Agenda

Approx: 09:00 am – 10:30 am

Pre-application briefing by the developer – Kett House, Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2JH

Purpose of Briefing

The purpose of this meeting is to give Members an insight into the initial proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Kett House site for commercial use. The presentation offers an opportunity for Members to ask questions.

Site Context

Kett House occupies the corner of Station Road/Hills Road. The existing 1960s building which was substantially refurbished externally and internally in the early 2000s replaced the original wood and stone carvers building (built in approximately 1851) known as Rattee and Kett House.

The wider CB1 area to the east has a rich planning history. The majority of this has been permitted and completed. Botanic House is located to the west of the application site on the opposite side of Hills Road. Immediately to the south of Botanic House is Botanic Place, a major development that was allowed at appeal which is currently undergoing construction.

Although outside the CB1 development to the east, the site as identified in the 2004 Station Development Framework and since 2006 has been identified within the Local Plan designated ‘Area of Major Change’ (Policy 21) (see appendix 1) but has not been specifically allocated as a proposal site (for example as the Flying Pig Site (M44) or Cambridge Station Area (M14)). The site is also within the Cambridge Railway Station, Hills Road Corridor to the City Centre ‘Opportunity Area’ (Policy 25) (appendix 2) where the emphasis is on place-making, character and high quality public realm.

The application site is located within the New Town and Glisson Road Conservation Area. Within the application site’s immediate setting are several Grade II Listed Buildings and structures including the War Memorial, a Grade II* Registered Park and Garden (Cambridge Botanic Garden) and Buildings of Local Interest. Within the setting though at a further distance are the Grade I Listed Church (The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the English Martyrs) and Grade II* Wanstead House.

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.