Issue - meetings

Links to the following appendices can be found below:

Appendix 2: Draft Equality Impact Assessment for the Planning Obligation Supplementary Planning Document.

Appendix 3: Consultation Statement: Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document

Appendix 4: Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Habitats Regulation Assessment Screening Report.

Appendix 5 Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document Sustainability Appraisal.

Appendix 6: Planning Obligations SPD Costings Update.

Appendix 7: Tracked Changes Version of the Draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document: Version for Adoption.

Appendix 8: List of subsequent changes to the Planning Obligations SPD following the Planning Obligations SPD.

The Deputy Leader introduced the report.

The report referred to the draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which once adopted would be a material consideration in the determination of planning Page 17 applications. The SPD would support the Council in securing infrastructure necessary to provide for the needs generated by new development. It would also improve the process of negotiating, preparing and completing a S106 agreement.

In response to questions from Cabinet Members and those Councillors present, the Leader and the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development said the following:

      i.         Noted the comment by the Cabinet Member for Safety, Wellbeing and Tackling Homelessness regarding the Health Scrutiny Committee meeting with representatives from primary care and the Integrated Care Board. It had been confirmed that developer contributions and Section 106 funding for both physical infrastructure and primary care services required a more strategic, coordinated approach. The Board’s representatives indicated they were willing to meet with the Planning Service to explore options. Highlighted the relevance of this issue given the scale of local development.

    ii.         Welcomed the comments made by Councillor Porrer that she was supportive of the SPD.

   iii.         The SPD cross‑referenced the Housing Strategy; the Housing Strategy was not before Cabinet at this meeting.

  iv.         Noted that the overall approach to housing tenure mix and split was interpreted by the Housing Team on a case‑by‑case basis, taking account of site characteristics, location, and suitability for different uses.

    v.         The SPD signposted that decisions on tenure and affordable housing rates were determined through the joint Housing Strategy prepared with South Cambridgeshire District Council, and reflected the approach set out.

  vi.         It was shown on the Housing Strategy, 25% of homes on sites of 10–14 dwellings were required to be affordable, rising to 40% on sites of 15 or more dwellings. This was provided as a helpful reference point.

 vii.         Important to highlight the City Council’s strong record of delivering new social housing, noting that approximately 700 new council homes had been built over the past eight years, with plans for a further 1,300 over the next ten years

Cabinet unanimously resolved to:

                        i.         Agree the draft Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations SPD (attached at Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report) and accompanying Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) (Appendix 2) are formally adopted subject to any changes following the Cambridge City Council Cabinet.

                      ii.         Agree that any subsequent material amendments following the SPD’s adoption to be made by the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, 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 in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport.