Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The report referred to the Greater Cambridge Biomedical Campus Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) drafted to provide planning guidance to inform development at the existing Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC).

 

The draft SPD did not create policy but set out principles that should be considered in early stages of the planning process to deliver high quality development across the Campus.

 

The guidance provided in the SPD supported existing policies set out in the Cambridge City Council Local Plan (2018) and South Cambridgeshire District Council Local Plan (2018) for the Campus and would form an integral part of the development management process, setting out material considerations for determining planning applications.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control and Infrastructure

      i.         Agreed the draft Greater Cambridge Biomedical Campus SPD (attached at Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report) and accompanying Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) (Appendix 2 of the Officer’s report) be subject to public consultation.

    ii.         Agreed that the preparation of materials and the running of the consultation be delegated to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development. 

   iii.         Agreed that any subsequent material amendments prior to consultation be made by the Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Chair and Opposition Spokes and that any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes that do not materially affect the content prior to consultation be delegated to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control and Infrastructure.

 

 

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 Principal Planning Policy Officer.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Principal Planning Policy Officer and Planning Policy and Strategy Team Leader said the following:

      i.         Cambridge South Station had been planned in terms of a four-platform station.

    ii.         Early engagement with local community groups had identified there were constraints and pinch points concerning movement and bus stop locations.

   iii.         There would be compromises made due to the size and location of the site. 

  iv.         Work had been done on entrance and exit points to the station as part of the movement strategy.

    v.         The station would be operational within the next six to twelve months. Officers would be evaluating how the station was being used, working with Network Rail, The Combined Authority and other external partners, looking at lessons learnt that could be built into emerging Local Plan Policy.

  vi.         Noted the comment that Members thanked Officers for their work on this as there was no Master Plan for this site. There had been so many planning applications on a piecemeal basis, considered by the Joint Development Control Committee, that the document was extremely useful. 

 vii.         Officers were aware that water was a considerable issue and agreed there should be a reduction of water usage for non-clinical usages. Conditions were used for those non-clinical applications regarding water usage through the planning committee process.

viii.         The SPD would supplement the existing adopted Local Plan while work on the emerging Local Plan would maximise delivery of accessibility.

  ix.         The SPD set out in principle the promotion of active travel, encouraging parking for a variety of cycles and other alternative travel alternatives to the car.

    x.         Developers were asked to look at strategies to prioritise the cycling and walking infrastructure and show how they had considered alternative car parking strategies on the campus as part of their planning application.

  xi.         Appreciated that car parking was a significant issue in the local area. Officers had and would continue to work with resident groups, businesses and the landowner group to determine what strategies were required to be put in place. More detailed worked on transport modelling would be undertaken.

 xii.         Officers were also working closely with the County Council as the Highway’s Authority and other external partners such as the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

xiii.         There were currently adopted car parking standards for the city through the adopted Local Plan, the SPD could not introduce new policy.

xiv.         There would be individuals when visiting the hospital who had no other choice but to drive, such as those with limited mobility issues or who were sick, and parking needed to be provided.  

xv.         Had noted that some of the planning applications which had been considered by JDCC, had referenced temporary parking and included future use of car parking when no longer required.

xvi.         There were several schemes planned that could change the way that people went in and out of the campus including South Cambridge Station, Cambridge Southeast Transport Scheme (CSET) and the Sawston Greenway.

 

The Committee unanimously endorsed the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

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

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.