council that the Cambridge Local Plan 2018 including both Main and Additional Modifications was adopted (Appendix 4 of the Officer’s report); 

    v.          Recommend to Council that the Cambridge Policies Map 2018, including Main Modifications, be adopted (Appendix 5 of the Officer’s report); 

   vi.          Recommend to Council that it authorises the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport, and the Chair and Spokes for the Planning Policy and Transport Scrutiny Committee, to make minor typographical amendments or updates in preparing the final version of the Adopted Local Plan and Policies Map; and

 vii.          Noted that the seven Supplementary Planning Documents prepared in parallel with the Local Plan, and listed in Appendix 6 of the Officer’s report, would be approved by the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport following the adoption of the Local Plan.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

The Committee received a report from the Planning Policy Manager.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          Sought clarification regarding the status of an SPD that was linked to the Local Plan.

     ii.          Praised the plan for respecting the integrity of the Green Belt.

 

The Planning Policy Manager and Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          The additional SPD’s would add weight and clarity to future planning decisions.

   iii.          Confirmed that the Combined Authority had questioned the predicted growth in jobs (Table 1 of the Officers report). The figures had been based on economic forecasts and had been tested by the Planning Inspector and found sound.

     ii.          Plans for specific areas, such as Mitcham’s Corner, would be linked to wider Greater Cambridgeshire Partnerships.

   iii.          The length of time taken to approve the plan had been unusual and comments on the experience would be feed back to the Inspector.

 

Councillor Hipkin expressed concerns that the predicted growth would be unsustainable without suitable infrastructure. The Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review had concluded that the growth of jobs in South Cambs would put additional strain on housing. In addition traffic congestion could become a brake on growth. A situation could arise where a good planning application had to be refused due to the impact on traffic. The situation was not helped by the number of bodies vising for power over transport decision and the lack of collaborative working and trust.

 

Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development stated that the plan was light on specific transport proposals as it had been prepared alongside the transport plan and part of the Cambridge Bid process. Transport barriers would be identified and looking ahead, ways to reconcile transport infrastructure with the delivery of growth site would be developed. An alignment of transport goals and growth capacity would follow looking forward to 2030. The Plan review process would allow for a re-examination of the figures.

 

The Committee resolved by 7 votes to 0 and one abstention to endorse the recommendation.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.