Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Virtual meeting - Online. View directions

Contact: Laurence Damary-Homan Email: democratic.services@scambs.gov.uk 01953 713000 

Note: Reschedule of the meeting originally to be held on 13/02/2023 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive Apologies for absence from Members of the Group

Minutes:

Apologies for Absence were received from Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins and Councillor Henry Batchelor was present as a substitute.

 

With the absence of the usual Chair, Councillor Katie Thornburrow assumed the role of Chair for the meeting. The Chair proposed that Councillor Peter Sandford assume the role of Vice-Chair. This was seconded by Councillor Neil Shailer and agreed by affirmation.

2.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

With respect to Minute 4, Councillor Dr Richard Williams declared that his employer, Christ College at the University of Cambridge, had comment on the parts of the consultation covered by the report. Councillor Simon Smith declared that he was a member of Adams Road Bird Sanctuary Club who had commented as part of the consultation.

3.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 126 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2022 as a correct record

Minutes:

By affirmation, the Group authorised the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2022 as a correct record.

4.

Biodiversity and Green Spaces and Great Places pdf icon PDF 253 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Planning Policy Manager introduced the report and the Principal Planning Policy Officer, Stuart Morris, presented the section regarding Biodiversity and Green Spaces. Members commended the minimum Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) target of 20% in policy BG/BG, made enquiry on the supporting evidence and requested that developments exceed 20% BNG wherever possible. Officers confirmed that the narrative around the policy was supported by evidence, with research such as the Green Infrastructure Opportunity Mapping being referenced.

 Clarity was provided on the link between BNG targets and the Doubling Nature strategy of South Cambridgeshire District Council. Members were informed that Doubling Nature was a broader vision that included other policy areas, such as land management, whilst BNG was a quantitative policy applying directly to development that also contributed to the wider aims of the Doubling Nature strategy.

 Concern was raised over the quantitative nature of BNG and the resilience of the measures introduced to meet BNG targets. Officers assured the Group that, whilst the BNG target was based on a mandatory baseline from DEFRA, the policies would generally aim to either encourage development to take place on low biodiversity sites or ensure that biodiversity gains in the region would be notable where development takes place on more biodiversity rich sites. On and off siting of biodiversity measures was discussed, with Members requesting stronger definitions around on and off siting, and officers stated that a wide range of considerations would be taken into account when assessing how BNG could be achieved and that there would be a number of strategic sites across the region that would benefit from off site BNG.

 Members raised concerns over the potential for harm to occur to buffer zones to sites with designated nature reserve protections and expressed a desire for the Local Plan to introduce protections for buffer zones. Officers noted the concerns and stated that they would take them into consideration as the drafting of the Local Plan continued.

 Members sought clarity over the types of open space being discussed in the report, noting the differences between private and public open space and the varied demands on open space in rural and urban areas. A request was raised to ensure that the Local Plan incorporate safeguards for the social aspect of open space as well as the ecological factors. Concern was raised over the overuse of Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the region, due to the lack of open space available to the public, and enquired as to how SSSIs could be further protected and enhanced. Officers assured Members that these issues were at the forefront of their thinking and that the full spectrum of open space was being assessed, with various research projects being undertaken, and that this would continue to be taken into account in the Local Plan draft process.

 

The Great Places section of the report was presented by the Principal Planning Officers, Terry De Sousa and Nancy Kimberley, the Senior Planning Policy Officer, Lizzie Wood, and the Planning Policy Officer,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Date of Next Meeting

Minutes:

The Group was informed that the next meeting would be held on Monday 13 March.