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The
Cambridge Local Plan Review – Towards 2031 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 & D are
attached to the agenda document.
(ii) Appendices C, E, F, G & H are
accessible via the following hyperlink (please copy all lines as the address is
split over 3):
Minutes:
The Committee
received a representation from Ms Blair.
The representation
covered the following issues:
(i)
Requested that
the City, County and South Cambridgeshire Councils worked together to produce a
shared strategic vision for planning in the greater Cambridge area. Its not
helpful for residents to look at separate documents. Also, the Orchard Park
urban extension is not referred to in the document and it should be.
(ii)
The Local Plan
Issues and Options report contains significant implications that are implicit,
not explicit. Resident consultation was requested on high profile developments,
such as the potential safeguarding of land for the guided busway.
(iii)
With regards
to the study in relation to public houses, the planning status of the ‘Penny
Ferry’ and the ‘Dog and Pheasant’ pubs is not yet clear.
The Committee
received a representation from Councillor Hipkin.
The representation
covered the following issues:
(i)
There appeared
to be some assumptions embedded in the Issues & Options report that need to
be examined. For example, at paragraph 3.2 of the spatial strategy, there is
the assumption that the Green Belt is causing commuting, and that more workers
should live in the City to make it sustainable. Councillor Hipkin queried if
commuting could be viewed as acceptable in principle, and any difficulties
viewed as transport issues due to inadequate transport infrastructure.
(ii)
Paragraph 3.34
assumes that Cambridge house prices are too high due to a lack of supply.
However, where is the evidence that building more will lower prices?
(iii)
Queried
wording in Options 6, 7 and 8 of the Report.
The Local Plan itself isn’t ‘providing jobs’, it is enabling planning
for jobs.
(iv)
Option 155,
which deals with the location of new hotels, refers to Shire Hall and Mill
Lane, but not the Guildhall, which was also identified in the draft Hotel
Futures Report.
Matter for Decision:
The current Local Plan was adopted in July 2006. It
sets out a vision, policies and proposal for future development and land use in
Cambridge to 2016 and beyond.
The current Local Plan is a robust document, but there
is a need to review and update policies.
The preparation of a Local Plan involves a number of
stages, including public consultation. This is to ensure that it is robust and
comprehensive.
The Issues and Options stage is about considering the
types of issues that the city may face over the next two decades, and thinking
about the issues and policy options that would need to be put in place to
address those challenges. The issues and options document presents these issues
and options in a thematic way to start the process of developing new policies.
Consultation on the Issues and Options Report is
scheduled for six weeks between 15 June and 27 July 2012.
Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning and Sustainable
Transport:
(i)
Agreed the Issues and
Options Report (Appendix A of the Officer’s report) including the summary
document (Appendix B of the Officer’s report), and interim Sustainability
Appraisal (Appendix C of the Officer’s report) for consultation.
(ii)
Agreed the consultation
arrangements set out in paragraphs 3.33 to 3.38 and the consultee list (subject
to minor additions) (Appendix D of the Officer’s report).
(iii)
Endorsed the supporting
evidence base relating to the 2012 Appraisal of the Inner Green Belt (Appendix
E of the Officer’s report), Housing and Employment Provision in Cambridge –
Technical Background Paper (Appendix F of the Officer’s report) Cambridge
Sub-Regional Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment 2011 (Appendix G of the
Officer’s report) and Gypsy & Traveller Provision in Cambridge – Site
Assessment Process 2012 (Appendix H of the Officer’s report).
(iv)
Agreed that any minor
amendments and editing changes that need to be made prior to publication should
be agreed by the Executive Councillor in consultation with the Chair and
Spokes.
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 Planning Policy Manager regarding the report on Local Plan Issues and Options.
The Committee made
the following comments in response to the report:
(i)
The Local Plan
Issues & Options report should reflect Greater Cambridge needs. The City,
County and South Cambridgeshire Councils must work together to join up policy
development and implementation. Specifically concerning:
· General employment growth.
· Affordable housing.
· Quality public transport.
(ii)
At the moment
there is concern that there isn’t an overall strategic vision on housing,
transport and jobs. When will this
linkage occur? There is concern about the
later phases of plan making without a real joined up body.
(iii)
There is a
tension between profitability and deliverability of sites for developers.
Public consultation could identify what members of the public think are
examples of quality building designs.
In response to
Members’ questions the Head of Planning Services and Planning Policy Manager
confirmed the following:
(i)
The final
version Hotels Future report would be presented to members in June for
endorsement.
(ii)
The Issues and
Options report includes 4 options relating to housing provision and includes
options relating to the physical capacity of land within the city boundary.
There isn’t any government guidance in relation to setting the levels of
housing provision but a range of information has been looked at in order to
feed into the options.
(iii)
The City
Council has been working closely with both South Cambridgeshire District
Council and the County Council and will continue to do so as the Plans’ are
prepared. The Council is very mindful of the need to prepare a new plan and
could not slow down its plan making to entirely match those of SCDC The aim is
to minimise any policy gap where planning decisions may be made in relation to
the NPPF as opposed to the Local Plan. The City is developing the approach to
the development strategy for the Cambridge area with SCDC and the County Council.
It is a step by step iterative process and there will be joint discussions as
preparation of the plan continues.
(iv)
A joint
decision body would not be practicable as the City’s planning strategy would be
set by other areas. The Executive Councillor was not comfortable with this
proposal. However, a joint governance board between SCDC the City Council and
County Council has been set up and has already met and fed into the Issues and
Options stage. This group will continue to provide a steer as work progresses.
(v)
Planning
policies would not deliver jobs, but could identify and allocate land for
others to take up and use for job creation. Officers would look at ways to
encourage general employment without limiting options for consultation.
(vi)
Transport
modelling will be undertaken as preparation of the plan continues.
(vii)
Officers
undertook to clarify affordable housing trigger and general figures in
paragraph 3.8 on P769 of the Officer’s report for Councillors Blencowe and
Ward.
(viii)
Officers would
bring details concerning parking standards back to DPSSC later in the year.
The Committee reviewed the Issues & Options report on a chapter by chapter basis. The Committee unanimously agreed to amend specific details in the Chapters set out below. Officers undertook to amend the final document.
· Introduction
o
Add a question about how we define ‘sustainable
development’ and what should be included in this.
· Chapter 2 – Vision
o
Include a reference supporting the provision of jobs for all.
o
Make reference
to affordable housing.
o
‘Require’ that
there is design excellence (5th bullet).
·
Chapter 3 –
Spatial Strategy
o
Add data on housing commitments in the South
Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) urban extensions – including Orchard
Park, NW Cambridge, NIAB 2, Southern Fringe.
o
Paragraphs 3.38 and 3.39 – clarify where the housing
numbers are from ie the 19,000 homes figure is from the SHMA
o
Explain why there are housing numbers provided for the
City Council area, but none provided for the SCDC part of the broad locations.
· Chapter 4 – Spatial Strategic Options
o
City Centre –
would like to see more about retail diversity and the different functional
zones of the City Centre.
o
Paragraph 4.18 – add Riverside and Stourbridge Common
Conservation Area.
o
Paragraph 4.23 - look at the role of planning policy in
relation to the control of moorings.
o
Paragraph 4.59 – add reference to the possibility of
housing in Northern Fringe East if the waste water treatment works were to
downsize.
o
Paragraph 4.61 – Relook at the wording with regards to
safeguarding land alongside the railway between Cambridge Station and the
proposed station at Chesterton Sidings for a future extension to the guided
busway. This needs specific
consultation. Officers to clarify the
position with the County Council.
o
Cambridge East – look at the wording of this section –
use of terms ‘would’ and ‘could’.
· Chapter 5 – Opportunity Areas
o
Officers to
clarify if Mill Road would be included as an ‘opportunity’ area. Mill
Road isn’t really an opportunity area for new development, as it is more about
protecting what is already there.
However, it is an opportunity for a new planning policy. Look at wording.
·
Chapter 6 – Sustainable development, climate change, water &
flooding
o
Water efficiency will require looking at existing
properties as well as new properties. A
possible water offsetting fund is mentioned.
This could also be considered as part of the consequential improvements
option (option 50) in Chapter 6.
· Chapter 7 – Delivering High Quality Places
o
Add a question after Option 63, asking whether current
design policies have been successful.
· Chapter 8 – Protecting and Enhancing the
Historic and Natural Environment
o
No comments.
· Chapter 9 – Delivering High Quality
Housing
o
Re-look at wording of Option 93 with regards to the
deliverability of affordable housing on schemes with less than 15 dwellings.
o
Consider adding reference about the clustering of
affordable housing.
· Chapter 10 – Building a Strong &
Competitive Economy
o
More clarity on employment being in sustainable
locations.
o
Officers to clarify
the contribution of tourism towards the local economy.
o
Retail diversity – need a specific opportunity to
comment on this in relation to the City Centre. This could be here or earlier in Chapter 4, which relates to the
City Centre.
· Chapter 11
o
Community Stadium (option 179) – the current wording
implies Council support for the proposals.
Re-order the questions and go back to general principles by starting
with Question 11.50 - should the Abbey Stadium be retained as a stadium? Wording should be more neutral and less
detailed about Grosvenor’s proposals.
Potentially refer to a new sub-regional stadium as opposed to a
community stadium. Amendments to text to be agreed with Chair,
Spokes and Executive Councillor.
· Chapter 12
o
Need better
consistency between the figures in the key facts.
o
Options 186 to 188 – the options need to be crisper and
more distinct.
o
Question 12.30 – drafting error as it refers to wrong
options.
· Consultee list
o
Amend
consultee list to include companies that have contacted the Council, secondary
schools and business representatives.
The Committee
resolved unanimously to endorse the recommendations, subject to document
amendments set out above to be agreed with Chair,
Spokes and Executive Councillor.
The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.
Conflicts of interest declared
by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensations granted)
Not applicable.
Supporting documents:
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