Agenda item

Outline planning application for the erection of up to 34 new residential units as a Social Housing Rural Exception Site in the Greenbelt and new pedestrian footway with all matters reserved except for access from Histon Road.

By 4 votes to 1, with 2 abstentions and 1 Member not voting, the Committee approved the application in accordance with the officer’s recommendation, and subject to the conditions and satisfactory completion of a Section 106 Agreement, as laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

Councillor Eileen Wilson withdrew from the Committee, in-line with her Declaration of Interest.

The Principal Planner, Cuma Ahmet, presented the report and clarified that application 20/04906/OUT was an outline planning application for 34 new units (all matters reserved except for access) which the Committee resolved to grant at the meeting held on 14 September 2024, with the matter returning to Committee to determine 2 subsequent amendments to the previous resolution which were:

1-    An amendment to the original red line application boundary.

2-    An amendment requested by Cambridgeshire County Council as the Education Authority to the Education Contribution (Secondary Education) S106 Heads of Terms.

Members enquired as to how the Cambridgeshire County Council Education department had come to the conclusion that Section 106 contributions towards secondary education was no longer required, despite the forecast deficit of places at Cottenham Village College. Officers, including Cambridgeshire County Council’s Area Education Officer, clarified the reasons for the withdrawal of the request for contributions for secondary education and referred to paragraphs 9.7-9.13 of the report.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Tim Jones of Cottenham Parish Council who represented the Parish Council and their objection to the proposal. Councillor Eileen Wilson addressed the Committee as local Member and welcomed the proposed footpath, but raised concerns over the lack of pedestrian crossing and the availability of secondary school places in the local area.

In response to a Member question, officers clarified that the original outline consent had been granted without a proposed footpath and the scheme in front of the Committee was an alternative proposal which did include a footpath. Officers confirmed that the condition to require details of the access road and pedestrian crossing had been included in the proposal as condition 39. Further detail on the targeted opening of a new secondary school at Darwin Green and the forecast expansion of Northstowe Secondary College was also given.

In the debate, Members expressed a view that it was unusual for the County Council to withdraw a request for S106 funding. Some Members felt that as the County Council had withdrawn their request it would be inappropriate to require secondary education contributions through the Section 106 Agreement and, as such, the application should be approved. Others felt that the schools cited as meeting the demand for secondary school places (Northstowe and Darwin Green) were not close enough to Cottenham and that the removal of S106 contributions to secondary education was not acceptable. Officers advised that, as the County Council had withdrawn its request for S106 funding for secondary education, the original S106 agreement attached to the existing outline consent could not be completed. Some Members stated that they were not happy with the proposal but felt there were no grounds for refusal.

By 4 (Councillors Dr Martin Cahn, Ariel Cahn, Bill Handley and Dr Lisa Redrup) votes to 1 (Councillor Dr Richard Williams), with 2 abstentions (Councillors Judith Rippeth and Peter Sandford) and 1 Member not voting (Councillor Heather Williams, the Committee approved the application in accordance with the officer’s recommendation, and subject to the conditions and satisfactory completion of a Section 106 Agreement, as laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

Councillor Eileen Wilson rejoined the Committee.