Issue - meetings

The Leader of the Council acting on behalf of the Portfolio Holder, AGREED the following recommendations to Full Council:

a)    That the Report on Consultation (Appendix A), the Proposed Modifications (Appendix C) and the supplement to the Sustainability Appraisal Addendum (Appendix E) be submitted for consideration by Full Council on 23 March 2016 and approved for submission to the Inspectors examining the Local Plan;

b)    To agree that the documents attached to the report as Appendices F to J are noted and submitted as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan;

c)    To agree that delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning and New Communities to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

As these were recommendations to Council they cannot be called-in.

Appendix A (Part B), and Appendices B, D, E, F, G, H, I and J are available online only by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk, selecting the Council then Councillors, minutes and agendas from where you can follow the links to the electronic version of this agenda.

The Leader of the Council acting on behalf of the Portfolio Holder, AGREED the following recommendations to Full Council:

a)    That the Report on Consultation (Appendix A), the Proposed Modifications (Appendix C) and the supplement to the Sustainability Appraisal Addendum (Appendix E) be submitted for consideration by Full Council on 23 March 2016 and approved for submission to the Inspectors examining the Local Plan;

b)    To agree that the documents attached to the report as Appendices F to J are noted and submitted as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan;

c)    To agree that delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning and New Communities to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

The Leader of the Council, substituting for the Planning Portfolio Holder, considered a report setting out the results of the consultation on proposed modifications to the Cambridge Local Plan and South Cambridgeshire Local Plan, held between 2 December 2015 and 25 January 2016.

Councillor Aidan Van de Weyer thanked Planning Officers for the work that had been undertaken since the suspension of the Local Plan examination and for having taken Members’ comments into account.

The allocation of land south of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus was discussed with queries regarding the green belt and the definition of urban edges. Members were informed that the Council’s view was that there was no need to allocate further land for employment, however the attractiveness of the edge of Cambridge to businesses was recognised. The Council acknowledged that employment and homes could prompt the need for a review of the green belt, however this would have to be without causing significant harm to the green belt. It was felt that the land to the south of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus would not cause significant harm to the green belt.

Regarding the Cambridge Local Plan, Newbury Farm was discussed. The Leader of the Council and other Members in attendance, expressed support for the proposed new modification regarding Newbury Farm.

Councillor Anna Bradnam queried whether recent planning permission given to the Arthur Rank Hospice near the Cambridge Babraham Road Park and Ride site would impact the green belt. In response to this, Members were informed that the most recent green belt study concluded that land could be released north and south of Worts Causeway, without significant harm to the green belt.

Councillor Bridget Smith queried the reliance on the County Council providing further evidence regarding ‘Nine Wells’. In response to this Members were informed that as the land owner, Cambridgeshire County Council was treated as any other developer submitting a planning application and would therefore provide the extra evidence required. This would be tested to ensure it was robust before any recommendation was made. Before any decision was taken, the assessment of the evidence would be presented to Members at a future Council meeting. Members were assured that there would be no officer conflict of interest.

The Leader of the Council acting on behalf of the Portfolio Holder, AGREED the following recommendations to Full Council:

a)    That the Report on Consultation (Appendix A), the Proposed Modifications (Appendix C) and the supplement to the Sustainability Appraisal Addendum (Appendix E) be submitted for consideration by Full Council on 23 March 2016 and approved for submission to the Inspectors examining the Local Plan;

b)    To agree that the documents attached to the report as Appendices F to J are noted and submitted as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan;

c)    To agree that delegated authority be given to the Director of Planning and New Communities to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

The Planning Portfolio Holder RECOMMENDED that Council:

(a)        AGREES the consultation document with proposed modifications (Appendix A) and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) for public consultation between 2 December 2015 and 25 January 2016.

(b)        AGREES that any amendments and editing changes that need to be made to the consultation material and proposed modifications (Appendix A) and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) be agreed in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

(c)        NOTES the documents attached to this report as Appendices C to J and submits them as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan.

(d)        AGREES to give delegated authority to the Director of Planning and New Communities to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

NOTE – Appendices B to J have not been included in the printed agenda pack and are available on the Council’s website by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk and following the links from ‘Your Council’.  

Council:

(a)        AGREED the consultation document with proposed modifications (Appendix A), as amended by the supplementary report dated 27 November 2015, and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) for public consultation between 2 December 2015 and 25 January 2016.

(b)        AGREED that any amendments and editing changes that need to be made to the consultation material and proposed modifications (Appendix A) and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) be agreed in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

(c)        NOTED the documents attached to this report as Appendices C to J and submits them as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan.

(d)        AGREED to give delegate authority to the Director of Planning and New Communities to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

Councillor Robert Turner, Portfolio Holder for Planning, presented a report which set out the further work carried out by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council on the Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Local Development Plans, following initial conclusions received from the Inspectors examining the Plans in a letter dated 20 May 2015.  The report and its accompanying appendices outlined the Councils’ proposed response to the issues raised by the Inspectors and modifications to the Local Plan arising from additional evidence.  A supplementary report was also presented, which had been circulated separately to the agenda pack for this meeting, reflecting recent communication with the Inspectors subsequent to the publication of the agenda about the way the consultation on proposed modifications was carried out. 

Councillor Turner put forward the following proposition:

‘That the Council

(a)        Agrees the consultation document with proposed modifications (Appendix A), as amended by the supplementary report dated 27 November 2015, and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) for public consultation between 2 December 2015 and 25 January 2016.

(b)        Agrees that any amendments and editing changes that need to be made to the consultation material and proposed modifications (Appendix A) and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) be agreed in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

(c)        Notes the documents attached to the report as Appendices C to J and submits them as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan.

(d)        Agrees to give delegated authority to the Director of Planning and New Communities to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.’

Councillor Turner highlighted that this aspect of the Local Plan had recently been considered at numerous meetings of both authorities, including the Joint Strategic Transport and Spatial Planning Group, the City Council’s Development Plan Scrutiny Sub-Committee and his Planning Portfolio Holder Meeting in the lead up to this meeting.  The City Council was considering the same report at its meeting of Council, simultaneous to this meeting.  He took this opportunity to pay tribute to Caroline Hunt, Planning Policy Manager, and her team for the tremendous amount of work they had undertaken in accordance with the very challenging deadline, as requested by Council.

Councillor Turner reflected on the complexity of this Local Development Plan and reminded Council that the first Hearings had been held in November 2014 until April 2015, further to which a letter from the Inspectors was received in May 2015 resulting in formal suspension of the inspection process on 28 July 2015.  In order to address the issues highlighted by the Inspectors in their letter, and further to agreement by Council, additional work by the Council’s Planning Policy team and independently appointed consultants had been undertaken, the results of which were set out in the main report and supplementary report.  In particular he referred to a new Green Belt study that had been completed and the Development Strategy which, he felt, provided the right balance for the Local Development Plan.

Councillor Lynda Harford, Chairman of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3

Appendices B to J are available on the Council’s website by visiting www.scambs.gov.uk and following the links from ‘Your Council’. Appendix C is in ten parts for ease of download.

The Planning Portfolio Holder recommended that the Special meeting of Full Council on 30 November 2015:

1.     agrees that the consultation document with proposed modifications (Appendix A) and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B), subject to the reason for the proposed modification to PM/SC/2/G including the words “…subject to the provision of transport infrastructure improvements”, and approves it for public consultation between 2 December 2015 and 25 January 2016;

2.     agrees that any amendments and editing changes that need to be made to the consultation material and proposed modifications (Appendix A) and sustainability appraisal (Appendix B) be agreed in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder;

3.     notes the documents attached to this report as Appendices C to J and submits them as part of the evidence base for the Local Plan; and

4.     gives to the Director of Planning and New Communities delegated powers to make any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes, in consultation with the Planning Portfolio Holder.

The Planning Portfolio Holder considered a report setting out the further work carried out by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Councilon the Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Local Plans, following initial conclusions received from the Inspectors examining the Plans in a letter dated 20 May 2015.  The report and attached documentation set out the Councils’ response to the issues raised by the Inspectors, and modifications to the Local Plans arising from the additional evidence.  The Portfolio Holder noted that the intention was that the proposed modifications should be made available for public consultation between December 2015 and January 2016.

The Planning Policy Manager summarised the background set out in paragraphs 5 to 10 of the report from the Planning and New Communities Director. The Joint Strategic Transport and Spatial Planning Group had considered a similar report on 16 November 2015, and had supported the recommendations. There had been strong support for the Green Belt, and some consideration of New Settlements.

The Planning Portfolio Holder paid tribute to the Planning Policy Manager and her Planning Policy team at South Cambridgeshire District Council, and corresponding officers atCambridge City Council, for co-ordinating the work leading up to this meeting.

Councillor Bridget Smith referred to the modification in the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan changing the housing requirement from 19,000 to 19,500. The Planning Policy Manager explained that the extra 500 dwellings would count towards the District Council’s City Deal commitment of 1,000 dwellings on rural exception sites.

Councillor Peter Johnson asked whether the option of beginning the construction of a new town at Waterbeach effectively meant more dwellings on that strategic site. The Planning and New Communities Director said there would not be more dwellings overall, but there might be more than originally planned by the end of the Local Plan period in 2031. The intention was simply to allow flexibiliuty.

Councillor Tony Orgee was supportive of proposals to submit to district-wide consultation those sites put forward by Parish Councils.

Councillor John Williams referred to land north of Cherry Hinton Road, and asked whether the proposed new secondary school was taken into account when undertaking thetraffic assessment. The Planning Policy Manager replied that the traffic assessment took account of the larger site.

Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins established that, should development of the Bourn Airfield be approved by the Inspector, and it was possible to advance the start date to 2021 or 2022, there would be a reduction from 250 dwellings a year to 150 dwellings a year in terms of build out.

Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins made a statement on behalf of the residents of Caldecote. She said that the quality of life of those residents would be affected adversely by not improving transport infrastructure other than public transport links. Measures must be taken to protect other modes of transport, and to improve roads, including the A1303 linking with the M11.

Councillor David Bard also stressed the importance of transport infrastructure improvements.

Those present discussed the independent Green Belt study, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3