Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Illingworth, (Councillor Young attended as his Alternate) and Todd-Jones.

Name	Item	Interest
Councillor Baigent	All	Personal: Member of Cambridge Cycling Campaign.
Councillor Baigent	26/82/Plan & 26/83/Plan	Had taken part in discussions about the Market Square when he was formerly a Labour Councillor.   Discretion unfettered.
Councillor Clough	26/82/Plan & 26/83/Plan	Personal and Prejudicial - Spoke as a Ward Councillor.   Did not take part in the discussion and did not vote.
Councillor Fisher	26/82/Plan & 26/83/Plan	Personal and Prejudicial: Worked as a landscape designer on the market square project.   Did not take part in the discussion and did not vote.
Councillor Griffin	26/82/Plan & 26/83/Plan	Personal: Member of Cam Cycle.
Councillor Porrer	26/82/Plan & 26/83/Plan	Personal and Prejudicial - Spoke as a Ward Councillor.   Did not take part in the discussion and did not vote.   Recused herself from being Chair for both Market Square items.
Councillor Clough	26/85/Plan	Personal and Prejudicial – Would speak as a Ward Councillor and not take part in the discussion or vote.   This item was deferred.
Councillor Young	26/86/Plan	Personal and Prejudicial – Would speak as a Ward Councillor and not take part in the discussion or vote.   This item was deferred.
Councillor Porrer	26/87/Plan & 26/88/Plan	Personal – Application was located within her ward, she knew Supporters and Objectors, but she had not discussed it or fettered her discretion.   This item was deferred.
Councillor Smart	26/87/Plan & 26/88/Plan	Would recuse himself and not take part in the discussion or vote.   This item was deferred.

 

The minutes of the meetings held on 24 June 2026 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee minutes list public speakers at Committee. Please view the recording of the meeting on Cambridge City Council - YouTube to see/hear more detail about statements from public speakers and Ward Councillors.

Update on changes to the NPPF, as announced on 17 August 2026, from Toby Williams (Delivery Manager).

The Delivery Manager provided Members with a briefing on the new National Planning Policy Framework as published on 17 August 2026.

Councillors Clough, Fisher and Porrer withdrew from the decision making committee for both Market Square items and did not participate in the discussion or decision making.

 

Councillor Smart assumed the Chair for both Market Square items.

 

Councillor Smart proposed and Councillor Young seconded Councillor Dryden as Vice Chair for both Market Square items.

 

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for refurbishment of Market Square, Peas Hill and Guildhall Street, including provision of cycle parking, erection and siting of replacement fixed and temporary market stalls, refurbishment of Grade II listed setts, works to listed fountain and railings, and additional landscaping, street furniture and associated works.

 

The Principal Planner updated her report by referring to the amendment sheet:

      i.          Additional details to the submitted application for the temporary market.

     ii.          Additional consultee comments from the County Council Active Travel Officer.

   iii.          Additional consultee comments from the Local Highways Authority.

   iv.          Additional third-party comments.

    v.          Amendments to wording of conditions 3, 9 & 10 as per the March Committee.

   vi.          New amendment to condition 18.

 

Zoe Hardinge and Rev Keane addressed the Committee speaking in objection to the application.

 

Ben Binns (Applicant’s Representative) and John Mason (Agent // Applicant’s Representative) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

The following addressed the Committee about the application:

      i.          Antoinette Nestor (Cabinet Member and Castle Ward Councillor).

     ii.          Kathryn Fisher (Ward Councillor)

   iii.          Tim Bick (Ward Councillor)

   iv.          Hugh Clough (Ward Councillor)

    v.          Alex Sage (Ward Councillor)

   vi.          Elliot Tong (Ward Councillor)

 vii.          Katie Thornburrow (Cabinet Member)

viii.          Katie Porrer (Ward Councillor)

 

Councillor Smart proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation that the City Council, through the team led by Ben Binns (which was the applicant team), would do everything they could to work with market traders going forward.

 

This amendment was carried by 4 votes to 1.

 

Councillor Young proposed amendments to the Officer’s recommendation:

      i.          to amend condition 9 (wayfinding) to include particular reference  to visually impaired people;

     ii.          To include an informative regarding public realm works outside Fisher House - improve accessibility to overcome concerns about the narrow pavement and dropped kerb as this is easier for some users to navigate than others.

 

The amendments were carried unanimously.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 3 votes to 2) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report (with delegated authority to Officers to make minor amendments to the conditions as drafted), subject to:

      i.          the planning conditions set out in the Officer’s report and amendment sheet;

     ii.          informatives included on the planning permission in respect of:

a.    amendment to condition 9 (wayfinding) to include particular reference to visually impaired people;

b.    To include and informative regarding the public realm works outside Fisher House to improve accessibility to overcome concerns about narrow pavement and dropped kerb as this is easier for some users to navigate than others;

c.    To include an informative to encourage the City Council to continue working with market stall traders throughout this process.

The Committee received a listed building consent application for refurbishment of the Market Square, Peas Hill and Guildhall Street including provision of cycle parking, erection and siting of replacement fixed and temporary market stalls, refurbishment of Grade II listed setts, works to listed fountain and railings, and additional landscaping, street furniture and associated works.

 

The Principal Planner updated her report by referring to the amendment sheet:

      i.         Addition of 1 third party comment

    ii.         Alterations to conditions 3, 4 & 5 including additional condition 9 as per the March Committee Amendment Sheet.

 

John Mason (Agent // Applicant’s Representative) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Hugh Clough (Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application. 

 

Katie Porrer (Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application. 

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 3 votes to 2) to grant the application for listed building consent in accordance with the Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report and amendment sheet, and subject to the conditions recommended by the Officer (with delegated authority to Officers to make minor amendments to the conditions as drafted).

Councillor Baigent left the Committee before this item was considered and did not return.

 

The Delivery Manager left the Committee before this item was considered and did not return. The Team Leader assumed the position of senior planning officer at committee.

 

Councillors Clough, Fisher and Porrer joined the Committee as decision makers before this item was considered.

 

Councillor Porrer assumed the Chair and Councillor Smart became Vice Chair.

 

Members unanimously resolved to defer agenda items 10-13 to a future committee.

 

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for demolition of 87-89 Oxford Road and two stores and construction of replacement student accommodation, part change of use and part refurbishment of Red Cottage student accommodation, refurbishment and extension of the pavilion, erection of a new squash court and groundskeepers’ store, and improvement of the access.

 

The Senior Planner updated her report by referring to the amendment sheet:

      i.          Further comment from Sport England.

     ii.          Amendment to Third party representations.

   iii.          Amendment to text – protected open space.

   iv.          Amendments to text – Biodiversity.

    v.          Amendment to text – Third Party Representations.

   vi.          Amendment to text – Planning Balance.

 vii.          Amendment to text - Other matters.

viii.          Amendment to conditions:

a.    Statutory Biodiversity Net Gain condition 26 – additional condition.

b.    Biodiversity Net Gain informatives added.

   ix.          Informative 3 – removed.

 

George Naylor and Peter Lapham addressed the Committee speaking in objection to the application.

 

Olivia Speed (Operations Director [Fitzwilliam College] - Applicant) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Alex Sage (Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee speaking about the application. 

 

Councillor Fisher proposed amendments to the Officer’s recommendation to include informatives in condition 16:

      i.          to explore further possibility of putting solar panels on residential properties;

     ii.          the reuse of existing materials (where possible) from any demolished properties.

 

The amendments were carried unanimously.

 

Councillor Dryden proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation to make explicit reference to air source heat pumps being included in condition 10 (reference operational plan).

 

This amendment was carried unanimously.

 

Councillor Clough proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation (condition 25 regarding the student management plan) to include contact details for the college in the event they are needed, for example to report noise.

 

This amendment was carried unanimously.

 

Councillor Smart proposed an amendment to the Officer’s recommendation that (condition 17) materials/brick matched to the red cottage. Repairs to the brickwork in their own right do not require permission.  An informative was recommended.

 

This amendment was carried unanimously.

 

Councillor Dryden left the Committee before the vote was taken and did not return.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 4 votes to 1 with 1 abstention) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the Officer recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report (with delegated authority to Officers to make minor amendments to the conditions as drafted), subject to:

      i.          the prior completion of an Agreement under s106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 [with delegated authority granted to Officers to negotiate, secure and complete such an Agreement on terms considered appropriate and necessary];

     ii.          the planning conditions set out in the Officer’s report and amendment sheet;

   iii.          delegated authority to Officers, in consultation with the Chair, Vice Chair and Spokes, to amend:

a.     condition 25 regarding the student management plan to include contact details for the college in the event they are needed, for example to report noise;

b.    make explicit reference to air source heat pumps being included in condition 10 (reference operational plan);

   iv.          informatives included on the planning permission in respect of:

a.    condition 16

                                                   i.     to explore further possibility of putting solar panels on residential properties;

                                                  ii.     the reuse of existing materials (where possible) from any demolished properties;

b.    condition 17 materials/brick should be matched to the red cottage.

Councillor Fisher left the Committee before this item was considered and did not return.

 

Members resolved by 5 votes to 0 to defer this application to the next Planning Committee.

 

 

Application deferred to the next Planning Committee.

Application deferred to the next Planning Committee.

 

 

Application deferred to the next Planning Committee.

To follow

Item deferred to the next Planning Committee.