Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no Apologies for Absence.

1.         Disclosable pecuniary interests (“DPI”)

A  DPI is where a committee member or his/her spouse or partner has any kind of beneficial interest in the land under consideration at the meeting.

 2.        Non-disclosable pecuniary interests

These are interests that are pecuniary involving a  personal financial benefit or detriment but do not come within the definition of a DPI.  An example would be where a member of their family/close friend (who is not their spouse or partner) has such an interest.

3.         Non-pecuniary interests

Where the interest is not one which involves any personal financial benefit or detriment to the Councillor but arises out of a close connection with someone or some  body /association.  An example would be membership of a sports committee/ membership of another council which is involved in the matter under consideration.

Councillor Judith Rippeth declared a non-pecuniary interest as a supporter of the Waterbeach Cycling Campaign. In the interests of clarity, Councillor Rippeth stated that she lived in Waterbeach and represented the Ward of Milton and Waterbeach.

Upon the proposal of Councillor Brian Milnes, seconded by Councillor Dr. Martin Cahn, the Committee unanimously agreed that all substantive votes at the current Planning Committee meeting should be recorded by name and / or number and name

Outline application for up to 6,500 dwellings (including up to 600 residential institutional units), business, retail, community, leisure and sports uses; a hotel; schools; green open spaces including parks, ecological areas and woodlands; principal new accesses from the A10 and other points of access; associated infrastructure, groundworks and demolition; with all matters reserved except for the first primary junction from the A10 and construction access from Denny End Road.

By eight votes to two, with one abstention, the Planning Committee gave officers delegated authority to approve the outline application, as amended, subject to

a)    The Conditions set out in Appendix L to the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development (including Explanatory Notes and Terms)with conditions in relation to the foul water strategy to be consulted with the Environment Agency; consideration of an additional condition to address monitoring of visitor numbers exiting the site towards Wicken Fen and Cam Washes; and additional wording in the design code condition to include retention of the memorial garden. The final wording and / or any amendments of all the recommended conditions shall be agreed in consultation with the committee Chairman and Vice-Chairman prior to the issuing of planning permission;

b)    Contributions being secured by way of the prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as set out in Appendices H (revised by way of an update report dated 9 May 2019) and I, the final terms being agreed in consultation with the committee Chairman and Vice-Chairman prior to the issuing of planning permission The Section 106 financial viability review mechanism shall include provisions to ensure that where there is an uplift in profit beyond 20% IRR this will be shared on a 50:50 basis between the developer and the Council. The Council will utilise its share towards delivery of on-site affordable housing and where this exceeds the 40% affordable housing Policy H/10 requirement the excess shall contribute towards the Section106 strategic transport improvements along  the A10 corridor; and

c)    The presentation to Planning Committee of a Summary / progress report on the Section 106 obligation after six months from 13 May 2019 if, by then, planning permission had not been granted.

(Councillors John Batchelor, Cahn, Fane, Handley, Heylings, Milnes, Rippeth and Wright voted in favour of delegated approval. Councillors Roberts and Heather Williams voted against. Councillor Topping abstained from voting.)

The Planning Committee considered a report relating to an Outline application for up to 6,500 dwellings (including up to 600 residential institutional units), business, retail, community, leisure and sports uses; a hotel; schools; green open spaces including parks, ecological areas and woodlands; principal new accesses from the A10 and other points of access; associated infrastructure, groundworks and demolition; with all matters reserved except for the first primary junction from the A10 and construction access from Denny End Road.

Members visited the site on 7 May 2019.

The Committee Chairman set out the agreed guidelines for ensuring the effective management of the meeting.

The Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development gave a brief overview of this substantial application and setting its context within South Cambridgeshire District Council’s aspiration as demonstrated by its Local Plan 2018 and spatial strategy. He concluded that the Development Plan had established the principle of development on this site.

The Assistant Director (Delivery) briefly set out the time line leading to the present Committee meeting.

The Principal Planning Officer briefly described the application and its relation to the overall masterplan for Waterbeach New Town. He reminded Members about the significance of Policy SS/6 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and summarised a three-tier approach to the application. He referred to a late response received from the Environment Agency whereby that organisation’s objection had been removed conditionally. The Environment Agency now would not be addressing the meeting.

The following individuals and organisations did address the meeting:

·       Natural England

·       Cambridge Past, Present and Future

·       Margaret Starkie (objector)

·       Jane Williams (objector)

·       County Councillor Tim Wotherspoon

·       Representative from Urban & Civic (the applicant)

·       Landbeach Parish Council

·       Waterbeach Parish Council

·       Councillor Anna Bradnam (one of the local Members for the ward of Milton and Waterbeach)

Comments from Councillor Hazel Smith (another local Member) had been included in the update report. Councillor Judith Rippeth (the other local Member and a member of the Committee) opted to reserve her comments to the relevant parts of the meeting.

Among the many issues raised and discussed during the public speaking element of the meeting were the following:

·       A request for South Cambridgeshire District Council and Urban & Civic to commit to protecting Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum and Memorial Garden

·       Highway safety and traffic

·       Cycling linkages not adequate

·       Sustainability

·       Concern for the natural environment expressed in the form of a specially written poem opening with the words “I am Fen – who will stand for me?”

·       Affordable housing

·       Comprehensive development and ransom issues with adjacent developer

·       The possible impact on Waterbeach village and wider area including cumulative impacts associated with both developments (Urban&Civic and RLW)

·       Quality of life

·       Connectivity

·       Air quality

Transport funding deficit and concerns about potential delays in delivery of strategic transport infrastructure.

Upon conclusion of the public speaking, the Committee considered the application under the following headings:

·       Phasing

·       Transport

·       Housing delivery

·       Social and community infrastructure

·       Sustainability

·       Viability

Phasing

Members’ principal concerns were the robustness of the transport approach, strategic transport provision and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.