Decisions

This decision relates to specific delegations to the Lead Member for Planning Policy and Delivery agreed by Cabinet at its meeting held on 1 October 2021.

The Local Plan is being prepared jointly for the Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council authority areas, the First Proposals consultation documents were considered by the following meetings:

• Joint Local Plan Advisory Group 8 September 2021
• South Cambridgeshire District Council Scrutiny & Overview 21 September 2021
• South Cambridgeshire District Council Climate and Environment Advisory Committee 21 September 2021
• Cambridge Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee 28 September 2021
• South Cambridgeshire District Council Cabinet 1 October 2021

Cabinet:

a)    Agreed the Greater Cambridge Local Plan: First Proposals (preferred options) (Regulation 18) (Appendix A) for public consultation;

b)    Noted the First Proposals Sustainability Appraisal (Appendix B) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (Appendix C) and agree them as supporting documents to the First Proposals that will also be subject to public consultation;

c)    Agreed the following supporting documents to the public consultation:

·       Topic papers for each theme (Appendix D)

·       Statement of Consultation, including the Councils’ consideration of and responses to representations received to the Issues and Options consultation 2020 (Appendix E);

·       Duty to Cooperate Statement of Compliance (Appendix F);

·       Draft Duty to Cooperate Statement of Common Ground (attached at Appendix G)

·       Equalities Impact Assessment (Appendix H);

d)    Agreed the findings of the following background document that has informed the First Proposals and is proposed to accompany the public consultation:

·       Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (Appendix I and errata at appendix J);

e)    Noted the findings of the following background documents that have informed the First Proposals and are proposed to accompany the public consultation (see Background documents to this report):

·       Greater Cambridge Local Plan: First Conversation (issues and options) (Regulation 18) data release published September 2020

·       Interim Evidence published in November 2020

·       New Evidence published August 2021;

f)      Agreed that any subsequent material amendments be made by the Lead Member for Planning Policy in Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, in consultation with respective Chairs and Spokes;

g)    Agreed that any subsequent minor amendments and editing changes that do not materially affect the content be delegated to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development in consultation with the Lead Member for Planning Policy in Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, in consultation with respective Chairs and Spokes.

Following the meetings, and in liaison with JLPAG members, amendments have been identified to the Local Plan First Proposals document and supporting documents, responding to issues raised at the meetings and providing clarifications on a number of other issues identified by officers. These amendments are provided in a schedule appended to this decision as appendix 1 (which includes Annex 1: Greater Cambridge Local Plan: First Proposals Sustainability Appraisal (October 2021) and Annex 2: Greater Cambridge Local Plan: First Proposals Sustainability Appraisal Non-Technical Summary (October 2021), both revised to reflect changes in the schedule, and Annex 3: a finalised version the Greater Cambridge Local Plan Preferred Options Transport Evidence Report).

The purpose of this decision is to approve these amendments.

Note: To ensure an aligned agreement on these documents between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, the Cambridge City Council Executive Councillor for Planning and Transport is also taking an out of cycle decision on them at the same time.

To confirm the amendments to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan First Proposals document and supporting documents as set out in the schedule appended to this decision.

By affirmation, minus the vote of Councillor Dr. Richard Williams who had left the meeting for this Item, the Planning Committee approved the application subject to the Conditions and Informatives set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

By affirmation, the Planning Committee approved the retrospective installation of a sun pipe to the previously approved kitchen extension in accordance with the recommendation set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

All planning applications for Swavesey considered by the Planning Committee since May 2003. For individual reports, please click on the ‘Meetings’ tab above. For further details on all Swavesey planning applications, please visit our Planning Applications Database and select Swavesey from the drop-down list of parishes

Upon a proposal from Councillor Heather Williams, seconded by Councillor Anna Bradnam, the Planning Committee approved, by six votes to three, the addition of the wording “in consultation with the Parish Council” be added to condition 3 set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

By affirmation, the Planning Committee approved the application subject to the conditions set out in the report by the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development and the addition of the agreed wording to condition 3.

All planning applications for Shepreth considered by the Planning Committee since May 2003. For individual reports, please click on the ‘Meetings’ tab above. For further details on all Shepreth planning applications, please visit our Planning Applications Database and select Shepreth from the drop-down list of parishes

By affirmation, the Planning Committee granted delegated authority to officers to issue a new planning permission subject to:

(a)      the conditions and informatives set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development; and

(b)      the prior completion of a Deed of Variation

All planning applications for Longstanton considered by the Planning Committee since May 2003. For individual reports, please click on the `Meetings’ tab above. For further details on all Longstanton planning applications, please visit our Planning Applications Database and select Longstanton from the drop-down list of parishes.

By affirmation, the Planning Committee approved the application subject to the Conditions and Informatives set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

All planning applications for Fulbourn considered by the Planning Committee since May 2003. For individual reports, please click on the “Meetings” tab above. For further details on all Fulbourn planning applications, please visit our Planning Applications Database and select Fulbourn from the drop-down list of parishes.

By unanimous vote, the Planning Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development. Members agreed that the reasons for refusal were:

Design

The proposed development, by virtue of the scale and siting of the two and a half storey apartment buildings located centrally within the site and within a key view north through the site across Poor Well and along the chalk stream towards the open countryside beyond, would result in significant harm to the character and appearance of the area and significantly erode the existing wide open view and green space, which provided a positive connection between the existing village and adjacent countryside.

Furthermore, the adverse visual impact of the apartment buildings was exacerbated by virtue of the buildings being sited on raised platforms, which would increase ground levels by up to a further 900mm above existing, enhancing the adverse prominence and dominance of the central apartment buildings within the site and within views from the surrounding area, creating a scale of development that was out of keeping with the character of the area.

The proposal was therefore contrary to Policy HQ/1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021, which required developments to be of high quality design, to be compatible with its location in terms of scale and appearance and to make a positive contribution to its local and wider context and the Fulbourn Village Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document 2020, in particular guidance notes 10.3, 10.10, 10.12 and Figure 46 of the Guide, which sought in Section 10 to integrate larger developments within the village.

Drainage

Insufficient information had been submitted to demonstrate that the reserved matters scheme can provide a satisfactory scheme of surface water drainage and prevent the increased risk of flooding. The proposal was therefore contrary to Policies CC/7, CC/8 and CC/9 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and paragraph 167 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 which require development proposals to incorporate appropriate sustainable surface water drainage systems and to ensure that flood risk is not increased elsewhere.

Biodiversity

The reserved matters scheme failed to provide a measurable net gain in biodiversity. The proposal was therefore contrary to Policies HQ/1(m) and NH/4 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and paragraphs 174 and 180 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 which require development proposals to aim to maintain, enhance, restore or add to biodiversity and minimise the impacts on, and providing net gains for, biodiversity.

Affordable Housing

The reserved matters scheme, by virtue of the proposed layout, failed to adequately distribute affordable properties throughout the site and to integrate those units appropriately with the market housing. The proposal was therefore contrary to Policy H/10 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and the Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy 2019-2023 which sought to provide affordable housing in small groups or clusters distributed through the site.

All planning applications for Cottenham considered by the Planning Committee since May 2003. For individual reports, please click on the “Meeting” tab above. For further details on all Cottenham planning applications, please visit our Planning Applications Database and select Cottenham from the drop-down list of parishes.

By affirmation, the Planning Committee approved the application subject to the conditions set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

Agreement to proceed with the project and delegation of authority for the signing of any agreements required to the CFO.

Cabinet:

a)    Approved the business case shown in Appendix A, providing agreement to proceed with the project.

b)    Delegated authority for signing any required agreements as part of this project to the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance.

To agree that the Council is committed to the delivery of the NEC AAP.

Cabinet:

a)    Noted that the North East Cambridge Area Action Plan is contingent upon the separate Development Control Order being undertaken by Anglian Water for the relocation of the Waste Water Treatment Plant being approved;

b)    Agreed that the Council is committed to the delivery of the North East Cambridge Area Action Plan, including land disposal or assembly, and subject to formal adoption of the Area Action Plan in due course, to use its Compulsory Purchase Orders powers if required.

This is for information only, but has been requested by Cabinet to provide a 6 month update.

Cabinet:

Noted the contents of the report and the delivery of activities and services which promote physical and mental health and wellbeing.

On 24th September 2021, the Grants Advisory Committee and Climate and Environment Advisory Committee reviewed all Zero Carbon Communities (ZCC) applications that were received between 10^th May and 30th July 2021. 

Following consideration of the applications, the Grants Advisory Committee made the following recommendations for funding to the Finance Portfolio Holder:

Following consideration of the applications, the Grants Advisory Committee has not recommended funding to the Finance Portfolio Holder:

To accept the recommendations of the Grants Advisory Committee (see above).