Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision:

a.    To agree the Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register 2023 to be published on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service website. The register will comprise a spreadsheet (Appendix 1 of this decision) and accompanying spatial data: GCSP Brownfield Register (councilanywhere.org)

b.    To delegate any further minor editing changes to the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development to ensure consistency of approach between the two Brownfield Registers.

 

Why the Decision had to be made (and any alternative options):

Publication of the Greater Cambridge Brownfield Register is a requirement under national Planning Practice Guidance and the Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017.

 

An alternative option would be to not publish the Greater Cambridge Brownfield Register. However, Government requires that local planning authorities review, update and publish their brownfield land register at least annually.

 

The Executive Councillor’s decision: That the Executive Councillor for Planning, Building Control and Infrastructure agrees:

 

a.    The Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register 2023 to be published on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service website. The register will comprise a spreadsheet (Appendix 1 of this decision) and accompanying spatial data: GCSP Brownfield Register (councilanywhere.org)

b.    To delegate any further minor editing changes to the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development to ensure consistency of approach between the two Brownfield Registers.

 

Reason for the decision:

All local planning authorities are required to publish a brownfield land register. This is prescribed by the Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017. Further guidance on the practicalities of doing so are set out in the government’s Planning Practice Guidance.

 

Scrutiny Consideration:

The Chair and Spokespersons of Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee were consulted prior to the action being authorised.

 

Report:

The Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register comprises a spreadsheet (attached as Appendix 1) and accompanying spatial data: GCSP Brownfield Register (councilanywhere.org)

 

Conflict of interest:

None.

 

Comments:

The following comments were made by Cllr K Porrer - I assume that the list includes recently completed sites, as I note that at least one in my ward is now built and completed and in use - but as the list is dated for 2023 I assume that this is included as it was uncompleted last year in the period of reporting for this document?

 

Councillor H Clough asked of 315-349 Mill Road and Brookfields, is this perhaps the site that has recently been developed for student accommodation and is called the Cam Foundry?

 

Both comments were addressed by the Senior Policy Planner and no further comments were added by the Liberal Democrat Spokes or Green Party Spokes.

 

Briefing Paper

 

The government’s Planning Practice Guidance sets out clear parameters for the compilation and publication of brownfield land registers.

 

The purpose of brownfield land registers is to provide up-to-date and consistent information on sites that local authorities consider to be appropriate for residential development having regard to the criteria set out in national regulations. Registers should be published locally as open data and will provide transparent information about suitable and available sites.

 

National regulations require local planning authorities in England to prepare, maintain and publish registers of previously developed (brownfield) land. Previously developed land is defined in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Previously developed land is also referred to as brownfield land.

 

Brownfield land registers can contain two parts. Part 1 comprises all brownfield sites that a local planning authority has assessed as appropriate for residential development. This will include sites with extant full or outline planning permission, prior approval permissions, allocations in the adopted Local Plans and Area Action Plans, sites with permission in principle and other sites considered suitable for residential development. Part 2 is a subset of Part 1 and comprises only those sites in Part 1 where the local planning authority has decided that the land would be suitable for a grant of permission in principle for residential development. The Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register does not include a Part 2, as no sites were identified in the register where it was deemed appropriate to grant permission in principle.

 

Sites should be included in the register where they are at least 0.25 hectares in area or are capable of supporting at least five dwellings. Sites must also be suitable and available for residential development. Residential development of the land must be considered achievable (within 15 years). Local planning authorities should also have regard to the development plan, national policies and advice, and any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

 

Local planning authorities are not required to undertake consultation in relation to sites they propose to include only in Part 1 of registers. However, they are required to review and update the register at least annually.

 

The information to be included in brownfield land registers is set out in national regulations. The format requirements are set out in the brownfield land register data standard published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Local planning authorities are encouraged to publish their Register in this format to enable compliance with requests for information issued by the Secretary of State.

 

The Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register has been compiled in line with Planning Practice Guidance. It contains details of about 100 sites in each of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. The previous registers have been reviewed. Existing entries have been amended as appropriate to reflect development activity on these sites. Recent planning decisions have been examined to identify new entries for the Register. The final register includes only sites with planning permission or allocations in the adopted plans.

 

The Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register contains two registers. One covers Cambridge and the other covers South Cambridgeshire. They are published as separate worksheets within the same spreadsheet. This approach is considered to be consistent with other monitoring work undertaken by the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service.

 

Once agreed by the Cabinet Member for Planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council and the Executive Member for Planning Policy at Cambridge City Council, the Greater Cambridge Brownfield Land Register 2023 will be published on the Greater Cambridgeshire Shared Planning Service website.