Decision details

Matter for Decision: Response to the Uttlesford’s Draft Local Plan 2021- 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation

 

Why the Decision had to be made (and any alternative options):  The Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18) consultation runs between 3 November and 18 December 2023. As a response is required to be submitted within these dates the response is unable to be considered at the next Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee on 16^th January 2024 and must be considered out of cycle. The contents of the Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation, could in principle impact on Greater Cambridge and have implications for the emerging joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan. The proposed response seeks to minimise negative and maximise any positive impacts of Uttlesford’s Local Plan on Greater Cambridge. Given the proximity of Uttlesford to South Cambridgeshire, the contents of the Uttlesford Local Plan could in principle impact on the emerging joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan, and a joint response from Greater Cambridge is recommended.

 

Background: Uttlesford District Council has started the process of developing a new Local Plan for the district, which will replace the existing Adopted Local Plan 2005. The preparation of the new local plan has 3 key stages:

•       The first stage was undertaken in 2020 with the publication of Uttlesford District Council’s Issues and Options First Consultation (November 2020 - April 2021).

•       This stage, the Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation, is the second stage and sets out the Council’s emerging draft Local Plan and preferred Spatial Strategy for consultation. The current consultation runs between 3 November and 18 December 2023. Any further emerging evidence, engagement and the responses to this consultation at this stage will be used to prepare the next plan stage, the submission draft of the local plan.

•       The third stage of the plan's preparation will be published for a further six-week period (Regulation 19). At that stage, any comments received will be submitted to the Secretary of State, alongside the Plan and the supporting documents.

 

Content in the Draft Uttlesford Local Plan relevant to Greater Cambridge includes:

•       No new housing allocations are proposed close to the South Cambridgeshire boundary. Instead, new allocations of around 6,000 homes are proposed at existing settlements to meet the identified housing need of 13,680 homes for the plan period, accounting for committed supply (see Core Policy 2: Meeting our Housing Needs).

•       The single substantive development proposed in the plan close to Greater Cambridge is an allocation of an additional 18.3ha of employment land within Chesterford Research Park (Core Policy 6), allocating sufficient land to enable the delivery of the full site masterplan as promoted by the Research Park, beyond that which exists or has planning permission. Furthermore the plan provides flexibility to support economic development of unallocated sites within Core Policy 48 should this become required.

•   The plan recognises the topic of water stress in the District and the wider area and the impact that this is having on chalk streams, and seeks to address these issues via Core Policy 34: Water Supply and Protection of Water Resources, and Core Policy 35: Chalk Streams. Protection and Enhancement (note key points on this topic in paragraph 10 below).

•   The plan seeks to take ambitious climate and biodiversity policy approaches, including for example seeking 20% biodiversity net gain (Core Policy 40: Biodiversity).

The proposed response, set out in full at Appendix 2:

a.    focuses on the topic of water stress in the District and the wider area and the impact that this is having on chalk streams. Proposed response points seek:

                                 i.         Further evidence that the level of abstraction required to support the  development proposed in Uttlesford’s draft Local Plan is sustainable;

                               ii.         Enhancements to Core Policy 34: Water Supply and Protection of Water Resources to ensure that its requirements are clearer and that water efficiency standards should be extended to apply to non-residential development;

                              iii.         Enhancements to Core Policy 35: Chalk Streams Protection and Enhancement to ensure that its requirements are clearer and that that there is greater detail on how it will be implemented.

b. identifies other points including:

                                 i.         seeking clarification of the transport impacts of the expansion of Chesterford Research Park, and noting the benefit of continued engagement on transport issues

                               ii.         supporting the ambitious climate and biodiversity policy; approaches set out in the draft plan;

                              iii.         looking forward to continued engagement with Uttlesford District Council on relevant cross-boundary issues, noting that further work will need to be undertaken to prepare the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan.

Alternative options:

1.    The options are:

a.      Agree the proposed response to the consultation without amendments

b.      Agree the proposed response to the consultation with amendments

c.      Decide not to submit a response to the consultation – this option is not recommended as the plan would progress without awareness of potential impacts on Greater Cambridge

 

The Executive Councillor’s decision:

 

Reason for the decision:

 

Scrutiny Consideration: The Chair and Spokesperson of … Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.

 

Report: Appendix 1- Background Papers and Appendix 2- The Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation proposed joint response from Greater Cambridge.

Appendix 2 can be viewed at the link below: Document Meeting 16.01.24: ROD: Response to the Uttlesfords Draft Local Plan 2021- 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation - Cambridge Council

 

 

Conflict of interest: [None].

 

Comments: The following comments were reived from the Lib Dem Opposition Spokes Councillor Porrer: I am very happy with these comments, particularly with the focus on water scarcity and the need to reduce daily consumption limits for both new housing and non-residential developments.  I did wonder if we might want to also note that continuing engagement with the current water scarcity group from Affinity Water would be welcomed (which is implied although not stated directly), but I am happy to be guided by officers on whether this would be appropriate.

The Comments were addressed by the Planning Policy and Strategy Team Leader.

Appendix 1: Background Papers

Background papers used in the preparation of this report:

 

Emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan

 

·      Greater Cambridge Local Plan - First Proposals | Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (greatercambridgeplanning.org)

 

Uttlesford Local Plan Issues Engagement consultation documents:

·      The Draft Local Plan - Uttlesford District Council (https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/article/8883/The-Draft-Local-Plan)

·      Uttlesford Local Plan Reg 18 Evidence Base- https://uttlesfordreg18evidencebase.co.uk/

 

Joint Response to by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council to Uttlesford District Council's (Regulation 18) Local Plan Issues and Options consultation (2021)

·      Decision - Joint Response to Uttlesford District Council's (Regulation 18) Local Plan Issues and Options consultation (moderngov.co.uk)

Report Authors:

Charlotte Morgan-Shelbourne - Planning Policy Officer

Telephone: (01954) 713418

Stuart Morris – Team Leader - Planning Policy & Strategy

Telephone: 07514 925 287