Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Vice-Chair South Cambs Councillor Bradnam.

Councillor Hawkins proposed and Councillor Thornburrow seconded for Councillor Fane to take the role of the South Cambs Councillor representative (Vice-Chair) for the purposes of any procedural matters concerning decisions arising from the applications.

Councillor Cahn joined part way through the meeting and only participated in item 24/38/JDCC.

The Committee received a reserved matters application pursuant to 16/0176/OUT for (i) all matters (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) relating to the development of 2no. mixed-use laboratory and office buildings (2000 Discovery Drive and 3000 Discovery Drive) including associated plant, internal access roads, car parking, cycle parking, landscaping, public open space, and other works and (ii) the discharge of conditions 8 (transport spurs), 10 (energy demand), 14 (EV Charging), 31 (on plot cycle and pedestrian facilities), 33 (car parking spaces), 36 (disabled car parking spaces), 37 (cycle parking spaces), 39 (ecological conservation management plan), 41 (drainage), 43 (sustainability), 48 (waste), 49 (landscape) of planning permission 16/0176/OUT.

The Committee Manager read out a statement in objection on behalf of Trumpington Residents’ Association.

i.               The report stated that the failure of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system was "not a planning matter", and therefore cannot be considered. They understood the efficient operation of an ANPR system was required by the outline planning permission. It was a scandal that seven years on from the re-launch of the ANPR system its continued failure allowed rat running by unauthorized users of the Campus's private roads at an estimated level of 2,000 per day.

ii.             This increased traffic on neighbouring roads and placed ambulances at risk when the roads were congested at peak times.

iii.            It was imperative that the Prohibition of Driving Order banning all but authorised users from using the Campus's private roads - for implementation for which the applicant was partly responsible - was fully implemented well before further phases of the Campus's development took place.

iv.           Noted the Government's statement on water supply in Cambridge. The Residents’ Association were not persuaded of the basis in fact for the assurance it sought to give.

v.             The prime concern in their objection last May was that "neither the outline planning permission... nor this reserved matters application addressed the important issue of our endangered water supply." In light of this they asked that "the application should not be approved  until the applicant has carried out the necessary assessment and the planning authority is satisfied that the guidance issued by the Environment Agency has been met." Having now read the report we see that subsequent to our objection, the applicant produced in July a Water Usage Note which satisfies the requirement we specified.

David Blevins (Applicant’s Representative) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

The Senior Planner and Strategic Sites Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         There were several ways cyclists could access the site, including from the national cycleway from the south to the north where cyclists could travel along Dame Mary Archer Way.

    ii.         The roundabout had been upgraded for cycle access and crossing points had been installed.

   iii.         The outline planning permission required two access points to the site; one next to the multistorey car park which had already been delivered on site the other required an eastern link. The trigger for delivery of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/37/JDCC

South Cambs Councillors Stobart and R.Williams left  the meeting before the start of this item and did not return.

The Committee received a reserved matters application pursuant to 16/0176/OUT for (i) all matters (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) relating to the development of a multi-storey car park and a temporary surface car park as part of the phased development and (ii) the discharge of conditions 8 (transport spurs), 10 (energy demand), 14 (EV Charging), 31 (on plot cycle and pedestrian facilities), 33 (car parking spaces), 36 (disabled car parking spaces), 37 (cycle parking spaces), 39 (ecological conservation management plan), 41 (drainage), 43 (sustainability), 48 (waste), 49 (landscape) of planning permission 16/0176/OUT.

David Blevins (Applicant’s Representative) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

The Senior Planner said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         The difference between active and passive charging provision was that active EV charging provision meant installing EV charging facilities on site, passive charging provision meant installing infrastructure so that further EV charging facilities could be installed in the future.

    ii.         Noted that the Cambridge Fire Service had been consulted on the application. They had commented on the fire hydrant condition and said it was acceptable and made no further comment on the application.

   iii.         The multistorey car park would be fitted out with sprinklers and have a smoke ventilation system.

  iv.         The existing temporary car park was designed to support the phased build out of the proposed multistorey car park.

    v.         In response to members concerns advised that condition 2 could be amended to prevent the use of the temporary car park when the multistorey car park was open and in use.

  vi.         In response to Members concerns about the percentage of proposed passive ducting advised an informative could be added highlighting the desirability to increase the percentage of passive ducting for EV charging and future proofing.

The Strategic Sites Manager offered the following summary of amendments to the Officer’s recommendation for the planning application reflecting Members’ debate during the meeting:

        i.       Approve reserved matters application 24/01589/REM subject to the conditions and informatives as detailed in the Officer’s report, with delegated authority to Officers to carry through minor amendments to those conditions and informatives (and include others considered appropriate and necessary) prior to the issuing of the planning permission, subject to:

a.  an amendment to condition 2 to prevent the use of the temporary car park when the multistorey car park was open and being used as a car park; and

b.  an additional informative relating to passive ducting and future proofing as outlined above

      ii.        Part discharge planning conditions on the outline planning permission reference 16/0176/OUT in relation to reserved matters application 24/01589/REM:

a.  8 (transport spurs)

b.  31 (on plot cycle and pedestrian facilities)

c.  33 (car parking spaces)

d.  37 (cycle parking spaces)

e.  39 (ecological conservation management plan)

f.   41 (surface water drainage)

g.  48 (waste)

h.  49 (landscape), parts (b), (c), (f), (h)

On a show of hands a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24/38/JDCC