Issue - meetings

Erection of R&D building and associated decked car park, landscaping and associated infrastructure

The Committee agreed to an amendment to condition 14(b). By 5 votes to 4, the Committee approved the application, subject to the completion of a s106 agreement, the amended condition and the conditions laid out the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

The Area Development Manager presented the report and provided a number of updates. It was stated that a site visit had been undertaken on June 14 and that 15 objections to the application had been received; a summary of the objections was provided. The Area Development Manager provided clarity over the status of a masterplan referenced by a third party when the application was previously heard by the Committee in March 2022 and informed Members that, after a thorough review, officers could not find any reason why the Committee could not consider the application on the merits before them. Clarity over the historical permissions on the site was given in response to a question.

The Committee was addressed by a public objector, Corrie Newell on behalf of the James Binney Will Trust, and Members asked questions of clarity regarding ground levels and the impact on trees on the site. Orestis Tzortzoglou addressed the Committee on behalf of the applicant and responded to questions on the heights of the building, impact on trees and the distance of the proposed development from surrounding villages. Parish Councillor Tony Orgee spoke on the behalf of Great Abington Parish Council and raised a number of concerns. Councillor John Batchelor spoke as local Member and opposed the application, citing contravention of policies NH/2 and HQ/1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018.

In the debate, Members acknowledged that the development, if approved, would lead to some visual harm but noted the need to assess the planning balance and the benefits the development would create. The Committee noted the creation of employment that would be a result of the development and acknowledged the importance of the work undertaken at Granta Park. In response to discussion on transport, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Principal Transport Officer, Tam Parry, offered clarity on the impact on highways and the financial contributions to improve transport infrastructure in the area. It was noted that the design of the development was supported in the context of Granta Park. Concerns were raised over the height of the building, screening and the impact on the surrounding landscape.

The Committee agreed that, if it were minded to approve, condition 14(b) would be altered to ensure the hedges lost in the development would be replaced elsewhere on-site. The Committee agreed that, if it were minded to refuse, the reasons for refusal would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area and surrounding rural landscape by virtue of scale, bulk, mass and form, with policies S/2(b), HQ/1, NH/2 and E/15(3) of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 being cited.

By 5 votes to 4 (Councillors Handley, Harvey, Heather Williams and Dr Richard Williams), the Committee approved the application, subject to the completion of a s106 agreement, the amended condition and the conditions laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.