Decisions

Matter for Decision:

The purpose of this decision is to ensure that a timely consultation response is issued to Network Rail’s public consultation on the ‘C3R’ scheme.  This has been prepared on behalf of the Greater Cambridge Planning Service (Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council) and is aligned with the Cambridgeshire County Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council and Greater Cambridge Planning Service (Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council) response.

The Cambridge Re-signalling, Re-lock and Re-Control project (C3R for short) is a proposal to renew the signalling systems in and around the Cambridge area and deliver a modern signalling system to improve efficiency and reliability.

The consultation opens on 1st March 2021 and closes on 11th April 2021: Home - C3R Consultation

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

The consultation response sets out the requirement for Network Rail to undertake formal pre-application discussions with the Councils, and provides comments from the County Council.

The Executive Councillor’s decision(s):

To approve the proposed response to the public consultation, as set out in the documents appended to this decision.

Reasons for the decision:

See consultation response letter

 Document ROD:Cambridge Re-signalling Project C3R Scheme Consultation Response - Cambridge Council

Scrutiny consideration:

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

Report:

Home - C3R Consultation

Conflicts of interest:

None known.

Comments:

No adverse comments were made.

Matter for Decision:

1.     To agree the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply document (see Appendix 1) to be published on the Councils’ shared planning service website. The Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five-year housing land supply calculations have been prepared jointly with South Cambridgeshire District Council, consistent with the adopted Local Plans.

2.     To delegate any further minor editing changes to the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply document to the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development where they are technical matters.

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

In January 2019, the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces agreed that the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five-year supply calculations would be agreed by the Executive Member for Planning Policy and Open Spaces at Cambridge City Council via a decision outside of a meeting (together with the Cabinet Member for Planning at South Cambridgeshire Council).

The Executive Councillor’s decision(s):

That the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces agreed:

1. the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply document (see Appendix 1) to be published on the Councils’ shared planning service website. The Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year housing land supply calculations have been prepared jointly with Cambridge City Council, consistent with the adopted Local Plans.
2. to delegate any further minor editing changes to the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply document to the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development where they are technical matters.

Reasons for the decision:

The Greater Cambridge housing trajectory is used by the Councils to calculate their five-year housing land supply and to demonstrate that anticipated housing delivery will meet or exceed the housing requirements set out in their Local Plans.

National planning policy and guidance requires that a local planning authority should identify and update annually at least a five year supply of specific deliverable housing sites. A new housing trajectory is required to establish the Greater Cambridge five-year housing land supply for the purposes of making planning decisions. In addition, South Cambridgeshire District Council has a planning appeal for development at Mill Lane, Sawston where the appellants are challenging the Councils’ five year housing land supply. The assumptions made by the Councils’ on the deliverability of sites will be challenged through this appeal and therefore by publishing the updated Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five-year supply calculations, the Councils will be able to use the most up-to-date information for this appeal.

Scrutiny consideration:

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

Report:

The Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply can be viewed at link below:

Document Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply - Cambridge Council

Conflicts of interest:

None known.

Comments:

No adverse comments were made.

CHANGES TO THE CURRENT PLANNING SYSTEM CONSULTATION RESPONSE

Decision of:

Councillor Thornburrow, Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces

Reference:

21/URGENCY/P&T/07

Date of decision:                        

25 March 2021

Published:

06 April 2021.

Decision Type:

Non Key

Matter for Decision:

Greater Cambridge response to National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals

1.    Background

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched an eight-week consultation on proposals to establish a new Office for Place, which would require all local planning authorities to create their own design codes in consultation with local stakeholders. These design codes would have to be adhered in the planning submission process by all developers, and would entail some alterations to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Link to document: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-planning-policy-framework-and-national-model-design-code-consultation-proposals 

Deadline: 27th March

2. Context

The consultation follows directly from the 2021 consultations on the Planning White Paper. Last autumn, the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service (GCSP) responded to the Planning White Paper: Planning For The Future, Changes To The Current Planning System and Land Data consultations last Autumn. A copy of this joint response can be seen here: https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/documents/s51405/Planning%20future%20and%20Current%20Changes%20Response%20Report.pdf

The rationale, proposals and specific questions for this consultation, as well as the draft text updates to the NPPF and the annexed draft National Model Design Code can be downloaded from here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-planning-policy-framework-and-national-model-design-code-consultation-proposals/national-planning-policy-framework-and-national-model-design-code-consultation-proposals

In this consultation, the government is acting to implement some of the main recommendations from the Building Better, Building Beautiful Report.

3. Proposed Response from Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council

Overall, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Officers consulted agree with the government that the planning system could be improved and should have more emphasis on design. This view echoes Greater Cambridge’s response to the Planning White Paper last year where proposals that simplify processes and take advantage of more digital approaches to provide more certainty, design quality, and an emphasis on sustainability were welcomed.

However, there are significant concerns that some of the proposed changes may undermine its stated objectives of achieving good design. This concern is centred on proposed changes to Article 4 directions and the resources to deliver the design codes in a coherent manner.

The full response proposed is included as Appendix which can be viewed at the link below:

https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13474

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

The consultation raises important issues that the council wishes to respond to.

The Executive Councillor’s decision():

Approved the proposed response the National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: consultation proposals, as set out in the document appended to this decision which can be viewed at the link below:

https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13474

Reasons for the decision:

Outlined in the report why the decision had been made.

Scrutiny consideration:

Report:

https://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13474

Conflicts of interest:

None known.

Comments:

No adverse comments were made.