Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Sebastian Kindersley declared a personal interest as a Cambridgeshire County Councillor and member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority. 

The Cambourne Drainage report presented to the Planning Committee meeting on 1 December 2010 is attached to the electronic version of this agenda, which can be found by following the links from www.scambs.gov.uk/meetings.  

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve outline planning application, as amended by plans and documents date stamped 31 March 2010, 22 April 2010, 22nd October 2010, 17 and 23 November 2010 subject to:

1.         The Planning conditions set out in the report and update report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities), with the final wording of an amendment to these to be agreed in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee and Local Members representing Cambourne prior to the issuing of planning permission;

2.         the prior completion of a Section 106 legal agreement securing contributions in line with the Heads of Terms set out in Appendix 1 to the report from the Corporate Manager (Planning and New Communities) - final wording to be agreed in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Planning Committee and Local Members representing Cambourne;

3.         Deletion from the application of the proposal to construct a bus link between Cambourne and the Broadway in Bourn;

4.         reference back to Planning Committee to make sure it is satisfied that substantial resolution of drainage issues relating to Cambourne and a programme to upgrade Uttons Drove have been secured; and

5.         A Revised Design and Access Statement

·       Addressing the comments in relation to the Renewable Energy Assessment and further comments of the;

·       Revisions to the Health Impact Assessment to the satisfaction of the Principal Lead Officer for Sport and Leisure and the NHS; and

·      Discussions to secure a strategy for timing and delivery of golf course.

The Committee considered a report on Outline Planning Application S/6438/07/O for up to 950 dwellings, a neighbourhood/community building, ancillary public open space, formal play areas, internal access roads, pedestrian and cycle routes, and associated drainage and engineering infrastructure, including electricity sub-stations on land at Upper Cambourne.

In introducing the report, the Head of New Communities reminded Members about the Council’s original vision for Cambourne, that being of three separate villages connected by open space.  She suggested that the Heads of Terms package of community gain features likely to form the basis of a future Section 106 Planning Obligation was the right one for Cambourne.

The Team Leader (Planning) referred Members to the update report and, in particular, to the additional elements of the recommendation.  Members noted that the Local Highways Authority had no objections to the proposal and that the Environment Agency had withdrawn its objection.  The Team Leader (Planning) commended the application as making the best use of the land available.

A number of public speakers addressed the meeting.

Neville Stebbings (MCA) welcomed the partnership working to date between the developers, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambourne Parish Council and others as being the best way to achieve the most appropriate development for Cambourne.  He reiterated MCA’s commitment to the original three-village concept, and said that the additional dwellings were likely to strengthen commercial interest in the Sports Centre and the retail units in the High Street.  The new development would provide an impetus to the provision of new schools, employment opportunities and demand for affordable housing.  He confirmed that the proposed Section 106 Agreement would offer £13.6 million worth of community gain for Cambourne. 

Stephen Koskey pointed out that the application was fully compliant with the policies contained in the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007, and added that Cambourne needed “critical mass”.  The application was self-sustaining and represented “inward investment” for the settlement. 

In response to Councillor David Morgan (a local Member), Mr Stebbings refused to be drawn on the question of the likely generation of employment opportunities as a result of the construction of 950 new dwellings.  Instead, he highlighted the importance of creating a “feel good factor” and thinking in terms of widening community facilities’ “catchment area”.

In response to Councillor Deborah Roberts, Mr Koskey said that the developers’ reluctance to make provision for ten Gypsy and Traveller pitches was based entirely on material planning grounds.

Clayton Hudson (Chairman, Cambourne Parish Council) addressed the meeting, welcoming the proposal, subject to appropriate community gain, resolution of ongoing drainage issues in Cambourne and the provision of a bus link between Cambourne and the Broadway in Bourn.  Recognising that Bourn residents had expressed reservations about the bus link, Mr Hudson said that, should it not go ahead, the monies allocated to it should be diverted towards funding other transport initiatives to the benefit of Cambourne. 

Graham Smith (Chairman, Bourn Parish Council) addressed the meeting on behalf of the village of Bourn.  Residents had grave reservations about the proposed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 117.