Agenda

Approx: 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Purpose of Briefing:

The purpose of this briefing note is to advise Members of a forthcoming ‘hybrid’ planning application that would comprise both full and outline detailed proposals for new development at the abovementioned location. Further information relating to the precise nature of the proposals are set out below.

Site Context:

The hybrid planning application is expected to relate to 3 separate sites which are (herein) referred to as ‘Parcels A, B and C’, and are located to the east of the city centre in between Cherry Hinton (east) and Cambridge Airport (north).

Historically, the sites were pit works until their closure in the 1950s. The pits to the north of the site (comprising Parcels A and B) were used for domestic and commercial landfill and the southern part of the site (Parcel C) were allowed to fill with water to form lakes (locally known as Burnside Lakes). Formal public access into the sites have since been restricted on health and safety grounds.  

Parcels A and B are accessible via Norman Way off Coldhams Lane. Parcel C can be accessed from the south via Burnside. An existing hotel and leisure centre and a group of warehouse buildings are located between Parcels A and B, also accessed from Norman Way. An existing cycle/pedestrian greenway (The Tins) runs through the middle of Parcel A and forms a strategic active transport link from Fulbourn via Cherry Hinton to the city centre.

Residential land uses are sited to the east and north of the site, all of which are traditional in scale (2-3 storeys max). There is a small area of industrial and commercial buildings off Coldhams Lane immediately north as well.

The 3 parcels are in mixed ownership; Parcel A is owned by Mission Street (Applicant) and Parcels B and C by the Anderson Group. 

Local Plan Context:

The Cambridge Policies Map (2018) designates all three parcels within an Area of Major Change (AMOC) where wider regeneration which involves appropriate redevelopment and the creation of an urban country park, could be supported. Within this strategic designation, further site-specific planning uses are indicated for each parcel of land including City Wildlife, County Wildlife, Local Nature Reserve and protected open space.

Proposals Description:  

In summary, the hybrid application would seek planning permission for a maximum of c. 93,000m2 (GEA) of research and development lab/office on Parcel A comprised across a total of 8 individual buildings; and enablement of managed public access into both Parcels B and C for leisure and wildlife/nature purposes.

The detailed element of the future application would include:

1. The first building plots on Parcel A (3 buildings in total) with supporting (new) road access, car parking, landscape, and community facilities.

2. New public access points into Parcels B and C which are retained and managed in perpetuity for community open recreation and nature/wildlife reserves.

The remaining “outline” elements apply to areas to the north and south of Parcel A and excludes detailed design. However, maximum  ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Councillor attendance

Whilst any subsequent planning application relating to this site will be determined by the Planning Committee, all Councillors are invited to attend and take part in this pre-application developer presentation.

Purpose of the meeting

These meetings allow developers an early opportunity to present proposals for future planning applications to elected members of the Council.

The process allows Councillors to feed into the process at an early stage and raise any questions or concerns that can then be addressed by the developer prior to a formal planning application being submitted.

Whilst the meetings will be held in public, they do not form part of the formal decision making process. All planning applications will be determined in line with formal processes as adopted by Cambridge City Council.  

Format of the Meeting

For each Briefing:

·       Introduction by the Head of Planning Services or a Senior Planning Officer – up to 10 minutes

·       Presentation by the developer of the proposal – up to 30 minutes

·       Opportunity for Members to ask questions, raise issues, seek clarification, comment on the apparent positive and less positive aspects of the proposal – up to 40 minutes

During this part of the meeting it is important that Councillors who may ultimately make the decision on any subsequent planning application do not feel unduly constrained by what they can ask or raise. However they should avoid expressing views that might give any appearance that they are approaching the proposal with a closed mind. The discussion should not be used for negotiations with the developer. These should take place with officers separately from the meeting. Members of the public must refrain from entering into the discussion at the meeting.

·       Summing up – up to 10 minutes

A Planning Department representative will take notes of the meeting, which will be a summary of the proceedings. Nothing said by Councillors at the meeting will in any way be binding on the Committee that subsequently determines the application. The notes will be uploaded to the City Council’s website upon completion.