Agenda item

Approx: 17:00 – 18:30pm

 

Site History and Context

 

>      Eddeva Park (formerly known as Land South of Worts Causeway) is a prominent and important Site on the SE edge of Cambridge, within the City Council. It is bound to the north by Worts Causeway, to the south by Babraham Road, to the west by existing residences, and to the east by open fields abutting Babraham Road Park&Ride.

>      Site allocated (as ‘GB2’) along with GB1 for 430 homes and released from the Green Belt by the Cambridge Local Plan 2018.

>      Outline application submitted in 2019, approved by committee in Summer 2020, and granted planning permission upon completion of S106 agreement in Spring 2021 for: 230 homes and up to 400m2 of non-residential floorspace within A1/A3/A4/B1/D1 uses, with detail of access.

>      Outline Permission (19/1168/OUT), spatially governed by a set of Parameter Plans including on land use height, landscape, transport, and urban form.

>      A Non-Material Amendment was approved in August 2021, which enabled a phasing of the development. The working set of outline conditions are as per Decision Notice 19/1168/NMA1.

>      Phasing Plan agreed pursuant to Condition 4, detailing 4 phases as follows:

-      Phase 0 – demolition of existing farm

-      Phase 1 – Site-wide infrastructure comprising the two main accesses, spine road and ped/cycle paths, southern landscape gateway, water main re-alignment. Subject to a live Reserved Matters Application, with approval targeted for March

-      Phase 2 – 80 homes to the east of the spine road, and the central square to the west of the spine road.

-      Phase 3 – all remaining land to the west of the spine road, comprising 150 homes and the neighbourhood centre.

Planning Policy Context

 

>      The Outline Planning Permission sets no requirements above and beyond adopted Local Plan policies.

Reserved Matters Proposal

 

>      Reserved matters approval sought for the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping for Phase 2 of the development. Key proposals include:

-      80 residential dwellings – mix of apartments and houses 

-      40% affordable homes, split 75:25 social/affordable rent to intermediate products.

-      Central square, linear park and ecological buffer and SUDs features

 

 

Briefing Minutes

 

·      Background

 

Eddeva Park (formerly known as Land South of Worts Causeway) is a site on the south eastern edge of Cambridge, within the City boundary. It is bound to the north by Worts Causeway, to the south by Babraham Road, to the west by existing residences, and to the east by open fields abutting Babraham Road Park&Ride.

 

The site was allocated (as ‘GB2’) along with GB1 for 430 homes and released from the Green Belt by the Cambridge Local Plan 2018. An outline application (19/1168/OUT), was submitted in 2019, and approved by committee in Summer 2020, and granted planning permission upon completion of S106 agreement in Spring 2021 for: 230 homes and up to 400m2 of non-residential floorspace within A1/A3/A4/B1/D1 uses, with detail of access. The outline permission was spatially governed by a set of parameter plans including land use, height, landscape, transport, and urban form.

 

A Non-Material Amendment was approved in August 2021, which enabled a phasing of the development. The working set of outline conditions are as per Decision Notice 19/1168/NMA1. Phasing Plan agreed pursuant to Condition 4, detailing 4 phases as follows:

 

-       Phase 0 – demolition of existing farm

-       Phase 1 – Site-wide infrastructure comprising the two main accesses, spine road and ped/cycle paths, southern landscape gateway, water main re-alignment. Subject to a live Reserved Matters Application, with approval targeted for March

-       Phase 2 – 80 homes to the east of the spine road, and the central square to the west of the spine road.

-       Phase 3 – all remaining land to the west of the spine road, comprising 150 homes and the neighbourhood centre.

 

·      Presentation to Members

 

The applicants provided a presentation to members on the proposed development of Phase 2 with details on the location of the site, the number of houses to be provided, affordable housing provision, landscape considerations, sustainability details and biodiversity net gain.

 

·      Summary of Issues Raised

 

Members sought for clarification on affordable housing provision and the applicant provided additional commentary in this respect. Questions were also raised in respect of the use of solar panels and EV charging provision on the site, with members expressing the need to reconsider the use of slow charging provision as it was beneficial to have a better provision of rapid charging points.

 

There were also comments raised in relation to water capacity for each dwelling which the applicant advised was tied to the outline permission provision of 110 litres.

 

Members expressed a desire for a greater level of cycle parking provision within the site and to ensure that the parking provision within garages was sufficient and catering for larger cycles (including cargo bikes). The applicant advised that they had provided policy compliant provision but would continue to consider this further.

 

The car club parking provision was considered to be too modest, and Members advised that more car park spaces should be dedicated for this purpose as this would incentivise the use of the car club vehicles and reduce reliance on the private motor car. The applicants indicated that there was an opportunity to potentially provide more car club spaces but this was largely dependent on uptake by residents

 

Some Members expressed that they liked the appearance of the scheme whilst others expressed that the scheme did have a blocky, garage heavy appearance that was quite hard. The applicant advised that some of the soft landscaping had been deliberately omitted from the CGIs so that the buildings could be seen more clearly for the presentation.

 

There was a question around how open spaces would be accessed and used i.e. where would one play football - and the applicant advised that the open space provision of the site was largely tied to the outline parametres but there were accessible areas for picnics and informal open space within walking distance of the residential dwellings.

 

Members expressed their thanks to the applicants for the presentation and opportunity to ask questions.

 

·      Way Forward

 

Officers provided a summary of the key issues discussed as set out above and advised on the need to further engage with officers in further discussions on the issues highlighted.