Council and democracy
Home > Council and Democracy > Decision register > Meeting attendance > Decision details > Agenda and minutes
Venue: Committee Room 1 & 2, The Guildhall, Market Square, Cambridge, CB2 3QJ. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services Committee Manager
No. | Item | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apologies Minutes: No apologies were received. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Declarations of Interest Minutes:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2017 were approved as a
correct record and signed by the Chair. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Public Questions Minutes: There were no public questions. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grafton Area of Major Change – Masterplan and Framework Supplementary Planning Document PDF 376 KB Report and Appendices A, B & D attached to agenda. Appendix C available via the following hyper link: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/grafton-area-of-major-change-masterplan-and-guidance-spd
(Appendix C - Grafton SPD with tracked changes - Final draft) Additional documents:
Minutes: Matter for
Decision The draft
Cambridge Local Plan 2014: Proposed Submission (as amended) designates the area
around Fitzroy Street, Burleigh Street and the Grafton Centre as the primary
location for providing additional comparison retail in the City Centre along
with other mixed uses including leisure uses under Policy 11: Fitzroy/Burleigh
Street/Grafton Area of Major Change. The Council, as
the Local Planning Authority, has been working in partnership with local
stakeholders to prepare a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for change for
the Fitzroy/Burleigh Street/Grafton Area of Major Change (AoMC). The SPD will help
guide the development of the area, promoting a number of key strategies for
change. These aim to take advantage of the opportunities to provide an improved
street environment including public realm enhancements as well as a positive
and attractive destination to support the vitality and viability of the centre
for retail and associated uses. The SPD envisages a phased approach to ensure
the area continues to perform as a mainstream City Centre leisure and retail
location while ensuring phased improvement will deliver the area’s longer-term
strategy. The emerging Local
Plan is still at the examination stage, which means that the Council is unable
to adopt the Grafton AoMC - Masterplan and Guidance SPD until the Local Plan
has been found sound and adopted. In the interim period, prior to adoption, the
SPD provides context and guidance as a material consideration in the planning
process. In accordance with
the process of preparing an SPD, consultation on the draft SPD was carried out
over a six week statutory minimum period between 25 September and 6 November
2017. A significant number
of changes are proposed as a result of the consultation, although many of these
are factual corrections and amendments to figures/diagrams. These are all set
out in Appendix C of the Officer’s report. Decision
of Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport
i.
Agreed the responses to the
representations received to the Grafton Area of Major Change - Masterplan and
Guidance SPD (Appendix B of the Officer’s report) and the consequential
amendments to the Grafton Area of Major Change - Masterplan and Guidance
document (Appendix C);
ii.
Approved the Grafton Area of Major
Change - Masterplan and Guidance document (Appendix C) in anticipation of the
adoption of the Local Plan, and agreed that it should be carried forward for
adoption as a Supplementary Planning Document at the same time as the Local
Plan. Subject to text amendments discussed at Committee, to be agreed by Chair,
Executive Councillor and Spokesperson. Reason for the Decision As set out in the Officer’s report. Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Not applicable. Scrutiny
Considerations The Committee received a report from the Senior Planning Policy Officer. The Committee reviewed the SPD section by section. The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:
i.
Queried the statistical weight to give the
consultation responses as just 300 were received from city residents.
ii.
Suggested the level of consultation responses
indicated overall satisfaction with the process.
iii.
Residents felt strongly about the mixed use of Burleigh
Street and Fitzroy Street. The consultation gave a clear steer there should be
no vehicular access, but differing views were given over the mixed use of
cyclists and pedestrians. The SPD gave an opportunity to resolve this.
iv.
The Burleigh Street and Fitzroy Street cycle route
could be used by all types and sizes of bikes (eg pedal and electric) which
could travel 15-30MPH. This needed to be factored into area plans to mitigate
potential conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians. It would be helpful to
have guidance in place before planning applications came forward in the area so
people who would use buildings were aware of a potential cycle route on their
doorstep.
v.
Articulated lorries should not make deliveries
through residential streets or the pedestrian area. Councillors noted that shop
access (eg lack of rear access) made delivery arrangements difficult.
vi.
Suggested taking the opportunity to pedestrianise
the top end of Burleigh Street to minimise vehicular conflict with pedestrians. vii.
An evening rather than night time economy was
more appropriate for the area. The New Neighbourhoods Development Manager, Transport
Assessment Manager and Senior Planning Policy
Officer
said the following in response to Members’ questions: Section 2
i.
Officers had followed the standard SPD consultation
process. A number of workshops had been held, leaflets dropped and residents
associations notified. There was no set target for the number of responses
required, the Council received over 300.
ii.
Officers confirmed that the Kite Residents
Association had been consulted.
iii.
The level of responses were
not a cause for concern. They covered a broad range of topics. Section 4
iv.
Officers recognised the current situation in
Burleigh Street and Fitzroy Street was not ideal. A cycling restriction was in
place, but it was hard to enforce. There was scope in the SPD to improve the
design of this transport corridor for cyclists and pedestrians. Officers did
not want to curtail options by putting an explicit design in the SPD. Ideas
would be sought through the consultation and reviewing designs in other cities.
v.
Initial areas of work such as reviewing cycle
parking facilities and decluttering the street scene would need to be completed
before any planning applications could come forward to redevelop the Burleigh
Street and Fitzroy Street area. The City Council and County Council were
working on an Open Spaces SPD which would have some overlap with this work.
vi.
(Paragraph 4.2.15) The bus stop on East Road was
not in a good location, but the service was good. The SPD provided options to
improve the site and provide appropriate cycle parking facilities. The
Transport Assessment Manager had been in contact with the bus operator and
there was an opportunity to improve bus stopping arrangements, accepting that the
solution would need to consider associated improvements to
walking/cycling/crossing. Proposed amendments to the SPD tabled during DPSSC and agreed at DPSSC.
Tabled amendments to the SPD prior to DPSSC and agreed at DPSSC.
Councillor Bick proposed additional text to the wording of paragraph
4.5.3 on P72 of the Grafton SPD: “A separate design strategy will be prepared
and consulted upon covering the shared use of pedestrians and cyclists.” This amendment was unanimously agreed. Final wording would be agreed
post meeting by Chair, Executive
Councillor and Spokesperson. The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations as
amended, plus agreed SPD text changes. The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations
as amended, plus agreed SPD text changes. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted) No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Land North of Cherry Hinton Supplementary Planning Document PDF 290 KB Report and Appendices A, B & D attached to agenda. Appendix C available via the following hyper link: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/land-north-of-cherry-hinton-spd (Appendix C - LNoCH SPD with tracked changes - Final draft) Additional documents:
Minutes: Public Question A Ward Councillor asked a question as set out below. Councillor
Ashton raised the following points:
i.
It
was pleasing to see the County Council were aware of
transport issues in Cherry Hinton and the spine road connecting Coldham’s Lane
with Cherry Hinton Road.
ii.
This
was an opportunity to relieve traffic issues in the area.
iii.
Residents
still had concerns on the specific route.
iv.
Queried
how provision would be made for cycling.
v.
Queried
who would have the final say on the design.
vi.
Residents
wanted public transport provision and asked councillors to petition for this as
services were declining. vii.
Asked
for the busgate to be removed as it separated the estate into two halves.
Residents wanted a through route. The Transport Assessment Manager responded: i.
The County Council had reviewed
evidence relating to the advantages/disadvantages of busgate
routes (prepared by transport consultants). The through route was suggested as
the preferred option to address issues raised by residents. ii.
Bus services were a commercial
service but the SPD gave an opportunity to pump prime bus services for the area
to make them commercially viable in future. iii.
The design process for the
transport route and consultation would be covered by the outline planning
process. Matter for
Decision The draft
Cambridge Local Plan 2014: Proposed Submission (as amended) allocates Land
North of Cherry Hinton for residential-led development under Policy 12:
Cambridge East. The site extends into South Cambridgeshire and the draft South
Cambridgeshire Local Plan, similarly allocates their part of the site for
residential-led development under Policy SS/3: Cambridge East. The Councils, as
the Local Planning Authorities, have been working in partnership with local
stakeholders to prepare an SPD that looks at how this residential-led
allocation can be delivered successfully. The SPD will help guide the
development of the area and will provide greater certainty and detail to
support delivery of the site. It outlines the aspirations for the area, as well
as the key issues, constraints and opportunities that will influence how new
development will take place. The emerging Local
Plans for both Councils have now reached the stage of consulting on the Main
Modifications identified by the Inspectors that they consider may be necessary
in order for the Local Plans to be found ‘sound’. This means the Councils are
unable to adopt the Land North of Cherry Hinton SPD until the Local Plans have
been found sound and adopted. In the interim period, prior to adoption of the
SPD, the Land North of Cherry Hinton SPD provides context and guidance as
material consideration in the planning process. In accordance with
the process of preparing an SPD, consultation on the draft SPD was carried out
between 7 August and 2 October 2017. No significant
changes are proposed as a result of the consultation. However some minor
amendments to the SPD are proposed and are set out in Appendix C of the
Officer’s report. Decision
of Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport
i.
Agreed the responses to the
representations received to the Land North of Cherry Hinton SPD (Appendix B of
the Officer’s report) and the consequential amendments to the Land North of
Cherry Hinton document (Appendix C);
ii.
Approved the Land North of Cherry
Hinton document (Appendix C) in anticipation of the adoption of the Local Plan,
and agreed that it should be carried forward for adoption as a Supplementary
Planning Document at the same time as the Local Plan. Reason for the Decision As set out in the Officer’s report. Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Not applicable. Scrutiny
Considerations The Committee received a report from the Senior Planning Policy Officer. The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:
i.
Traffic calming was required in Nuttings Road and
Barnwell Road to facilitate bikes crossing these roads and others in the area.
ii.
Cycling was not easy down Coldhams Lane.
iii.
Figure 43: “Coldhams Lane” should be “Coldhams
Common”.
iv.
Asked for roads with 40MPH speed limits to be
reduced to 30MPH when close to cycle routes. The Transport Assessment Manager said the following in response to
Members’ questions:
i.
Routes set out in the document had the potential to
improve existing arrangements for pedestrians and cyclists.
ii.
The process to change road speed limits was
separate to the SPD process. The Transport Assessment Manager would share the
comment with Highways colleagues.
iii.
P60 set out alternative cycling and pedestrian
routes to address concerns about going under the railway bridge. Proposed amendments to the SPD tabled during DPSSC and agreed at DPSSC.
Councillor
Sargeant proposed removing the busgate reference and whole of paragraph 5.2.4. The Committee approved this amendment by 4 votes
to 0. The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations, plus
agreed SPD text changes. The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendations, plus agreed SPD text changes. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted) No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor. |