Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from Members on matters arising in this agenda.

The following personal interests were declared:

Councillor Mrs DP Roberts expressed her disappointment that the Council had not attempted to obtain a dispensation for the local member for Longstanton, to which it was announced that Longstanton Parish Council had appointed and briefed Councillor SGM Kindersley to represent the interests of that village and speak on their behalf at the meeting.

Preface – the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework (LDF)

Council AGREED the Preface to the Area Action Plan.

A – Introduction

Council AGREED Chapter A – Introduction.

B – Vision and Development Principles

Policy NS/2 Development Principles

The Town of Northstowe (Paragraph 2)

Council AGREED to revise the wording to read, “not more than 8,000 dwellings” and the paragraph to be concluded with “and no additional dwellings to be permitted without a change to the Local Development Framework”.

Supporting Services and Facilities (Paragraph 23)

Council AGREED that paragraph 23 be re-worded to read, “With the developers of the town providing the normal services, infrastructure and facilities appropriate to a settlement of 8,000 dwellings as defined by the Masterplan, including making provision for long-term management and maintenance.”

Land Drainage (Paragraph 25)

Council AGREED that paragraph 25 be re-worded to read, “…to mitigate current flood risks affecting Oakington village and Longstanton village”.

Implementation and Phasing (Paragraphs 26 and 28)

Council AGREED that paragraph 26 be re-worded to read, “Phased to ensure that the necessary landscaping and infrastructure are provided from the start and services and facilities are provided in step with the development and the needs of the community”. 

Council AGREED that the reference to Local Masterplans be reinstated at paragraph 28.

Northstowe Area Action Plan: Concept Diagram

Council AGREED that the arrow indicating the emergency vehicle access would be removed and the Green Separation area at Oakington would be re-drawn to correspond with Northstowe Proposals Map 3 of 3 (page 223 of the report).

Conclusion

Subject to the changes made above, Council AGREED Chapter B – Vision and Development Principles.

C – The Site and its Setting

C1 – The Site for Northstowe

Council therefore AGREED to include in paragraph C1.8 a reference acknowledging that the Structure Plan called for 8,000 to 10,000 dwellings and to include a new sentence at an appropriate place in chapter C1 that the District Council had made a decision to limit development to no more than 8,000 dwellings, the exact wording to be determined by Planning Policy Officers.

Subject to this change, Council AGREED C1 – The Site for Northstowe.

C2 – The Setting of Northstowe

Council AGREED C2 – The Setting of Northstowe.

C3 – Landscaping the Setting of Northstowe

Council AGREED C3 – Landscaping the Setting of Northstowe.

C4 – Mitigating the Impact of Northstowe on Existing Communities

Policy SP/21 Conservation Areas and Green Separation at Longstanton (Core Strategy) and Policy NS/6 Green Separation from Longstanton and Oakington (Northstowe Area Action Plan)

Council AGREED to indicate to Longstanton Parish Council that the Council was minded to extend the Longstanton Village Framework to include St Michael’s Mount and to designate St Michael’s Mount as a Protected Village Amenity Area, the Parish Council’s response to be reported to Council on 9 December 2005 prior to a final decision.

Councillors JD Batchelor and Mrs EM Heazell recorded their votes against this decision.  Councillors Mrs SJO Doggett, R Hall, Dr JPR Orme and Mrs  ...  view the full decision text for item 2.

The Planning Policy Manager emphasised that these important Local Development Framework (LDF) meetings were necessary to agree the documents for submission to the Secretary of State.  Debate on the new Regional Spatial Strategy was underway at Ely and representatives there were arguing that the amount of development the government required in this region could not be delivered on time, leading to the need for identification of additional areas of development; however, SCDC was on schedule to deliver its plans on time.

The number of representations received on the Pre-Submission Northstowe Area Action Plan (AAP) had decreased by two-thirds from the Preferred Options Stage, reflecting the focusing down from options to draft policies that Members had taken in deciding the Pre-Submission AAP.  The majority of the representations received had been from members of the local communities or developers with an interest in the site.  The primary objections from the developers were the decision on a size for a town of 8,000 rather than 10,000 dwellings and criticism that the AAP was too detailed.  The Planning Policy Manager explained that the Structure Plan set a dwelling range for the town and it was for the AAP to determine the actual number having regard to the appropriate site.  Officers felt that there was an appropriate level of detail in the AAP for bringing forward a development of this scale and complexity as well as to ensure that any planning application could be ready for a favourable determination by Easter 2007.

Preface – the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework (LDF)

Council AGREED the Preface to the Area Action Plan.

A – Introduction

Council AGREED Chapter A – Introduction.

B – Vision and Development Principles

Policy NS/2 Development Principles

The Town of Northstowe (Paragraph 2)

There were objections to the reference to “approximately 8,000 dwellings”, which was not sufficiently specific and, on the proposal of Councillor SGM Kindersley, seconded by Councillor Dr DR Bard, Council AGREED to revise the wording to read, “not more than 8,000 dwellings” and the paragraph to be concluded with “and no additional dwellings to be permitted without a change to the Local Development Framework”.

Transport (Paragraph 16)

Conflicting representations had been made regarding transport links between Northstowe and existing villages: some supported improved access to services, while others cautioned that access could draw additional traffic through the villages.  The AAP sought to provide local links for non-motorised modes, such as cycleways, footpaths and bridleways, to Northstowe and the wider network which should not increase village traffic.

Supporting Services and Facilities (Paragraph 23)

Northstowe would be a very complex development and thus the government had established Cambridgeshire Horizons as a delivery vehicle to co-ordinate service and infrastructure provision as defined in the AAP, although it was too early to create a finite list of specific services.

Council AGREED that paragraph 23 be re-worded to read, “With the developers of the town providing the normal services, infrastructure and facilities appropriate to a settlement of 8,000 dwellings as defined by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.