Report To:	Leader and Cabinet	12 February 2015
Lead Officer:	Director, Planning & New Communities

Northstowe Phase 2: Public Service Delivery and Requirements

Purpose

To consider the range of requirements needed to bring forward and deliver the physical and community infrastructure needed to support the new communities and housing delivery in Northstowe.

2.	This is not a key decision.

Recommendations

Cabinet is invited to

consider the proposed draft list of requirements (attached as Appendix 1) to be included in the Section 106 Agreement should the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee (NJDCC) be minded to grant outline consent for the Phase 1 planning application; and

to comment on the draft list of requirements with regard to any corporate implications to enable the NJDCC to have regard to the comments when it considers the outline planning application.

Reasons for Recommendations

4.	To ensure that Cabinet can consider any corporate implications arising from the

proposed District requirements for the section 106 Agreement.

Background

5.	An outline planning application for Phase 2 of Northstowe was submitted by the HCA	in August 2014 (planning reference S/2011/14/OL), alongside a full planning	application for the Southern Access Road (West). The application sites covers 216	hectares. The area of the main Phase 2 development is bordered to the east by the	Guided Busway and to the west by Longstanton. The area includes the former	Oakington Barracks and surrounds Rampton Drift, the existing settlement of 92	homes.

Considerations

6.	Should the NJDCC resolve to grant outline planning permission for Phase 2 of Northstowe, then a Section 106 Agreement will be required setting out the financial contributions and works that the developer will be committed to provide to ensure that the community needs of the development are delivered. Items of interest to the District are summarised below.

7.	There are likely to be viability issues with Phase 2 and District requirements, in terms of level of contribution and triggers for payment, which will need to be considered together with those of the County Council and other public sector partners. The Council has appointed a specialist consultant to provide advice through detailed viability negotiations. These negotiations will also need to consider the proportion of affordable housing to be provided on site. The application states that Phase 2 will make provision for an affordable housing contribution of 20% and that provision will be discussed further during the determination process. All phasing, triggers and levels of developer contributions are subject to the ongoing viability work in the programme. Detailed negotiations on the Section 106 Agreement will continue should the NJDCC be minded to grant planning consent.

8.	The Council has given, in principle, support for direct investment in affordable housing at Northstowe through its Housing Revenue Account.

9.	The principal items of interest to the District are, in summary:

Community

This includes a contribution towards capital and revenue for .the Civic Hub which will include a Health Centre, library, community facilities and provision for emergency services.

b)	Environmental

This includes the cost of monitoring equipment for noise and air quality, and drainage payments including a contribution towards the cost of Webbs Hole Sluice Pump and maintenance of Hattons Road Ponds.

c)	Governance and Community Development

This includes costs associated with community endowment, electoral arrangements, and community and sports development.

d)	Sports Provision

This is primarily the Sports Hubs and a Pavilion, with contributions towards capital and revenue including sports development support.

e)	Waste

This covers the provision of bins

f)	Housing

The Section 106 Agreement will cover the proportion of affordable housing.

Details of the contributions recommended in respect of District Council services are outlined in Appendix 1.

10.	There are other aspirations, for instance a swimming pool, that are not included on the recommended list of items. However, all parties intend to work together to find means to enhance the range of facilities in the new town. The proposed town centre strategy and employment strategy will facilitate these discussions, and it is hoped that plans for a number of projects will emerge over time.

Implications

11.	In the writing of this report, taking into account financial, legal, staffing, risk	management, equality and diversity, climate change, community safety and any other	key issues, the following implications have been considered: -

Financial

12.	The Council may be involved in revenue support for certain public buildings

in the town centre and sports hubs, and for Webbs Hole Sluice pumping station including its maintenance, The pumping station is being provided by Gallagher during Northstowe Phase 1 for the benefit of the whole development.

Legal

13.	The proposed Heads of Terms would be included in a detailed section 106 legal planning agreement to which the District Council, developer and County would be the principal parties.

Risk Management

14.	There is a risk that the councils may fail to secure adequate facilities and services for the new community. There is also a reputational risk o failure to achieve high quality ‘place-making’ and a financial risk associated with detailed viability negotiations. If the level of affordable housing is increased, it will be important to make sure that the education requirements are reviewed in order to ensure appropriate levels of school provision.

Consultation responses

15.	The planning application was the subject of public consultation in October – November 2014 with staffed exhibitions in the Northstowe area and at Northstowe Parish Forum meetings. In drawing up the District and County requirements, there has been consultation with statutory and other agencies including the NHS, Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Boards and Sport England. This feedback is informing consideration of the planning applications for Phase 2.

Effect on Strategic Aims

16.	The development of Northstowe is a corporate priority. The creation of a quality town that provides the infrastructure to support housing development is a fundamental requirement.

Conclusion

17.	This report summarises District requirements needed for Northstowe Phase 2, and proposed to be secured through a Section 106 agreement. It complements the County requirements considered by the Economy and Environment Committee on 2 February. The public sector requirements will be combined to create the draft Heads of Terms, subject to viability, for consideration by the NJDCC.

Background Papers

Where the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to	Information) (England) Regulations 2012 require documents to be open to inspection	by members of the public, they must be available for inspection: -

(a)	at all reasonable hours at the offices of South Cambridgeshire District Council;

(b)	on the Council’s website; and

(c)	in the case of documents to be available for inspection pursuant to regulation 15, on payment of a reasonable fee required by the Council by the person seeking to inspect the documents at the offices of South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Northstowe Action Area Plan (NAAP) 2007,

Reports to NJDCC in July 2012, October 2012, March 2013

Reports to Cabinet report in July 2012, October 2012, July 2014

Report Author:	Jo Mills – Director, Planning & New Communities

Telephone: (01954) 713350