Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors D.Baigent, Bradnam, Chamberlain, Page-Croft and Smart. Councillor Williams attended as alternate for Councillor Bradnam.

Councillor S. Smith attended Committee and acted in his capacity as Ward Councillor for item 22/15/JDCC and Councillor Gawthrope Wood attended as his alternate for this item.  

Councillor Thornburrow was elected Chair for the meeting in the absence of the Committee’s standing Chair and Vice-Chair. 

Post meeting note: Councillor Hawkins was nominated as the Vice-Chair for this meeting to ensure political balance regarding consultation requirements (see Committee resolution) for decisions made in accordance with the conventions of the Joint Committee.

No interests were declared. 

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.  

As part of the Principal Planner’s officer presentation, she updated her report: 

·      by referring to representations listed on the Amendment Sheet and further details contained on the Council’s planning portal / file;  

·      noted a further letter had been received the day before the Committee from Plymouth Close and Falmouth Close residents which had also been uploaded onto the portal planning file;  

·      Councillor Simon Smith (in his capacity as Ward Councillor) had also emailed the Case Officer suggesting amendments to condition 43 - landscape condition and condition 52 - service and delivery plan; 

·      advised that the application had originally been heard on 16 March 2022 but a decision was deferred as the Committee sought more affordable private rented homes be provided as part of the proposal. The applicant confirmed an increase in the number of affordable rented homes from 37 as originally proposed to 58. All the affordable housing would be provided on site. 

The Committee received representations in objection to the application from the following  

·       Residents of Howes Place. 

·       Residents of Plymouth Close and Falmouth Close 

The representation on behalf of residents in Howes Place covered the following issues: 

      i.         Howes Place was recognised as a local heritage asset for the architectural interest of its buildings, the street scene value of the buildings setting within formal landscaping and the importance of NIAB and Howes Place in the social and economic history of Cambridge. 

    ii.         Noted that the Committee would be asked to consider officer recommendation A or B. 

   iii.         Recommendation A was informed by the place making principle of permeability and connectivity which paid no regard to: 

a.    the exemplar of historic place making vision and urban and landscape design for Howes Place which established a community life of peace and tranquillity after a period of death and destruction during the First World War 

b.    the irreversible harm to the heritage assets of Howes Place and the close-knit community ethos nurtured by future generations

c.    intensifying the use of Howes Place which would put pedestrians and cyclists in an environment of undue hazard where vehicles would be manoeuvring and where pedestrians and cyclists may not be expected.  

vi.Recommendation B (also known as the ‘heritage access arrangements’) would protect Howes Place as required by Local Plan Policy 62. The number of protected trees requiring removal was reduced and hedgerows would be introduced to enhance the delineation between Howes Place and the development site.    

vii.   Howes Place was not designed to service a 200-bed Aparthotel nor to provide pedestrian and cycle access to 300 residential dwellings. 

viii. Option B has been jointly developed between residents of Howes Place and the applicant. With the exception of refuse collection from the Aparthotel, all vehicle, pedestrian, and cycle connections would be onto Lawrence Weaver Road, a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22/15/JDCC

Members raised the comments/questions as listed below. Answers were supplied with comments from Officers but as this was a pre-application presentation, none of the answers and/or comments are binding on either the intended applicant or the local planning authority so consequently they are not recorded in these Minutes. 

1.  Asked if there was a legal mechanism to retain the Country Park as an open space ensuring that it did not get developed. 

2.  Asked about the car parking strategy. 

3.  Asked about cycle connections through the Country Park to the A14. 

4.  Asked for further details about the bund and planting along the A14. 

5.  Requested decent garden sizes. 

6.  Asked about EV charging points. 

7.  Queried why the primary road went in front of the school. 

8.  Asked for further information about drainage and the balancing pond. 

9.  Queried if existing properties were in the red line boundary. 

10. Queried on-site provision of community services and support. 

11. Asked about 5k park run on the Country Park. 

12. Asked about biodiversity. 

13. Asked about skateboarding provision. 

14. Asked about allotments and the water table