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Matter for Decision: Response to the Uttlesford’s Draft
Local Plan 2021- 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation
Why the Decision had to be made (and any alternative
options): The Draft Uttlesford Local
Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18) consultation runs between 3 November and 18
December 2023. As a response is required to be submitted within these dates the
response is unable to be considered at the next Planning and Transport Scrutiny
Committee on 16th January 2024 and must be considered out of cycle.
The contents of the Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18)
Consultation, could in principle impact on Greater Cambridge and have
implications for the emerging joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan. The proposed
response seeks to minimise negative and maximise any positive impacts of
Uttlesford’s Local Plan on Greater Cambridge. Given the proximity of Uttlesford
to South Cambridgeshire, the contents of the Uttlesford Local Plan could in
principle impact on the emerging joint Greater Cambridge Local Plan, and a
joint response from Greater Cambridge is recommended.
Background: Uttlesford District Council has started the
process of developing a new Local Plan for the district, which will replace the
existing Adopted Local Plan 2005. The preparation of the new local plan has 3
key stages:
•
The
first stage was undertaken in 2020 with the publication of Uttlesford District
Council’s Issues and Options First Consultation (November 2020 - April 2021).
•
This
stage, the Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18)
Consultation, is the second stage and sets out the Council’s emerging draft
Local Plan and preferred Spatial Strategy for consultation. The current
consultation runs between 3 November and 18 December 2023. Any further emerging
evidence, engagement and the responses to this
consultation at this stage will be used to prepare the next plan stage, the
submission draft of the local plan.
•
The
third stage of the plan's preparation will be published for a further six-week
period (Regulation 19). At that stage, any comments received will be submitted
to the Secretary of State, alongside the Plan and the supporting documents.
Content in the Draft Uttlesford Local Plan relevant to
Greater Cambridge includes:
•
No
new housing allocations are proposed close to the South Cambridgeshire
boundary. Instead, new allocations of around 6,000 homes are proposed at
existing settlements to meet the identified housing need of 13,680 homes for
the plan period, accounting for committed supply (see Core Policy 2: Meeting
our Housing Needs).
•
The
single substantive development proposed in the plan close to Greater Cambridge
is an allocation of an additional 18.3ha of employment land within Chesterford Research Park (Core Policy 6), allocating
sufficient land to enable the delivery of the full site masterplan as promoted
by the Research Park, beyond that which exists or has planning permission. Furthermore the plan provides flexibility to support
economic development of unallocated sites within Core Policy 48 should this
become required.
• The plan recognises the topic of water stress
in the District and the wider area and the impact that this is having on chalk streams, and seeks to address these issues via Core Policy
34: Water Supply and Protection of Water Resources, and Core Policy 35: Chalk
Streams. Protection and Enhancement (note key points on this topic in paragraph
10 below).
• The plan seeks to take ambitious climate and
biodiversity policy approaches, including for example seeking 20% biodiversity
net gain (Core Policy 40: Biodiversity).
The proposed response, set out in full at Appendix 2:
a. focuses on the topic of water stress
in the District and the wider area and the impact that this is having on chalk
streams. Proposed response points seek:
i.
Further
evidence that the level of abstraction required to support the development proposed in Uttlesford’s
draft Local Plan is sustainable;
ii.
Enhancements
to Core Policy 34: Water Supply and Protection of Water Resources to ensure
that its requirements are clearer and that water efficiency standards should be
extended to apply to non-residential development;
iii.
Enhancements
to Core Policy 35: Chalk Streams Protection and Enhancement to ensure that its
requirements are clearer and that that there is greater detail on how it will
be implemented.
b. identifies other points
including:
i.
seeking
clarification of the transport impacts of the expansion of Chesterford
Research Park, and noting the benefit of continued engagement on transport
issues
ii.
supporting
the ambitious climate and biodiversity policy; approaches set out in the draft plan;
iii.
looking
forward to continued engagement with Uttlesford District Council on relevant
cross-boundary issues, noting that further work will need to be undertaken to
prepare the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan.
Alternative options:
1. The
options are:
a. Agree
the proposed response to the consultation without amendments
b. Agree
the proposed response to the consultation with amendments
c. Decide
not to submit a response to the consultation – this option is not recommended
as the plan would progress without awareness of potential impacts on
Greater Cambridge
The Executive Councillor’s decision:
Reason for the decision:
Scrutiny Consideration: The Chair and Spokesperson of … Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the
action being authorised.
Report: Appendix 1- Background Papers and Appendix 2- The
Draft Uttlesford Local Plan 2021 – 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation proposed
joint response from Greater Cambridge.
Appendix 2 can be viewed at the link below: Document
Meeting 16.01.24: ROD: Response to the Uttlesfords
Draft Local Plan 2021- 2041 (Regulation 18) Consultation - Cambridge Council
Conflict of interest: [None].
Comments: The
following comments were reived from the Lib Dem Opposition Spokes Councillor
Porrer: I am very happy with these comments,
particularly with the focus on water scarcity and the need to reduce daily
consumption limits for both new housing and non-residential
developments. I did wonder if we might want to also note that
continuing engagement with the current water scarcity group from Affinity Water
would be welcomed (which is implied although not stated directly), but I am
happy to be guided by officers on whether this would be appropriate.
The Comments were addressed by
the Planning Policy and Strategy Team Leader.
Background papers used in the
preparation of this report:
Emerging Greater Cambridge Local
Plan
Uttlesford Local Plan Issues Engagement consultation
documents:
·
The Draft Local Plan - Uttlesford District Council (https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/article/8883/The-Draft-Local-Plan)
·
Uttlesford Local Plan Reg 18 Evidence Base- https://uttlesfordreg18evidencebase.co.uk/
Joint Response to by Cambridge City
Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council to Uttlesford District
Council's (Regulation 18) Local Plan Issues and Options consultation (2021)
Report Authors:
Charlotte Morgan-Shelbourne - Planning Policy Officer
Telephone: (01954) 713418
Stuart Morris – Team Leader - Planning Policy & Strategy
Telephone: 07514 925 287
