Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision:

In April 2012, Development Plan Scrutiny Sub Committee considered a report from consultants on the performance and existing and future demand and supply for new hotels in the City and immediate surrounding area.

Final work has now been completed on the comparator historic town benchmarking and ‘fair share analysis’ which has explored the role of and breakfast and guesthouse sector in relation to recent expansion of budget hotel provision. This suggests planned and future budget provision in Cambridge is likely to have a detrimental impact on the guest house and small hotel occupancies and some establishments may be forced to exit the market.

As part of Issues and Options work for the Local Plan review, housing and employment forecasts have been updated this has resulted in some small changes to the hotel market growth projections to reflect the latest population and housing growth options now being consulted upon in Issues and Options stage.

This feeds in to the Council’s evidence base for the review of the

Local Plan and will help inform any decisions relating to applications for hotel development in Cambridge.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Planning and Sustainable Transport:

Endorsed the final report Cambridge Hotel Futures by Hotel Solutions for use as an evidence base for the review of the Local Plan and as a material consideration in planning decisions. 

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 Cambridge Hotel Futures Study.

In response to Members’ questions the Principal Planning Policy Officer confirmed the following:

(i)                The public would be consulted to see if they wanted supply of budget hotels to be controlled through the Local Plan. If so, Officers would negotiate with applicants to attempt to match supply to demand. The Plan would be an evidence base for the Planning Inspector to set out why an application could be turned down. Any policy would have to be carefully worded if it contained a benchmark cut off level.

(ii)              Local hoteliers would be engaged through the consultation process to ensure Council information was up to date, and to influence future application sites.

The Committee resolved by 5 votes to 0 to endorse the recommendations.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.

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

Not applicable.