Decisions

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

Members visited the site on 13 August 2019.

Colin Wilson (objector), Mike Briggs (applicant) and Avril Taylor (Arrington Parish Council) addressed the meeting.

There was some concern about the proposal’s prominence, including in terms of the height due to the ground level differences.

On the proposal of Councillor Heather Williams, seconded by Councillor Deborah Roberts, and by nine votes to two, the Committee deferred the application to enable officers to explore with the applicant ways to address Members’ concerns about visual impact, render and flooding.

(Councillors Ellington, Handley, Heylings, Milnes, Rippeth, Roberts, Topping, Heather Williams and Wilson voted for deferral. Councillors John Batchelor and Fane voted against deferral.)

Members visited the site on 13 August 2019.

Colin Wilson (objector), Craig Smith (applicant) and Avril Taylor (Arrington Parish Council) addressed the meeting.

There was some concern about scale, bulk and design. However, the majority of Members expressed satisfaction with the application subject to a Condition limiting use of the garage.

By nine votes to two, the Committee approved the application subject to

1.    The Conditions and Informatives referred to in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development; and

2.    An additional Condition preventing the permitted garage from either being used as, or being converted for use as, a habitable property.

(Councillors John Batchelor, Ellington, Fane, Handley, Heylings, Rippeth, Topping and Wilson voted to approve the application. Councillors Roberts and Heather Williams voted to refuse.)

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

(Councillors John Batchelor, Cahn, de Lacey, Fane, Handley, Milnes and Rippeth voted to approve the application. Councillors Heylings, Topping, Heather Williams and Wright voted for refusal.)

Cabinet, at its meeting held on 1 July 2019, considered the terms of reference for the proposed Joint Local Planning Advisory Group. In so doing, it agreed that South Cambridgeshire District Council’s representation should comprise two nominations from the Liberal Democrat Group and one from the Conservative group.

Following nominations from the Group Leaders of the respective groups, it is now proposed:-

1.      To appoint Councillors Dr. Tumi Hawkins (Lead Cabinet Member for Planning) and Dr. Aidan Van de Weyer (Deputy Leader (Statutory)) to represent the Liberal Democrat Group and Councillor Tom Bygott to represent the Conservative Group on the Joint Local Planning Advisory Group; and

2.      To authorise the Chief Executive to appoint substitute members for the Advisory Group following nominations by the Liberal Democrat and Conservative Groups.

1.      That Councillors Dr. Tumi Hawkins (Lead Cabinet Member for Planning) and Dr. Aidan Van de Weyer (Deputy Leader (Statutory)) be appointed to represent the Liberal Democrat Group and Councillor Tom Bygott be appointed to represent the Conservative Group on the Joint Local Planning Advisory Group; and

2.      That the Interim Chief Executive be authorised to appoint substitute members for the Advisory Group in accordance with the nominations by the Liberal Democrat and Conservative Groups.

Purpose

1.    The purpose of this report is:

(a)  To agree the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply – Main Document and Annex (which are Appendices 1 and 2 of this decision) to be published on the Council’s website and subject to public consultation for 4 weeks from 16 September to 14 October 2019. The Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year housing land supply calculations have been prepared jointly with Cambridge City Council, consistent with the adopted Local Plans.

(b)  To agree the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan for South Cambridgeshire (which is Appendix 3 of this decision), including a Statement of Common Ground with Cambridge City Council, to be published on the Council’s website.

2.    In January 2019, Cabinet agreed that the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year supply calculations would be agreed by the Cabinet Member for Planning via a decision outside of a meeting (together with the Executive Member for Planning Policy at Cambridge City Council) and that the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan for South Cambridgeshire would be agreed by the Cabinet Member for Planning via a decision outside of a meeting.

Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply

3.    The government through national planning policy requires that all local planning authorities identify sufficient deliverable sites to deliver a minimum of five years worth of housing against their housing requirement, as set out in their Local Plans. The Greater Cambridge housing trajectory is used by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council to calculate their five year housing land supply and also to demonstrate that anticipated housing delivery will meet or exceed their housing requirement.

4.    The approach to considering the five year housing land supply for Greater Cambridge is set out in Policy 3 of the Cambridge Local Plan 2018 and Policy S/12 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018. The Inspectors that examined both Local Plans confirmed that the five year supply should be calculated on the basis of a joint housing trajectory for Greater Cambridge reflecting the joint development strategy across the two Local Plans, using a 20% buffer and the Liverpool methodology.

5.    The Councils consider that the Inspectors’ conclusions on the Councils’ five year housing land supply and the inclusion within the adopted Local Plans of statements on five year housing land supply, satisfy the requirements set out in national planning policy and guidance for their five year housing land supply to be established in a recently adopted Local Plan. The two Councils have therefore established their five year housing land supply until 31 October 2019, through the adoption of the Local Plans in autumn 2018.

6.    Ahead of 1 November 2019 when the Councils’ five year supply will no longer be established in the recently adopted Local Plans, the Councils have reviewed and updated the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and their five year supply calculations. The Councils’ new housing trajectory and five year supply calculations are set out in their Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply – Main Document (which is Appendix 1 of this decision).    

7.    The Councils have prepared the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year supply calculations based on national planning policy and guidance for housing trajectories, five year supply calculations and Annual Position Statements. Although their document is not an Annual Position Statement, the Councils are seeking to apply all the requirements and expectations for the preparation of an Annual Position Statement, including by engaging with landowners, developers and agents, and undertaking wider public consultation.

8.    The Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year housing land supply calculations show that jointly for Greater Cambridge, the Councils can demonstrate a five year housing land supply, using the Liverpool methodology and 20% buffer. The Councils jointly have 5.3 years of housing land supply for the 2019-2024 five year period. The Councils have taken a robust and conservative approach to assessing the deliverability and / or developability of each of the sites in the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory, it is likely that the five year housing land supply for Greater Cambridge is in practice greater.

9.    The Councils’ previously published five year supply calculations, as set out in the adopted Local Plans had anticipated that the Councils would have been able to demonstrate 6.0 years of housing land supply for 2019-2024, and over 6 years of housing land supply for the remainder of the plan period. The Councils believe that the key reason for this reduction in its five year land supply is the change in the definition of a deliverable site as set out in national planning policy and guidance, alongside other site specific factors that have resulted in the anticipated delivery timetable of some individual sites being later than previously anticipated and other factors such as market conditions, Brexit and the uncertain political climate.

10.  National planning policy and guidance sets out the circumstances where planning policies should be considered out of date when making decisions on planning applications, and this includes where the Council cannot demonstrate a five year housing land supply. On the basis of the five year supply calculations in the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply – Main Document (which is Appendix 1 of this decision), this does not apply to Cambridge or South Cambridgeshire, as the Councils can demonstrate a five year supply, and decisions should therefore be made in accordance with the up to date development plans adopted in 2018.

11.  As the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply – Main Document (which is Appendix 1 of this decision) is not an Annual Position Statement, and therefore public consultation is not required by national planning policy and guidance, the Councils consider that the five year housing land supply for 2019-2024 should be used when making planning decisions from 16 September 2019 (the date of publication of the document, and the start of public consultation).

12.  Together, the Local Plans set a housing requirement of 33,500 homes between 2011 and 2031 for Greater Cambridge. The housing trajectory shows that 38,330 dwellings are expected to be delivered between 2011 and 2031, and that anticipated housing delivery within each Council’s area is more than its respective housing requirement.

Housing Delivery Test Action Plan for South Cambridgeshire

13.  The Housing Delivery Test was introduced in 2018, and is an annual assessment of actual housing delivery over the previous three years against the housing requirement for the area for that same three year period. National planning policy and guidance sets out the consequences of different results of the Housing Delivery Test.

14.  The Housing Delivery Test results for 2015-2018 were published in February 2019, and Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire were considered separately. There are no consequences for Cambridge, however for South Cambridgeshire a Housing Delivery Test Action Plan needs to be prepared and a 20% buffer needs to be applied to the five year housing land supply calculations. A buffer of 20% is already being applied to the Greater Cambridge five year housing land supply calculations, as set out above, and therefore this requirement from the Housing Delivery Test is not an additional consequence.

15.  South Cambridgeshire District Council has prepared a Housing Delivery Test Action Plan (which is Appendix 3 of this decision). The Housing Delivery Test Action Plan recognises the functional relationship between Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, consistent with the joint housing trajectory and joint five year housing land supply approach confirmed in the adopted Local Plans, and sets out the existing joint agreements between the two Councils that are relevant to the Housing Delivery Test. The Action Plan sets out the Councils’ case for the Housing Delivery Test to be considered jointly, and that this agreement between the two Councils has been formalised through the signing of a Statement of Common Ground (which is included as Appendix B of the Action Plan). 

Next Steps

16.  The Councils will carry out public consultation on the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year housing land supply calculations for 4 weeks from 16 September to 14 October 2019. After the end of the consultation, the Councils will consider all the comments received, and where necessary make changes to the Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year housing land supply calculations. The Cabinet Member for Planning (and the Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Open Spaces at Cambridge City Council) will then be asked to agree the final Greater Cambridge housing trajectory and five year housing land supply calculations for publication.

The Housing Delivery Test Action Plan for South Cambridgeshire, including a Statement of Common Ground with Cambridge City Council, will be published on the Council’s website.

That the Cabinet Member for Planning agrees:

a.    to the publication of, and consultation on, the Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply – Main Document and Annex (which are Appendices 1 and 2 of this decision);

b.    that the five year housing land supply calculation of 5.3 years for 2019-2024 should be used when making planning decisions from 16 September 2019; and

c.    to the publication of the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan for South Cambridgeshire (which is Appendix 1 of this decision), including a Statement of Common Ground with Cambridge City Council.

To recommend the introduction of a premature birth and neo-natal policy for the council. This would be applied to all employees, supporting them if they have a child born prematurely which requires an extended stay in hospital.

Cabinet agreed:

1.    To support the introduction of a premature birth and neo-natal policy, as set out in the appendix to the report; and

2.    To approve option 4, at 100% of normal salary, in respect of paid leave for employees on premature or neo-natal leave.  

Regarding the Motions referred to it from Full Council, Cabinet

1.    Noted the Motion from Councillor Sarah Cheung Johnson about domestic violence and the White Ribbon Campaign, and asked officers to present a report to a future meeting on the implications for South Cambridgeshire District Council.

2.    Noted the Motion from Councillor Alex Malyon about single-use plastics and plastic pollution and requested the Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Licensing and the Waste Policy, Change and Innovation Manager to take forward work to promote the Plastic Free Communities scheme to parishes and community groups in the District.

3.    Noted the Motion from Councillor Nick Wright and:

a.    Agreed, in principle, that the Council should embrace, as far as possible, a pragmatic approach to a transition to paperless meetings:

b.    Requested officers to present a report to a future meeting on the options and cost implications; and

c.     Supported the proposal for Cabinet to pilot the concept with a view to providing leadership and identifying any issues.

4.    Noted the  Motion from Councillor Gavin Clayton about Safe Spaces, the further comments from Councillor Clayton tabled at the meeting, and agreed that officers be requested:

a.    Tto present a report to Cabinet on an annual basis on the Council’s work in respect of equality and diversity.

b.    To investigate the concerns and issues that the LGBT+ community experiences in South Cambridgeshire by engaging with representatives of the community and any actions the Council could undertake to address those issues both within the organisation and within the wider community.

c.      To explore how the Council can promote equality and diversity policies through working with partners and engaging with our communities, including encouraging community groups to consider equality and diversity issues when applying to the District Council for grant aid.

To consider the adoption of a Value for Money Strategy for the Council.

Cabinet approved the adoption of the Value for Money Strategy attached at Appendix A to the report from the Interim Director of Finance.

To agree the Council’s response to the Local Transport Plan consultation prepared by the Combined Authority.

Cabinet

1.            Agreed in principle the draft joint response from South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council to the Local Transport Plan consultation as attached to the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, subject to the addition, either as part of the joint response or of a separate South Cambridgeshire District Council response, of comments relating to

(i)            the A428 between the Interchange at Girton and the Caxton Gibbet roundabout

(ii)           transport links between South Cambridgeshire villages

(iii)          the specific provision of charging points for Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles

2.            Agreed to delegate the wording of the final joint response and any individual response to the consultation to the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, in consultation with the Deputy Leader (Statutory) of South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Cabinet

a)    Endorsed the approach to reporting to be adopted for the 2019-20 financial year, as set out at paragraph 7 and Appendix A to the report from the Director of Corporate Services; and

b)    Noted the list of emerging Business Plan Indicators as set out and mapped against Business Plan focusses at Appendix B and currently being considered and shaped for reporting at the end of Quarter 2.

c)    Reviewed the Operational Key Performance Indicator results as set out in Appendices C and Ci to the report.

Cabinet approved the amended draft Strategic Risk Register attached as Appendix A to the report from the Interim Director of Finance.

Members visited the site on 13 August 2019.

Denise Farnham (objector) and Councillor David Bard (Sawston Parish Council) addressed the meeting.

The case officer verbally corrected an error on the first page of the report: the application was Outline only not Full as stated.

The Senior Planning Lawyer reminded the Committee that issues surrounding the access constituted a civil matter, which was not a material consideration in determining this planning application.

Councillor Heather Williams asked why the application was for self-build rather than Council housing. The case officer reminded Members about their duty towards those on the self-build register, and said that each application had to be dealt with on its merits.

Councillor Peter Topping had some sympathy with local residents, particularly in connection with the adverse impact on neighbour amenity.

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

Members visited the site on 13 August 2019.

The case officer gave a verbal presentation based on the following points:

·         Highways issues were being addressed as part of the A14 upgrade

·         Implications for Northstowe Town Centre

·         Unsustainability of the proposed development

·         Departure from the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018

Members sought and received clarification about appropriate marketing of the redundant buildings on site, and the sequential retail test.

Matthew Morris (objecting on behalf of Homes England, who were developing Northstowe Town Centre), Peter Keenan (applicant’s agent), and Councillor Bunty Waters (local Member) addressed the meeting.

Most Members focussed on the proposal’s conflict with Local Plan policies, retail hierarchy and marketing requirements and were minded to refuse the application. However, Councillor Peter Fane said that the proposal should be viewed in terms of striking a balance between existing retail in South Cambridgeshire and the proposal’s specific benefits, including job creation. Councillor Fane noted that traffic issues were being addressed and that there was overwhelming public support for the proposal. He referred to a comment made by the applicant’s agent that the retailers lined up for the development had stated that, for commercial reasons, they were no longer interested in trading from town centres the size of Northstowe.

By ten votes to one, the Committee refused the application for the reasons set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

(Councillors John Batchelor, Ellington, Handley, Heylings, Milnes, Rippeth, Roberts, Topping. Heather Williams and Wilson voted to refuse the application. Councillor Fane voted to approve it.)

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

Members visited the site on 13 August 2019. They also viewed in passing an example of cladding existing in Herward Close, Impington.

The case officer explained that 15 Princes Close was a non-designated heritage asset.

Elaine Butterworth (Warm Homes Surveyor, South Cambridgeshire District Council) addressed the meeting.

By ten votes to nil, with Councillor Deborah Roberts abstaining, the Committee voted to approve the application subject to

1.    The Conditions set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development; and

2.    Any rewording of those Conditions being agreed between officers and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee prior to the issue of a Decision Notice.

Members visited the site on 13 August 2019. They also viewed in passing an example of cladding existing in Herward Close, Impington.

The case officer explained that 16 Princes Close was a non-designated heritage asset.

Elaine Butterworth (Warm Homes Surveyor, South Cambridgeshire District Council) addressed the meeting.

By ten votes to nil, with Councillor Deborah Roberts abstaining, the Committee voted to approve the application subject to

1.    The Conditions set out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development; and

2.    Any rewording of those Conditions being agreed between officers and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee prior to the issue of a Decision Notice.

On 30 August 2019 the Grants Advisory Committee reviewed all new applications received between 1 and 31 July 2019.

Following consideration of the applications, the Committee made the following recommendations to the Finance Portfolio Holder:

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

The land to the rear of 1 Westfield Road, Fowlmere was the subject of a Decision Notice dated 13.06.2018 for the approval of the sale of land, following the identification of this site as one of 100 self-build plots in our District.

The first Decision Notice was drafted following obtaining Outline Planning Permission ref: S/4112/17/OL and this site was subsequently marketed by Carter Jonas, in accordance with the requirement placed on Local Authorities to adhere to S.123 of the Local Government Act 1972, which seeks to ensure that public assets i.e. residential building plots, are disposed of at ‘best price’ (market value) to safeguard the tax payers’ interests and prevent any possible Judicial Challenge.

The period of open marketing, across multiple platforms and directed both to the existing register and to the general public, attracted a good deal of interest. 11 qualifying bids were submitted directly to the Council by 31^st July 2019.

The successful highest bid of £205,000 was received by an applicant on the Self-Build Register.

We have received formal written notification from Carter Jonas, dated 1^st August 2019, that the obligation to achieve ‘best price’ in accordance with S.123 of The Local Government Act 1972 has been discharged.

Approval granted for the sale of HRA owned land to the rear of 1 Westfield Road, Fowlmere which has outline planning permission for the erection of a single dwelling for the best value price of £205,000.