Agenda item

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Appendix documents are too large to attach to the agenda in hard copy format. All documents are published on the Council’s website:

 

(i)      Main report and Appendices A, B, C & D are attached to the agenda document.

 

(ii)            Appendix B Annexes 1 & 2 are accessible via the following hyperlinks (please copy all lines as the address is split over 3):

 

SHLAA Report and Appendices A & B

http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/democracy/ecSDDisplay.aspx?NAME=SD1082&ID=1082&RPID=34566220&sch=doc&cat=13026&path=13020%2c13021%2c13026

 

SHLAA Appendices C & D

http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/democracy/ecSDDisplay.aspx?NAME=SD1083&ID=1083&RPID=34566234&sch=doc&cat=13026&path=13020%2c13021%2c13026

The Committee received a representation on the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) from Mr Bamberg.

 

The representation covered the following issues:

 

(i)                Welcomed the SHLAA consultation opportunity and supported Planning Officers recommendation.

(ii)              Suggested the Owlstone Croft should not be included in sites proposed in the SHLAA for the following reasons:

·       It is in a flood plain and Conservation Area.

·       The site could only be accessed by a road that has not been adopted by the Highways Authority. The track forms part of a riverside walking route from Paradise Nature Reserve to Granchester Meadows. Developing the site would cause traffic flow issues and associated safety concerns for pedestrians. Other streets are heavily congested and double parked and do not suit two way traffic.

·       Site access is in multiple ownership two thirds City Council owned and one third privately owned. The right of way is across Council section not the privately owned section. There would be difficulties in altering it as the private owners would be unlikely to agree to any widening.

·       Site is in a Conservation Area the quintessential character of which should be protected. Development would conflict with the existing Local Plan policy.

·       Impacts on the nature reserve.

 

The Committee received a SHLAA representation from Councillor Nethsingha (Newnham Ward County Councillor).

 

The representation covered the following issues:

 

(i)                Supported Mr Bamberg’s view that Owlstone Croft should not be included in sites proposed in the SHLAA. It is not suited to open market housing. Its development would have devastating consequences for a well loved area of the City. Current use is appropriate and welcomed.

(ii)              Echoed public disappointment that the County Council had not made a representation on transport grounds concerning Owlstone Croft.

(iii)            Supported the Officer’s recommendation to protect playing fields.

(iv)            Some car free development might be possible.

 

The Committee adjourned at this point to move to the Guildhall Council Chamber due to audio/visual equipment technical difficulties in Committee Rooms.

 

Matter for Decision:  

The National Planning Policy Framework 2012 requires Local Authorities to produce a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) to form part of a robust evidence base to inform the production of Development Plan Documents. The main purpose of the SHLAA is to assess the amount of land that may be available for new housing in Cambridge over the next 20 years in order to inform the review of the Cambridge Local Plan. It is important to note that the SHLAA does not allocate land for development, or determine whether planning permission would be granted for housing development on a site.

 

Future housing provision would be set locally through the review of the Local Plan, which would need to balance housing need and demand against the capacity of the area to accommodate new development. This would need to ensure that any housing proposal sites are deliverable or developable. Technical work on the SHLAA prepares the way for this work. The review of the Local Plan would also need to balance housing pressures against pressure for the development of other uses such as employment.

 

Following the Issues & Options consultation in June–July 2012 there would be a further public consultation on sites for all land uses as part of the Local Plan Review.

 

The Officer’s report sought Member’s agreement to the response to the representations, the assessment of sites put forward in the call for sites and other updates since the draft of July 2011.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning and Sustainable Transport:

(i)                Agreed the response to representations on the draft SHLAA (Appendix A of the Officer’s report).

(ii)              Agreed the SHLAA document (Appendices B & C of the Officer’s report) in advance of consultation on Issues & Options Stage of the Local Plan Review.

(iii)            Agreed to publish the SHLAA on the Council’s web site and write to all consultees who made representations and landowners who submitted sites.

 

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 Principal Planning Policy Officer regarding the SHLAA.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Head of Planning Services, Planning Policy Manager and Principal Planning Policy Officer confirmed the following:

 

(i)                The SHLAA is a technical exercise for the Local Plan. It was the first stage of the planning process to quantify sites available i.e. list all possible options. The SHLAA does not commit the Council to allocate or approve development on sites listed in the SHLAA.

(ii)              P101 of the Officer’s report sets out the Council’s assessment of the Owlstone Croft site. Land ownership and availability are key factors in the SHLAA assessment of the achievability of sites.

(iii)            SHLAA Appendix B Annex 2 sets out the methodology for calculating site density, it is derived from Urban Capacity Study methodology. Owners of proposed development sites were asked to give indicative capacity figures within site submissions. The Council refined these based upon a design led approach to each site.

(iv)            The City is highly constrained and the SHLAA considered various sites around the City including City Centre, fringe and strategic sites. Competing land use demands would affect the number of sites taken forward for housing developments. The Local Plan Review process may identify further sites.

(v)              The City Council was working closely with South Cambridgeshire District Council to join up site assessments and site delivery options. The broad locations cover all remaining land within the inner green belt boundary.

(vi)            Sites such as the Owlstone Croft could be developed for sheltered housing or student housing, but these would not contribute to SHLAA housing needs. However, this would not preclude sites being used in this way.

 

Councillors requested a change to the recommendations. Councillor Saunders formally proposed to amend 2.2b from the Officer’s report:

 

·        To agree the SHLAA document (Appendices B & C) in advance of consultation commencing the consultation on Issues & Options Stage of the Local Plan Review.

 

The Committee approved this amendment to the recommendation unanimously.

 

The Committee resolved unanimously to endorse the recommendations as amended.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations as amended.

 

Conflicts of interest declared by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensations granted)

Not applicable.