Agenda item

Resubmission of application S/1818/15/OL - Outline application for the erection of up to 200 residential dwellings (including up to 40% affordable housing) and up to 70 apartments with care (C2), demolition of no.117 Rampton Road, introduction of structural planting and landscaping, informal public open space and children's play area, surface water flood mitigation and attenuation, vehicular access points from Rampton Road and associated ancillary works. All matters reserved with the exception of the main site accesses.

Appendix 1iii (Neighbourhood Plan) is on the website only. Visit www.scambs.gov.uk and then The Council > Councillors, minutes and agendas > Committees > Planning Committee – select date of meeting and scroll down to the Cottenham item.

The Committee deferred the application to seek the submission and consideration of a heritage statement to assess the impact of the proposal and any mitigation works upon heritage assets, particularly the alms houses at the junction of Rampton Road and Oakington Road.

Members visited the site on 31 January 2017.

Brian Smith (objector), Nicole Penfold (applicant’s agent), Councillor Frank Morris (Cottenham Parish Council) and Councillor Lynda Harford (a local Member) addressed the meeting. Mr. Smith said that new developments should be integrated with existing communities in order to preserve the quality of life. The increase in traffic resulting from this development would cause a problem. Nicole Penfold referred to the developer obligations, and the contribution the development would make towards addressing the deficit in the Council’s five-year housing land supply. She stated that a Reserved Matters application would be submitted within two years of outline consent being granted. Councillor Morris said that the application had huge significance for the future of Cottenham. He said any benefits would be outweighed by the harm. The development would not be integrated into the village. Employment needed to be considered, as did the traffic issue. Views of the countryside would be lost.  Councillor Harford expressed pride in the manner in which the Parish Council had progressed the Neighbourhood Plan. It was unfortunate that it could not yet be given weight in considering planning applications. Councillor Harford regretted being unable to identify a reason to refuse the application, and said that, should Committee approve it, then affordable housing must be secured through a Section 106 Obligation rather than by Condition.

Dr. Jon Finney (Cambridgeshire County Council as Local Highways Authority) addressed the Committee about the proposed reconfiguration of the roundabout at the junction of Rampton Road and Oakington Road, and said that the safety of pedestrians and cyclists was key.

Following a short adjournment, during which the Chairman discussed with officers the issue of impact of the development, the Committee deferred the application to seek the submission and consideration of a heritage statement to assess the impact of the proposal and any mitigation works upon heritage assets, particularly the alms houses at the junction of Rampton Road and Oakington Road.