Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan Preferred Options Report – INITIAL DRAFT July 2004

Appendix 5

Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan

Draft Preferred Options Report

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Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan

Preferred Options Report

Introduction

This Preferred Options Report provides the opportunity for stakeholders and the general public to contribute to the planning of the Southern Fringe of Cambridge in as far as it relates to South District Council, namely:

• South of Hobsons Conduit and the City Boundary towards Gog Magog downs, Wandlebury and Great Shelford.

• The Monsanto land, to the south and west of the City boundary towards Byron’s Pool and Harston.

This area cannot be looked at in isolation and has to be considered in conjunction with the work currently being undertaken by Cambridge City Council as part of the Cambridge Local Plan Review, where the areas to the east and south-east of Trumpington and to the south and west of Addenbrooke’s Hospital have been identified for major growth as urban extensions to Cambridge.

This report is being published to stimulate debate and to invite comments on the preferred options drawn up by the District Council for the development of this area.

In getting to this stage, the District Council has already begun a dialogue with key stakeholders who will contribute to the development of the Southern Fringe. This included a Workshop in October 2003, which explored some of the guiding principles for the location and development of the Southern Fringe

The District Council has carried out consultation with statutory bodies as required under the new Local Development Framework (LDF) system of plan making to help with the identification of preferred options. A summary of the comments received and the proposed Council’s response is attached at the end of the report.

The Workshop and comments from statutory bodies and joint member steering groups have helped the District Council to draw up its Preferred Options, but it is important to involve the wider community before the District Council finalises its plans that will then be submitted to the Secretary of State.

Comments on this Preferred Options Report are invited during a 6 weeks’ period after which the District Council will consider the comments received and draft the Area Action Plan for the Southern Fringe ready for submission to the Secretary of State at the end of January 2005. At that time, there will be a formal opportunity to

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make representations on the plan and these will be considered by an independent Inspector at a Public Examination, likely to be held in the Autumn of 2005.

The Area Action Plan for the Southern Fringe in South Cambridgeshire will identify:

a) Land for housing development on the Monsanto land, to the south of the city b) Proposals for enhanced landscaping and public access to the wider countryside c) Creation of identity d) Revised Green Belt boundaries

The purpose of the Area Action Plan is to establish:

• A vision for the Southern Fringe; and • To set out policies and proposals to steer the development of the Monsanto site; • To increase accessibility to the wider countryside; • To enhance landscaping and biodiversity; • To mitigate for the visual impacts of development within the city; • To protect the setting of Cambridge; • To create meaningful gateways to and from the city; • To address greenbelt boundary review.

The Area Action Plan will address the full range of land use and planning issues that need to be taken into account in bringing forward the development of the Southern Fringe. In doing so, it will also include a suite of plans comprising:

• A Site Allocation Plan which will show:

o How the area will be developed as urban extensions of Cambridge (this will need to be consistent with any allocation made in Cambridge City Council’s plans). o The proposed extent of the built-up area of the Monsanto land, including open space and roads (in part in the South Cambridgeshire AAP and in part in the City Council’s plans). o Any Green Belt and any associated countryside recreation areas.

• An Off-Site Infrastructure Plan which will show all off-site land which will be required to provide infrastructure directly related to the development of the Southern Fringe. For completeness, it will show the proposed Guided Bus route, key transport links and the urban extensions to Clay Farm/Showground, Glebe Farm, the Bell School and Addenbrooke’s (although these will be shown on the Local Plan proposals map and Supplementary Planning Document within the City Council’s area).

• A Concept Plan which shows in a diagram the redrawn green belt, the proposed access routes, especially cycle and pedestrian, enhanced

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landscape areas, proposed connectivity to the wider landscape, and how the setting of Cambridge will be respected.

The Area Action Plan will provide a context for detailed plans to be prepared before and during the development process:

• A Strategic Masterplan and Design Guide will be prepared to accompany any outline planning application for urban extensions of mainly housing at Trumpington and research /hospital development at Addenbrooke’s showing how the Concept Plan will be interpreted. The Strategic Masterplan will show the general disposition of development, roads, services, open spaces and landscaping. Although most of the development will take place within Cambridge City’s boundaries the strategic Masterplan will need to demonstrate how landscape improvements and wider countryside access are to be achieved within South Cambridgeshire as it is this rural area which provides the setting for the development and for the City as a whole and which is the countryside recreational resource for the southern side of the City including the new development. The Design Guide will identify the particular character of the Southern Fringe and set out the general principles for good design of the urban extensions.

• A Local Masterplan and Design Code will be prepared to accompany any outline planning applications for the Monsanto site and for associated areas for landscaping and recreational open space. The Local Masterplan will identify on a map base the boundaries of individual uses and developments. The Design Code will set more detailed criteria to create a clear identity for these areas. This Local Masterplan will need to demonstrate how it relates to the wider area south of Trumpington.

• Development Briefs will be prepared to accompany subsequent planning applications for individual phases of development within each neighbourhood. These will demonstrate in some detail how development will be achieved.

Strategic Development Context

Regional Planning Guidance

The Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia (RPG6) identifies the Cambridge Sub-Region as a growth area for the period up to 2016 where the intention is to increase the rate of development from about 2,200 dwellings to 2,800 dwellings per year.

The Vision from the RPG strategy requires that the environment is protected and enhanced while the distinctiveness of each locality is maintained.

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The RPG’s objectives include:

• Promoting walking and cycling • Biodiversity • Minimising the development of greenfield sites and maintaining enhance the landscape • Giving appropriate protection to valued landscapes • Respecting the setting of towns and cities and the wider countryside • Maximising development on previously used sites close to existing centres.

The following policies in the RPG are relevant:

• Policy 24 - Green belt reviews • Policy 27 – Encouragement of walking and cycling and long distance footpaths • Policy 37 - Conserving and enhancing the environment • Policy 39 - Local Nature Reserves • Policy 40 - Archaeology • Policy 41 and 42 - Biodiversity • Policy 48 - Landscape and biodiversity of farmland • Policy 53 - Water resources • Policy 63 - Countryside recreation

The RPG requires the house-building rate in the Cambridge Sub-Region to be increased to 2,800 dwellings per year from 2006 and sets out a sequence for development:

1. Within Cambridge on previously developed land 2. On the edge of Cambridge in urban extensions through a review of the Green Belt 3. In a small new town 4. In market towns, rural centres and previously established new settlements 5. On the edge of market towns, rural centres and previously established new settlements.

The Southern Fringe, at Monsanto and with the urban extensions at Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s falls into the first two categories of this sequence.

The Structure Plan

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003 sets out a more detailed strategy for these developments. It identifies in Policy P9/2c that Local Plans will make provision for housing and mixed-use development on land to be released from the Green Belt in a number of locations including:

• South and west of Addenbrooke’s Hospital • East and south-east of Trumpington.

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It states that these areas will help deliver the vision of the City as a compact dynamic city by:

• Promoting a sustainable and spatially concentrated pattern of locations for development and sustainable travel patterns • Allowing scope for, rather than constraining continuing development beyond 2016 whilst protecting and enhancing the historic character and setting of Cambridge and the important environmental qualities of the surrounding area.

The Southern fringe locations are amongst those which should be brought forward as early as possible.

It addresses the need for a Strategic Masterplan for the southern fringe of the city as a whole and that it should:

• Recognise the interdependence of the Addenbrooke’s and the east and south-east of Trumpington locations • Retain a green corridor in the vicinity of Hobson’s Brook running from the Shelford area into Cambridge north of Long Road.

The Key Structure Plan policy requirements for the Southern Fringe include:

Policy P1/3 Good design / sustainable built development Policy P4/1 Protection or improvement of the local environment, landscape and amenity Policy P4/2 Informal recreation in the countryside Policy P4/3 Protection of open space and recreation facilities Policy P7/1 protect local nature reserves Policy 7/2 Biodiversity Policy P7/3 Countryside enhancement Policy P7/4 Landscape Policy P7/5 Urban Fringe Policy P8/8 Walking and cycling Policy P8/9 Provision of rights of way Policy P9/2a and b Green belt and boundaries

The details of all of these requirements will need to be developed in drawing up the Area Action Plan for the Southern Fringe and the masterplans, development briefs and planning applications which will follow.

Other policy requirements which should be taken into account in the preparing the Area Action Plan are:

• Providing a sense of place that is integrated with the adjoining landscape yet creates distinctive skylines and landmarks; • The inclusion of green spaces and corridors for recreation and biodiversity; • Conservation of environmental assets;

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• The provision of opportunities for informal recreation; • The desire to preserve and enhance biodiversity value; and • Maximising the opportunities for cycling and walking.

Although not identified in the Structure Plan, the owners of the Monsanto site have indicated that they consider that it also presents an opportunity for a significant number of houses of which a considerable proportion could fall within South Cambridgeshire. The County Council considers that development on the Monsanto land would be consistent with the principles of the Structure Plan and that it would not represent a strategic allocation.

Previous Participation

Representatives from the City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils, the County Council, local residents and local interest groups attended a workshop in October 2003 to consider a number of topics relating to developments both within the City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The key issues for South Cambridgeshire with respect to the lands south of Clay Farm, Royal Showground and Addenbrooke’s/Bell land were identified as:

• Sustainability • Urban design • Spaces and Setting • Transport • A green corridor retained as single entity forming a major visual gateway to the wider countryside and from south adding to the setting of the City

The Monsanto area with its potential development of houses and related services potentially would also need to consider:

• Housing • Services and facilities

Constraints in South Cambridgeshire a. South of Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s

The area within South Cambridgeshire DC is predominately comprised of rural chalk lands with land rising towards the south, naturally fairly open providing long distance key views both from and to the city and the wider countryside. The land to be developed is flat agricultural land with the Hobson’s Brook running through. It currently forms a significant green corridor into the city.

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b. The Monsanto Area

The land adjacent to Monsanto has been affected by agricultural use but essentially is a river valley side, giving a setting to both Trumpington and the River Cam, and unnaturally bordered by the M11.

Opportunities in South Cambridgeshire a. South of Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s

The developments proposed as urban extensions at Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s affect the Green Belt and the green corridor towards the city. This development, with its resultant additional population, will increase the need for additional public access for informal countryside recreation and landscape enhancement to maintain the setting of Cambridge in this area. b. The Monsanto area

Part of this area is a brown-field site, currently occupied by the offices and laboratories of this research company, it adjoins Trumpington to the north and east while the green belt and river corridor adjoin to the south and west; it is very important to the setting of Cambridge, lying as it does on arguably the most important entrance to Cambridge. Any extension into the Green Belt would need to be complemented by extensive enhancement both of the river corridor and edge of the city.

Monsanto therefore provides the opportunity for the improvement of this gateway into Cambridge and the development of an extended community combining the best of modern and innovative urban design with the best traditions of Cambridge’s rural edges.

Summary of Preferred Spatial Strategy

Vision

The development of substantial areas within Cambridge City at Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s and to a lesser extent at Monsanto, part of which could be in South Cambridgeshire, needs to achieve high standards for both the development and the rural area which surrounds it to the south. This area forms an important approach to Cambridge and is a key part of the setting of the City where the land rises up to the Gog Magog Hills which afford some of the best views of Cambridge.

CSF1 Vision – Preferred Approach

The development of the southern fringe will create an opportunity to enhance the landscape character, biodiversity and public access to the

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south and west of Cambridge, whilst complementing the new built development and respecting the setting of Cambridge.

Objectives

CSF2 South of Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s within South Cambridgeshire – Preferred Approach

The AAP for the area South of Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s within South Cambridgeshire should have the following objectives:

• To increase public access by walking and cycling to the wider countryside, particularly to Wandlebury and the Gog Magog Downs to the south and towards the River Cam and Harston to the west of Trumpington

• To consider the possibility of links to other areas of strategic open space such as the proposed Coton Country Park, Wicken Fen and any country park which might come forward at Cambridge East

• To enhance the setting of Cambridge

• To enhance the Landscape Character of the area

• To improve biodiversity

• To protect and record the archaeological and cultural heritage

• To promote the retention of a green corridor, drawing the countryside into the built environment

CSF3 The Monsanto area objectives - Preferred Approach

The AAP for the Monsanto area should have the following objectives:

• To achieve a balanced socially inclusive community with a good mix of house types, sizes and tenure that is attractive to a variety of people and which is well designed, of high quality and energy efficient.

• To ensure that green streets penetrate into the urban extension connecting it to the open countryside including country parks within walking distance to serve the community and provide for wildlife and biodiversity

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To provide an attractive extension in the landscape with which it is well connected through a variety of formal and informal edges.

Implementation and Delivery

The AAP recognises that whilst the great majority of the development will take place within the City Council’s area, it has an impact on a wide area much of which lies in South Cambridgeshire. The AAP will need to contain policies which will deliver the appropriate improvements needed to support development in terms of landscape, biodiversity and recreation including sustainable public access to the countryside.

As the need for these improvements arises as a direct result of the development, it will be appropriate that Section 106 Agreements ensure that developers make contributions to the necessary improvements whether those lie in the City Council’s area or in South Cambridgeshire. An approach therefore akin to the Area Transport Plans for the corridors out of Cambridge is required.

CSF4 Developer contributions to enhancement – Preferred Approach

Contributions for improvements to landscape, biodiversity and public access to the countryside would be sought from the developers for all parts of the Cambridge Southern Fringe by means of Section 106 Agreements and would encompass the Cambridge Southern Fringe, whether in Cambridge City or South Cambridgeshire, as a whole. Strategies demonstrating how the improvements would be achieved would be set out in any Masterplan.

The Monsanto area – development boundary options

There are a number of options for the extent of the redevelopment and/or extension of the existing built-up area (the previously developed land) in this important area. Although it is not identified as a major location for an urban extension in the Structure Plan, the indication by the site owners to withdraw from the current research use and to explore its development potential provides an opportunity to deliver housing in a sustainable location making the best use of previously developed land. This site straddling both the City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils’ boundaries creates an opportunity for this area to redress the current housing/jobs imbalance in Cambridge. It is envisaged that this would be primarily a housing development with associated services and facilities, considered as a single unit. In defining the extent of any new development the importance of this location as a gateway to Cambridge and the impact on the Green Belt setting of the City will be paramount.

Option 1

Constraining development within the current brown field could be restrictive to a well- designed urban extension and the limit the opportunity to contribute to meeting the

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housing requirement for Cambridge. This could justify the redrawing of the Green Belt boundary to permit some development on green field land. There are various points to which the development could be extended. There is a small natural break of slope which marks the transition from the higher level ground to the slope of the river valley, running parallel to the river, and currently marked by a north-south concrete drive, which would form a clear boundary to the west. This would ensure that a substantial area of Green Belt is retained to the east of the river corridor as part of its setting. A new access road, south of the Park and Ride, connecting at a roundabout with the Hauxton Road and the proposed Addenbrooke’s link road could then form the southern boundary of development and create a new clear Green Belt boundary. It would also offer the opportunity to provide additional landscaping to the south of the Park and Ride site thus enhancing the approach to Cambridge. Given the additional development, and with an increased local resident population there would be a need to improve public access to the river corridor for recreation. On balance this option presents greater gains and is the Preferred Option.

CSF5 Extent of Monsanto Development – Preferred Option

The Monsanto site would involve the redevelopment of the exiting built area and extend onto land contained by the north-south concrete drive which follows the break of slope. The southern boundary would be defined by a new access road south of the Park and Ride.

Option 2

The new development could be contained within the current brown field site, which this would avoid any need to review the Green Belt. Sensitive redevelopment would in fact be likely to have a positive and beneficial benefit on the Green Belt as it would have less impact than the existing buildings and would offer the opportunity to improve the landscaping at the urban edge.

CSF6 Extent of Monsanto Development – Alternative Option

Redevelopment of the Monsanto site would be restricted to the existing built-up area with no changes to the boundaries of the Green Belt.

Option 3

Development could extend westwards to an arbitrary 175 m from the river and again using a southern access road as the southern boundary, but with development also south of the Park and Ride site. This would impinge further onto the current Green Belt both to the west and to the south and result in less land being available for countryside access and less land for strategic landscaping to enhance the setting of Cambridge. On balance the environmental dis-benefits would seem to outweigh any advantages.

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CSF7 Extent of Monsanto Development – Rejected Option

There would be substantial development on current Green Belt land extending south of the Park and Ride site and westwards to within 175m of the river.

Drainage

Water is a key element in the Cambridgeshire landscape. It is also an important feature in Cambridge. The use of water both in existing features and any newly created balancing ponds would be appropriate in certain locations depending upon landscape character giving greater variety to both recreational areas and diversity of habitats therefore this could complement the built environment. Drainage for development will be an important factor for both areas. a. South of Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s

To the south of the City the land rises towards the chalk hills culminating in the Gog Magogs. This is an open landscape of chalkland slopes interspersed with blocks of woodland, predominantly beech hangers. Balancing ponds and lakes should not be located in this wider landscape as they would form an alien feature on the chalkland slopes. Any balancing ponds required for the development and any associated infrastructure should therefore be retained within or adjoining the development areas, and used to form additional landscape and recreational features.

CSF8 Drainage Strategy for the south of the City – Preferred Option

All balancing ponds for the new development areas and associated infrastructure would be retained within and close to development and within the City Council’s area.

CSF9 Drainage Strategy for the south of the City – Rejected Option

The drainage of the new development areas and associated infrastructure would include balancing ponds south of Hobson’s Brook within South Cambridgeshire.

b. Drainage for the Monsanto location

Any drainage proposals to serve development at Monsanto will need to have regard to the protection of the river corridor landscape. The use of carefully designed balancing ponds could complement the river corridor and enhance the biodiversity in this area. Dependant on land levels there could be a wetland area of reed beds as a Sustainable Urban Drainage System. These would need to be designed to ensure there would be no detrimental impact to the current river valley landscape features and ecological balance.

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CSF10 Drainage Strategy for the Monsanto location – Preferred Approach

Any development would be drained by using the land between the developed area and the river through the creation of balancing ponds and wetlands utilising Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, consistent with landscape character which would offer the opportunity to increase biodiversity and areas of interest for the public.

Separation of Communities

It is important that the new built developments do not appear to merge either physically or visually with the surrounding villages of Harston and Great Shelford into the City. Whilst there is a linear connection between Trumpington and Shelford via Cambridge Road the separation is achieved by the extensive adjoining fields. It is therefore important that these open areas are retained to protect the individuality of the surrounding villages.

CSF11 Separation of Communities - Preferred Approach

The physical and visual separation to the existing villages within South Cambridgeshire District would be maintained apart to retain the individuality and separation. The addition of new footpaths and cycleways would allow connectivity without compromising separate identity.

Landscape

The main landscape character areas include:

• The rural lowland mosaic • Open chalklands on the rising ground south of Addenbrooke’s • The Hobson Brook corridor and the open River Cam corridor to the south and west of the Monsanto location.

Outside the proposed urban extensions, the retention, improvement and management of the existing landscape character areas is important, and may require additional land-take particularly in sensitive locations, such as Nine Wells for environmental enhancement. An example is the field to the west of the Nine Wells that could add significantly to its value if it was incorporated into it and managed for biodiversity.

Currently much of the land south of Trumpington / Addenbrooke’s is in arable cultivation with sparse hedgerows or field boundaries. The land immediately around Monsanto is generally in experimental agriculture with associated buildings with the land sloping down to Byron’s Pool and the treed river corridor.

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The new character areas created within the proposed developments, will require high quality, distinctive, integrated landscaping catering for all ages and abilities to complement the urban extensions, enhancing visual amenity, landscape and biodiversity.

The new footpaths and cycleways for public access will require careful landscaping to ensure they do not detract from the landscape character whilst ensuring they provide accessibility for all.

The character area to the south of Clay Farm etc needs to be enhanced and used to complement and soften the impact of development on the wider countryside whilst retaining vistas from The Gog Magog Downs, Babraham Road, Great Shelford and the railway. The treatment of the landscape will be important in contributing to the setting of Cambridge and its skyline and enhancing the landscape character whilst integrating it with the new development.

Similarly any development at Monsanto will require sensitive landscaping to respect the key views to the Cambridge skyline from the west, south and east. The site can be seen from M11, Harston, Hauxton, Barrington Hill and Whitehill.

CSF12 Landscape Strategy – Preferred Approach

A landscape strategy would be developed for the whole of the Southern Fringe which would:

• Create an appropriate setting for the urban extensions, including any at Monsanto, minimising any adverse visual or landscape impacts on the surrounding area including the setting and character of Cambridge and surrounding settlements, in particular Great Shelford and Harston

• Make the best use of and enhance the existing tree and hedge resources as a setting for the development

• Create some additional small copses adjacent to both the new and existing footpaths and bridleways

• Ensure that any alterations to topography would be appropriate to local landscape character

• Develop a network of ‘green spaces’, which would have more than one land-use function, within and around the existing and proposed development including Trumpington and Monsanto which integrate well with the built form, contribute to legibility, are pleasant, attractive and multi-functional

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• Ensure a high degree of connectivity between ‘green’ areas, both within the development and the wider countryside for the benefit of wildlife and people

• Enable landscape areas to contribute to informal countryside recreation and biodiversity

Green Corridors at Monsanto

The density of built form is likely to be high and therefore there will be a need for green streets penetrating through the development. The design of these streets should include grass verges and avenue planting which could focus on the key features of Trumpington such as Anstey Hall and the Church as well as views out to the wider countryside. As well as having a visual amenity, these could offer recreational opportunities and pedestrian/cycle routes through into Trumpington centre. It will be important that they connect to the more strategic Green Corridors which penetrate into Cambridge and thus connect to the open countryside in order to enhance their recreational and wildlife value. In the Southern Fringe the Green Corridor between Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s is especially important.

CSF13 Green Corridors at Monsanto – Preferred Approach

Green Streets into and through the development would be created as an integral part of the urban design, adding to the legibility of the development.

Roads and the Landscape

Development of the Southern Fringe, both at Monsanto and Trumpington / Addenbrooke’s, will require the construction of new access roads across what is currently the open countryside of the Green Belt.

For Trumpington / Addenbrooke’s a new road is required to link Hauxton Road to Addenbrooke’s whilst also serving the new residential areas east and south-east of Trumpington. A number of alternatives for the route of this road are being explored through the City Local Plan process. In order to protect and enhance the landscape setting of Cambridge in this crucial sector, any structures will need to be designed to respect the landscape, views and access to the countryside. This could be achieved by a variety of design solutions that are currently being explored.

For Monsanto, access will be required from Hauxton Road. It is part of the Preferred Option for the site definition that this would leave Hauxton Road at the same point as the new Addenbrooke’s road.

It will be important to minimise any adverse landscape and visual impacts of these new roads by tree and shrub planting. Such planting would not be effective or consistent with landscape character if it were to be confined within the narrow

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boundary of the highway; there would be a need for more substantial areas of planting, perhaps in association with any balancing ponds where they are appropriate. Any earthworks or drainage including any balancing lakes should be designed to ensure that they integrate with the landscape character thereby avoiding the creation of unnecessarily unnatural features.

CSF14 Roads and the Landscape – Preferred Approach

Any new roads linking the urban extensions to the existing network would have appropriate landscaping to ensure they integrate into the existing landscape character. This would require more than simply planting trees and hedgerows along the highway boundary but include more substantial planted areas beyond the highway.

Maintenance and management of the landscape and open spaces

In general, any landscapes which are created should be characteristic of the locality in terms of drainage, topography, species and habitats and thus, by virtue of their semi-natural nature, be robust and require minimum maintenance.

The landownership structure of public open space should be as simple as possible, ideally in single ownership and subject to a single agreed management plan covering landscape, biodiversity, etc. It will be important that any management plan receives the full support of the local communities who should be involved in the development of the landscape as this will encourage public ownership of the spaces and minimise problems of vandalism.

CSF15 Open Space maintenance and management plan – Preferred Approach

An appropriate management strategy would be drawn up and agreed ahead of any planning permission being granted. The landownership of public open space should be as simple as possible and subject to a single agreed management plan covering landscape, biodiversity and recreation. It will be important that any management plan receives the full support of the local communities who should be involved in the development of the landscape.

CSF16 Open Space maintenance and management through a Trust – Option A

Management and maintenance would be vested in a publicly accountable trust to ensure appropriate management in perpetuity. The trust would be funded by commercial development secured by legal agreement from the developers.

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CSF17 Open Space maintenance and management through a local authority – Option B

Management and maintenance would be undertaken by the local authorities although the funding would need to be secured from developers through legal agreements.

Spoil

There will be a significant amount of construction spoil generated by the development. Although a limited amount could be used to form new ground features these would be an alien feature in the otherwise flat or gently sloping landscape. a. South of Trumpington / Addenbrooke’s

In order to maintain the open and gentle landscape character there should be no re- contouring or depositing of spoil on the chalkland slopes. It is also important that ground levels are not raised in this area to ensure the water tables are not affected and landscape character remains constant. A strategy would be needed to ensure appropriate disposal of spoil without adversely affecting the landscape setting of this key part of the Cambridge Green Belt.

CSF18 Spoil Strategy – Preferred Approach

A comprehensive strategy would be required as an integral part of any Masterplan to achieve a cohesive approach for the entire Southern Fringe to ensure that there is no adverse impact on the Green Belt. b. The Monsanto area

The redevelopment and development of the Monsanto area will result in the creation of spoil and there will be limited space within the built area to dispose of it. Whilst there may be the opportunity to use some spoil in noise attenuation to the M11 it would have an adverse impact on the landscape to spread this generally over the area or to create unnatural land features in the landscape or lose the sense of change of slope between the more level terrace area and the shallow river valley.

Recycling of Building Materials

Whilst a few of the Monsanto buildings may be capable of use within the development, either temporarily or on a more permanent basis, many other buildings, structures and the existing concrete trackways will not be required and could be recycled during construction reducing the amounts of material which will have to be imported onto the site.

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CSF19 Recycling of Building Materials – Preferred Approach

The preferred approach is that any redundant buildings together with any redundant roads are recycled to provide a local source of hardcore or other building materials.

Recreation

Public Open Space in the Monsanto development

There will need to be a high standard of public open space provision across the Cambridge Southern Fringe. The Area Action Plan will set a minimum standard for public open space.

South Cambridgeshire District Council has prepared an Audit and Needs Assessment to inform policies in its Local Development Framework. This relates primarily to existing villages and suggests that larger villages require a standard similar to the National Playing Fields Association “Six Acre Standard”, with an additional minimum standard for informal space. Its findings are not necessarily directly appropriate for the Southern Fringe; however, the close relationship to the nationally recognised National Playing Fields Association “Six Acre Standard” would provide a degree of legitimacy for using the proposed District standard for the new urban quarter.

Cambridge City Council has developed recreation standards for its Local Plan 2nd Deposit Draft which will apply City wide, including the development on the Southern Fringe within the City. The City Council’s standards, which will be set out in supplementary planning guidance, include a greater level of detail on the nature and form of provision. South Cambridgeshire is also preparing a supplementary planning document to provide further guidance on the issue.

The recreation standards being developed by both Councils are broadly comparable. It is logical that there should be consistent standards applying to all the development in the Southern Fringe including the Monsanto area. On this basis, it is the preferred option that the standards as contained in the Cambridge City Local Plan 2nd Deposit and supplementary planning guidance should be included in South Cambridgeshire’s Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan and applied to the whole area. Alternatively, the respective district wide standards for each authority could apply as they are broadly comparable.

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CSF20 Public Open Space – Preferred Option

The Cambridge City Local Plan outdoor playspace and informal open space minimum standards would apply to the whole of the Cambridge Southern Fringe

CSF21 Public Open Space – Alternative Option

The district wide outdoor playspace and informal open space minimum standards applying in each Council’s area could be used for their respective parts of the Cambridge Southern Fringe.

Sports Provision

The provision of sports pitches is relevant to the overall quality of the development. Ideally sports pitches should be located in a cluster and be adequately supported by ancillary facilities. To serve the Monsanto development there may be scope for some playing fields to be sited close to the development within the adjacent Green Belt. However the built facilities and car parks to serve these should be within the built development as should any pitches which require lighting and other intrusive features, to reduce the visual impact of these playing fields. The sports pitches in the Trumpington / Addenbrooke’s development should all be contained within the city boundary, and preferably some distance from the chalkland slopes.

Any built development at Monsanto will result in requirements for formal sports provision. The standards required here will be set in agreement with the City Council to achieve a coordinated approach. The Area Action Plan will need to identify the needs of the extended population and ensure that they are in easy reach of residential areas.

A strategy will be needed to address the needs of the additional population for formal sports provision which will meet the standards of the two Councils’ joint strategy.

CSF22 Sports provision in the Southern Fringe – Preferred Approach A strategy would be drawn up to demonstrate how a consistent provision of sports provision would be achieved across the developments of the Southern Fringe. a. South of Trumpington / Addenbrooke’s

CSF23 Sports Provision for Addenbrookes / Trumpington - Preferred Approach

Formal sports provision, if located within the green corridor between Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s, should be located some distance to the north of the city boundary and in close proximity to the development, to reduce the visual impact on the wider countryside

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which lies to the south on the chalkland slopes rising up to the Gog Magog Hills and Nine Wells. b. Monsanto Area

CSF24 Sports Provision for Monsanto - Preferred Option

A proportion of the formal sports pitches would be located within the Green Belt providing they are adjacent to the built development at Monsanto so that any all-weather pitches with floodlighting and any changing rooms and other buildings can be located within the development.

CSF25 Sports Provision for Monsanto – Rejected Option

All formal sports pitches including any all-weather pitches with floodlighting and any changing rooms and other buildings would be provided outside the built development area and be located within the Green Belt. This would have a significant impact on the openness and visual quality of the Green Belt.

Children’s Play

A Play Strategy will be required for any development at Monsanto which will include a mixture of formal and informal provision. Formal provision will include:

• LAPs - Local Areas for Play • LEAPs - Local Equipped Areas for Play • NEAPs - Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play, and • SIPs - Spaces for Imaginative Play.

The location and distribution of these facilities will be as important as the overall quantity if they are to be accessible to the local community they are intended to serve.

A strategy will need to be drawn up to ensure a consistent approach is delivered here and in the rest of the Cambridge Southern Fringe.

CSF26 Children’s Play Strategy – Preferred Approach

A children’s play strategy would be drawn up, consistent across the Cambridge Southern Fringe and consistent with the public open space standards adopted.

There is considerable benefit in involving children and young people in the design of these play areas. This can help develop community spirit and a feeling of ownership by local people. It can also help reduce future vandalism.

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CSF27 Children’s Play: Community Involvement - Preferred Approach

Local children and young people would be involved in the design of all play areas.

Countryside Recreation

Within and close to the Southern Fringe there are significant countryside recreational areas at Wandlebury and Gog Magog Downs, and along the River Cam Corridor. There are also potential future areas at Cambridge East and at the Cambridge Preservation Society’s proposals for the Coton area. Whilst all these areas are well related to the proposed developments in the Southern Fringe, they are not as accessible as they need to be due to the lack of public footpaths, bridleways and cycleways across the intervening countryside. A strategy is therefore required to increase the access and connectivity between the urban extensions and these valuable recreational areas for all ages and abilities. It would be important for these to be delivered in an early stage of the development.

Opportunities for creating greater access to the countryside through the creation of new or improved public rights of way should be identified. The County Council’s Strategic Open Space Study will be particularly relevant. The likely impact of the increased population on existing public rights of way, public open space and areas managed for wildlife within the landscape will need to be assessed and an appropriate management strategy drawn up and agreed.

CSF28 Countryside Recreation - Preferred Option

The Area Action Plan would require the Masterplan to demonstrate how it would deliver network of footpaths and cycleways to increase the access and connectivity for all residents to the countryside recreational areas.

Biodiversity

The Area Action Plan lies within a mainly farmland landscape that supports few hedgerows, copses, woodlands, major watercourses or water-bodies. There are a number of villages within the vicinity. The biodiversity of the area is perceived to be generally poor, with no designated sites in the Action Plan area. The lack of habitat networks combined with intensive farming may have contributed to the low biodiversity value. However, the area should not be dismissed as a “wildlife desert” as species typical of open farmland including the brown hare, skylark and grey partridge can be found. There is also potential to find rare arable plants along field boundaries.

However, adjacent to the sites are Hobson’s Brook and the River Cam; these watercourses hugely increase the habitat diversity. The River Cam is a clean, flowing, river with beds of water crowfoot. Eroding gravel cliffs provide nest sites for

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kingfisher and sand-martins. A wide range of fish species can be found including the brook lamprey. The Hobson’s Brook receives clean cool water from natural chalk springs, which are very rare within the District. The springhead was formerly a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the rare invertebrate fauna associated with the clean water. All watercourses and their network of ditches and associated hedges and trees provide important corridors for biodiversity moving through the Action Plan Area.

Much of the AAP area in South Cambridgeshire has not been surveyed in any detail for its ecological value. In order to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the area it will be essential to undertake full programmes for ecological survey and monitoring before, during and after construction.

This will enable the identification of key areas of value to inform the design process and to develop strategies for:

• Key species, particularly badgers, bats, great crested newts, barn owls, common lizard, grass snake, invertebrates, water vole and brown hare and important fish populations (through consultations with the EA)

• Key habitats, including arable fields, woodland, individual trees of merit, open water both flowing and standing, mosaics of grassland, hedgerows and together with their associated ditches.

For the areas within any development including Monsanto it will be important to draw up strategies for the creation, retention and management of key habitats important for foraging, shelter and migration for protected species and those of local importance for biodiversity to ensure and encourage their continued presence within the new development.

CSF29 Enhancing Biodiversity – Preferred Approach

All open areas should be managed and landscaped to encourage biodiversity wildlife in locally distinctive habitats.

There are a number of ways in which biodiversity can be maximised within urban areas, such as by incorporating green roofs, erection of bat bricks and boxes, bird nest boxes, insect hibernation boxes, installation of mammal tunnels and other means of crossing points along severed routes. All of the above will need to be designed and installed at appropriate locations to achieve maximum net gains.

The existing trees and hedges within the site are a resource for biodiversity. A Biodiversity and Landscape Management Plan can enhance this resource through replanting and establishment of a diverse scrub and herb-rich under-storey planting.

As with landscape, it is the Preferred Option that a Biodiversity Management Strategy will be needed to maintain and fund biodiversity. The landownership structure of public open space should be as simple as possible and subject to a single agreed

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management plan in order to be comprehensive and all embracing. It will be important that any biodiversity management plan receives the full support of the local communities who should be involved in creation and care of habitats. This can be achieved by informing the residents of the town about the biodiversity of the area through community / wildlife groups, on site information boards and local newsletters. The time resource of initial wildlife liaison may necessitate the appointment of a part- time project officer in order to achieve the full benefit of the Biodiversity Management Strategy.

CSF30 Biodiversity Management – Preferred Option

A Biodiversity Management Strategy would need to form part of any comprehensive Masterplan for the Southern Fringe which would demonstrate how biodiversity would be enhanced and how local communities would be involved. A part-time project officer would be funded through a Section 106 Agreement to implement the strategy.

Green Corridors for Biodiversity

The landscape strategy suggests that green corridors would penetrate into the urban area, which can also act as wildlife corridors. For biodiversity it is important that they connect to the open countryside. In the Southern Fringe the Green Corridor between Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s is especially important.

CSF31 Biodiversity: Connecting Green Corridors and the Countryside – Preferred Approach

Green corridors would be continue beyond the urban extensions by enhanced landscaping, planting and the creation of wildlife habitats to provide links to larger scale wildlife habitats further afield such as Ninewells, the Gog Magog Down, Wandlebury and the river corridor.

Archaeology and Heritage

The AAP for the Southern Fringe in both Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire is located within an area of great archaeological significance. The gravel terraces and chalk slopes are exceptionally rich in the remains of later prehistoric (Iron Age) and Roman settlements, mostly identified through cropmarks. The Roman road connecting Duroliponte (the Castle area of Cambridge) to the south-east and Colchester (Camulodunum) may have intersected with another road aligned along Worts Causeway. The villages of Grantchester, Trumpington, Hauxton and Great Shelford are medieval with probable Saxon origins.

Wandlebury, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, lies to the south on the crest of the Gog Magog Hills. It is a hill fort possibly on the site of an earlier henge. In the 18th Century the bank and ditch were levelled when Gog Magog House was built. Run by the Cambridge Preservation Society, this land is open to the public and performs a function similar to a country park.

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In addition to sites identified through cropmarks, there are a number of finds of material from the earlier prehistoric period to post medieval which indicates a settled and intensively used landscape over a long period.

Other buried archaeological sites may also await detection.

Archaeology at Monsanto

The area around Monsanto includes:

• Cropmarks which suggest activity from at least the , including a series of probable circular traces of barrows

• Evidence of an Iron Age settlement

• Extensive evidence of Roman activity of a high status settlement adjacent to the river

• A Scheduled Ancient Monument of Iron Age/Roman date, although the scheduled area does not indicate the extent of the settlement.

Further archaeological remains may be anticipated in the Monsanto area, particularly of late prehistoric and Roman date although remains before and after these eras may also be present. Further assessment and evaluation will therefore need to be undertaken.

Whilst the LDF Core policies on archaeology will apply, the results of this assessment and evaluation will need to be taken into account in the design of the urban extension at Monsanto.

CSF32 Archaeology at Monsanto – Preferred Approach

Further archaeological assessment and evaluation would be required to inform the design of any development at the Monsanto location.

The Built Heritage

The built heritage in nearby villages is also important and consists of a significant number of Listed Buildings and there are Conservation Areas at Grantchester and Great Shelford. The villages adjoining the Southern Fringe contribute both through their built heritage and their rural setting to the wider setting of Cambridge.

The strategies set out in the landscape section will be the main means of protecting and enhancing the heritage built environment of surrounding villages.

Energy

Energy is an important resource for human activity and there is a need to minimise energy use in order to reduce greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.

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Locally, climate change has important implications for the natural environment of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. Much of the area is low lying and therefore ultimately threatened by rising sea levels. Wetter winters are having significant impact on local flooding while hotter and drier summers have serious consequences for water resources and the countryside, particularly upon wetland habitats. To respond to this energy use should be minimised in to reduce CO2 emissions which contribute to climate change. It should also be used efficiently, and greater use should be made of renewable energy sources.

Energy Provision

The emerging new Regional Planning Guidance, RPG14, requires Local Development Documents to contain policies for promoting and encouraging energy efficiency and renewable energy. It suggests a target of 10% of the region’s electricity to be provided by renewable resources excluding offshore wind. It is proposed that the Core Strategy will include policies that seek the provision of renewable energy in association with larger developments (see Core Strategy Preferred Options). The City Local Plan 2nd Deposit Draft includes similar policies for renewable energy.

It is important that the potential for renewable energy is maximised in the Cambridge Southern Fringe. The recent report “Delivering Renewable Energy in the Cambridge Sub Region 2004” by Energy for Sustainable Development with Global to Local Ltd for Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge City Council, and South Cambridgeshire, and Huntingdonshire District Councils assessed the potential and capacity at the major development locations proposed in the Structure Plan to implement renewable energy systems.

Opportunities for generating some of the Monsanto development’s own energy needs by harnessing renewable energy will therefore need to be investigated (as for developments on the Southern Fringe in Cambridge City). The aim should be for a forward thinking approach to maximising renewable energy provision. However, it is recognised that it is important not to overburden the development to the extent that its viability is undermined. It is therefore proposed that the district wide policies in the City Local Plan 2nd Deposit Draft and South Cambridgeshire’s Core Strategy Preferred Options Report apply to developments in the Southern Fringe, including any at Monsanto, rather than any more onerous target.

CSF33 Energy Provision - Preferred Approach

The general policies for renewable energy in the City Local Plan 2nd Deposit Draft and South Cambridgeshire’s Core Strategy Preferred Options Report would apply in order to maximise opportunities whilst not overburdening the development.

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Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Similar considerations apply to energy efficiency and energy conservation as to energy provision. It is proposed that the South Cambridgeshire Core Strategy will include a district wide policy seeking a high level of energy efficiency and energy conservation measures in all new development, which could include a target for energy conservation (see Core Strategy Preferred Options). An energy conservation policy is also included in the City Local Plan 2nd Deposit Draft which requires that developers of major proposals demonstrate how they have minimised energy consumption and maximised energy efficiency. However, it does not include a target for such energy conservation. It is therefore proposed that the South Cambridgeshire policy should apply if the draft Core Strategy includes a target for energy conservation as recommended in the Preferred Options Report.

This approach is intended to also ensure that the target is related to current practice at the time of an application, ensuring that the performance over the period of implementation will always remain challenging and forward looking.

Measures will include reducing energy use through the design and orientation of buildings and high quality insulation. Whilst this has a cost burden at the time of development, it will result in savings in running costs for occupiers which will be attractive to property buyers. However, it is also important to ensure that requirements on the development are not to the extent that its viability is undermined. Therefore the preferred approach is to apply the proposed South Cambridgeshire Core Strategy policies, rather than a more onerous target.

CSF34 Energy Conservation - Preferred Approach

The proposed South Cambridgeshire Core Strategy policies for energy conservation would apply in order to maximise opportunities whilst not overburdening the development.

Noise

Noise from the M11 could have significant impact on any residential development at Monsanto and will need to be assessed. Any mitigation measures necessary to ensure a satisfactory living environment for new residents will be required as part of, or alongside, any planning application for that early phase of development. This relates to both the internal environment of buildings but also to public and private open areas such as gardens and public open space. In part this may be achieved by using construction spoil to form new ground features as long as this contributes to rather than having an adverse impact on landscape character.

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CSF35 Noise – Preferred Approach

Proposals for any development at Monsanto will only be approved where a noise assessment is provided and any mitigation measures necessary secured, to ensure a satisfactory living environment for new residents in terms of both indoor and outdoor environments.

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Appendix 5

Cambridge Southern Fringe Area Action Plan

Statutory Bodies Consultation Responses

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