Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors AN Berent, NCF Bolitho, FWM Burkitt, TD Bygott, NN Cathcart, JP Chatfield, Mrs PS Corney, Mrs EM Heazell, MP Howell, PT Johnson, Mrs JE Lockwood, RM Matthews, CR Nightingale, AG Orgee, JA Quinlan, A Riley, Mrs DP Roberts, RT Summerfield and Mrs VM Trueman.

Councillor MJ Mason expressed concern about the decisions made at the meetings of Council in July and Cabinet in August and stated that he had not yet received a reply from officers to a letter he had written regarding this matter. The Planning Policy Manager explained that the powers for the adoption of the Area Action Plans laid with the Executive and not with Council. He resolved to ascertain why Councillor Mason had not received a response to his correspondence.

Members were advised that participation in this meeting would not exclude them from discussing future planning applications for this area.

Councillor DC McCraith declared a personal interest as a County Councillor and as the Chairman of the Joint Development Control Committee: Cambridge Fringes. Notwithstanding these interests he remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting.

Councillor Mrs SA Hatton declared a personal interest as her son worked on the North West site. Notwithstanding this interest she remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting.

Councillor Dr SEK van de Ven declared a personal interest as her husband was an employee of the University. Notwithstanding this interest she remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting.

Councillor MJ Mason declared a personal interest as a member of the Joint Development Control Committee: Cambridge Fringes. Notwithstanding this interest he remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting.

Councillor Mrs HM Smith declared a personal interest as a member of the Joint Development Control Committee: Cambridge Fringes and as a member of Kings College. Notwithstanding these interests she remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting.

Councillor JF Williams declared a personal interest as a member of Clare College. Notwithstanding this interest he remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting.

To consider the report of the Executive Director and make a recommendation to Cabinet in respect of the North West Cambridge Preferred Options and draft Area Action Plan.

The report and volumes 1 and 2 are attached to the hard copy of this Agenda. All of the reports and appendices are available using the following link to the Council’s website:

http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.asp?CommitteeId=680&J=3

Hard copies of the appendices are also available in the Members’ Room, and on request from Democratic Services (telephone 01954 713016 e-mail democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk).

The Planning Policy Manager explained to Council that so far four of the authority’s Development Plan Documents had been found to be ‘sound’ and would now provide the policy framework for considering planning applications:

-          Core Strategy.

-          Development Control Policies.

-          Northstowe Area Action Plan.

-          Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer went on to explain that the North West Cambridge Area Action Plan needed to be agreed by both this authority and the Cambridge City Council. It was understood that the City Council had agreed the Plan subject to the removal of references to the orbital route in Policy NW16: Public Transport Provision, and this change was accepted by Council. It was noted that any amendments decided by this authority would need to be agreed by the City Council.

Governance of boundary area

In response to questioning the Principal Planning Policy Officer explained that the responsibility for the boundary area between the two authorities had not yet been resolved. The Planning Policy Manager added that this matter was being discussed by senior officers and executive members from both authorities.

NIAB site

In response to questioning, the Principal Planning Policy Officer explained that it would not be appropriate to delay the development proposed on the NIAB site by including it as part of this Area Action Plan.

The Principal Planning Policy Officer explained that the Area Action Plan set up the key development principles, whilst the Master Plan developed them.

VISION, OBJECTIVES & DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

Preferred Option Policy NW2: Development Principles

In response to concern regarding the sustainability of the proposed new development, the Principal Planning Policy Officer referred to paragraph d) on page 23 of the agenda, which committed the developers to building energy-efficient housing with a low carbon footprint.

HOUSING

Preferred Policy Option NW5: Housing Supply

The Principal Planning Policy Officer explained that the proposed net housing density did not include employment development or student housing.

Preferred Policy Option NW6: Affordable Housing

It was clarified that this policy referred to a specific definition for the University’s key workers, which differed from the government’s definition for key worker housing schemes, as it restricted housing to employees of the University.

Preferred Policy Option NW7: Balanced & Sustainable Communities

Council

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET             that as 50% of housing would be affordable the words “small groups or clusters” to describe the distribution of affordable housing was illogical and should be revisited.

EMPLOYMENT & UNIVERSITY USES

Preferred Policy Option NW8: Employment Uses

The Planning Policy Manager explained that, according to case law, the maximum length of the condition that could be attached to the development was 10 years.

TRAVEL

Preferred Policy Option NW11: Sustainable Travel

The provision of different numbers of parking spaces for village halls, cinemas and theatres was queried, especially as many venues were used for more than one function. The Principal Planning Policy Officer explained that the development would be governed by the parking regulations of the City Council as an urban extension to Cambridge and added  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.