South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Northstowe Area Action Plan: Preferred Options – Initial Draft July 2004 Northstowe Member Steering Group – APPENDIX 2
Northstowe Preferred Options Report – Part Two
Note: This paper should be read in conjunction with Part 1 of the report considered previously.
Phasing and Implementation
The new town of Northstowe is an important part of the development strategy for the Cambridge Sub-Region. The Cambridgeshire Structure Plan expects 6,000 dwellings to have been constructed or to be under construction by 2016, going up to at least 8,000 dwellings beyond 2016. Not only is that a challenging target for housebuilders, it is also a challenging target for the providers of the services, facilities, infrastructure and jobs that a small town of approximately 20,000 people will have. Whilst construction is envisaged to start on site in 2006 as required by the Structure Plan, the construction of houses at Northstowe is not likely to start until 2007. In order to achieve 6,000 dwellings by 2016, the anticipated rate of development at Northstowe is likely to be in region of 650 dwellings each year.
NSx Phasing and Implementation Objectives – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should have the following objectives for phasing and implementation:
• To ensure that the impact of the development of Northstowe is kept to a minimum both in terms of physical impact and duration, and where possible adverse impacts are avoided through the management of the development process
• To ensure the early provision of a landscaping strategy for Northstowe
• To ensure that Northstowe is developed using sustainable construction methods and principles
• To ensure that the annual rate of house-building at Northstowe meets the required development rate to deliver 6,000 dwellings by 2016
• To ensure that the development makes an appropriate contribution to the provision of services, facilities and infrastructure that will be needed for the development of the new town.
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Construction Strategy
Northstowe will be under construction for a very long period of time and the construction process will need careful management in order that disruption to the surrounding villages as well as to the already built parts of Northstowe is avoided. Avoidance of impact will be the objective, but where this is not possible, disruption will be kept to a minimum both in magnitude and duration. Realistically it will not be possible to avoid any impact when development is being undertaken immediately adjoining existing areas but measures should be taken to reduce that impact as far as possible.
Northstowe will be developed close to the two villages of Longstanton and Oakington. As the preferred site lies to the east of Longstanton, its principal road accesses for construction vehicles will be from the A14 to the southwest. However, it is possible that the sand and gravel works north of Willingham may be called upon to provide sand and gravel for this major construction project. In all cases, it will be necessary to ensure that disruption to existing residents is avoided wherever practicable and otherwise minimised in effect and duration.
NSx Site Accesses - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach for the location of the site accesses for construction vehicles is to avoid all villages in the locality and ensure that any haul roads are located, designed and landscaped in such a way as to avoid any noise, smell, dust, visual or other adverse impacts on existing residents and businesses, and on the new residents and businesses at Northstowe.
NSx Storage Compounds, Plant and Machinery - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach to any storage compounds, plant and machinery is for them to be located, designed and used to avoid any noise, smell, dust, visual or other adverse impact on existing residents and businesses, and on the new residents and businesses at Northstowe.
Cambridge City Council, in association with the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry runs a ‘Considerate Contractors Scheme’ designed to ensure that construction activities do not make life unpleasant for people who live and work nearby.
The ‘Considerate Contractors Scheme’ requires that all contractors, sub contractors, suppliers and others working on a project:
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• Have consideration to neighbouring uses to minimise disturbance • Keep noise to a minimum and in particular that there are no works that are audible at the site boundary outside permitted working hours • Keep all areas adjacent clean including from dust and smoke • Keep each development site tidy • Ensure that all activities, vehicle movements etc are carried out safely for workers and the general public
Adopting this scheme will go a long way to minimising disruption from this long term development project.
NSx Construction Activities - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach to the construction activities at Northstowe is that contractors will be required to be bound by the requirements of the ‘Considerate Contractors Scheme’.
Strategic Landscaping
Part of the strategy for minimising impacts of the development will involve the landscaping of the new town site as part of the overall development. Landscaping will involve both earth moving and could help with the general management of spoil which will be created from digging footings, land drains, surface water attenuation lakes etc. Woodlands, individual trees and hedgerows will also be planted during the development of Northstowe. The delivery of an agreed landscape strategy will need to be managed to ensure that each development area is landscaped before much of the development is started and to be completed promptly upon the completion of each phase of development.
NSx Strategic Landscaping - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach for landscaping of the new town site is for the early establishment of woodland, tree and hedgerow planting, and an agreed programme of earth moving to deliver the agreed landscape strategy.
Crucially, it will be important to ensure that the areas of ‘green separation’ between Northstowe and Longstanton and Oakington are appropriately landscaped at an early stage of the development to ensure that any trees and hedgerows that need to be planted can become established from the outset of the development and will contribute to providing visual separation from an early stage in the development. A similar approach will need to be taken with the countryside edges of the new town site to ensure that the impact on the wider countryside is also limited from the outset.
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NSx Green Separation - Preferred Approach
No phase of development should be commenced until the whole of the areas of ‘green separation’ have been planted/landscaped for both Longstanton and Oakington as well as the agreed boundary treatment of Rampton Drift.
NSx Green Separation - Rejected Approach
An option which is not preferred is for the landscaping of the ‘green separation’ to be phased in sequence with development of adjoining land.
Development on the scale and density proposed will lead to a very significant amount of material being dug out which will form construction spoil. Experience elsewhere in the District in the development of the new village of Cambourne has shown that accommodating this material requires a careful strategy if it is not to have an adverse impact on amenity and the landscape.
It would not be appropriate to transport such spoil over considerable distances as this would be unsustainable and simply transfer the problem to elsewhere and the principle should be for construction spoil to be utilised on site. However, it would not be acceptable to alter the land forms locally by concentrating the spoil into one or more large mounds as this would introduce an alien character into this area of gentle relief. There may be some earth bunding which might be acceptable as part of the landscaping of the access roads where it could act as barriers to road traffic noise.
NSx Construction Spoil – Preferred Approach
All construction spoil should be accommodated within the development site by generally raising ground levels. There will be limited opportunities for mounding to act as noise barriers to protect communities from traffic noise.
NSx Construction Spoil - Rejected Option
Transporting spoil away from the site for disposal is not a sustainable option and creating alien topographical features on or close to the preferred site would have an unacceptable harmful impact on the landscape character of the area.
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Making use of existing buildings/resources on site
In addition to measures considered above, further minimisation of the impact of the development on existing communities can be achieved by taking a sustainable approach to construction. In order to be truly sustainable, the use of sustainable materials will be essential. Wherever practicable the use of locally sourced materials will minimise the distance travelled, thus reducing the use of energy. Similarly, wherever possible the materials used in construction should be from environmentally friendly sources; this would include timber from managed forests.
Whilst some of the Ministry of Defence buildings at Oakington Airfield may be capable of use within the development, either temporarily or on a more permanent basis, others will not be required and could be recycled during construction reducing the amounts of material which will have to be imported onto the site.
NSx Recycling of Building Materials – Preferred Approach
The preferred approach is that any redundant buildings together with the remainder of the runway and any redundant roads on the airfield are recycled to provide a local source of hardcore or other building materials.
The District Council would encourage the recycling of existing building materials by the granting of planning permission for plant to process such materials into hardcore and aggregates.
Buildings are not the only resources available on the preferred site. Sand and gravel is available in quantities which would not be commercially viable for extraction under normal circumstances but which could be extracted and used for the development of Northstowe. The implications of this for other aspects of the development wil need further consideration, eg any implications for the achievement of sustainable urban drainage systems.
In addition, the Ministry of Defence has undertaken a significant amount of woodland planting for military training purposes. Much of that planting has been to re-create the landscape of northern Germany and is alien to this Fen Edge landscape. Whilst some of the woodland may be retained as part of the development, it will not all be retained and could provide a supply of untreated wood for use at Northstowe.
NSx Use of Raw Materials - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach is to maximise the use of any raw materials currently available on the site during the construction of Northstowe.
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Sustainable construction should also include using local labour. However, the scale of development in the Cambridge Sub-Region will almost certainly mean also importing labour from elsewhere in the country and this will require temporary accommodation. As the preferred site includes a number of buildings which may not have any heritage value and are therefore not necessarily worthy of retention in the long-term, they may have a short-term value as accommodation for construction workers. This would mean that if the construction industry has to import workers from further afield in the country, they could be housed on the site thus reducing journeys to work and the impact of travel.
NSx Accommodation for Construction Workers - Preferred Approach
The District Council would grant temporary planning permission for the use of existing buildings on the Oakington Barracks site for housing, including hostels specifically for those working on the construction of the new town.
Achieving the Build Rate
Achieving a build rate of 650 dwellings per year at Northstowe will be very challenging. Evidence presented to the Cambridgeshire Structure Plan examination in public in 2002 from the developing communities of Cambourne and Hampton (Peterborough) suggested that this rate is achievable and is influenced by such factors as the number of house-builders active on a site. The rate of development at Northstowe will govern the rate at which services, facilities and infrastructure are provided which will be fundamental to achieving a high quality of town at an early stage. It will have a bearing on the length of the development process and the duration of any disruption to the locality. It will also be fundamental to achieving the Sub-Regional target of 2,800 dwellings per year set in the Cambridgeshire Structure Plan.
The rate of development will be influenced by a range of issues, not least the state of the economy and the housing market which will not be constant over the lifetime of the development of Northstowe. There are measures that the developers can themselves take, for example by ensuring that sufficient house-builders are represented at Northstowe. In addition, funding for the affordable housing element is uncertain in respect of the timeframe for this development. Currently there is a presumption by central government that affordable housing on section 106 sites such as at Northstowe will be funded by planning obligations on the development rather than a combination of serviced land and social housing grant.
NSx Achieving the Build Rate - The Preferred Approach
The preferred approach for ensuring that a build-rate of 650 dwellings per year is achieved is that the master developer/consortium of builders
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for Northstowe be required to submit a method statement alongside the outline planning application for the new town stating the measures that they will take to secure this build-rate, including the provision of affordable housing. The method statement would be approved and enforced by the District Council.
Timing/Order of Service Provision
The services, facilities and infrastructure at Northstowe which will be provided by the development are those which are required only and entirely to serve the new town. The principle that development will fund in full the services, facilities and infrastructure that are required to enable the development to proceed and to meet the needs of its residents and other users is enshrined in planning law and government policy. The Area Action Plan will therefore include a list of services, facilities and infrastructure which will be needed for the development of a sustainable new town at Northstowe and which will be funded by the developers. It will also include a timetable for their provision which will ensure that the services, facilities and infrastructure needed at every stage of the development of Northstowe are available. The providers of services, facilities and infrastructure at Northstowe have not yet determined in full what and how they will make provision.
NSx Timing/Order of Service Provision – Preferred Approach
The preferred approach is that the master outline planning permission and legal agreement will include a schedule of services, facilities and infrastructure to be funded by the master developer/consortium of builders at Northstowe together with a timetable for their provision during the development of the new town. The guiding principle will be that services, facilities and infrastructure will be provided at stages in the development process when the need for them is forecast to arise which will be delivered according to a set of trigger points tied to numbers of dwellings completed or such other stage of the development as advised by the service/facility/infrastructure providers.
Addressing Transport Needs
If Northstowe is to be a truly sustainable place it will be important to ensure that the transport infrastructure encourages the use of more sustainable forms of travel – public transport, cycling and walking. The compact, higher density form of development proposed will also favour journeys to be made by these modes. At the same time provision will have to be made for cars and goods vehicles for those journeys for people and goods which have to be undertaken by that means. It will be
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important to integrate the various modes, providing interchanges to encourage maximum use of the sustainable modes.
NSx Transport Objectives – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should have the following objectives for transport:
• To provide attractive, direct, safe and convenient walking routes within the town linking homes to the main areas of activity such as the town centre and employment areas
• To develop an improved network of paths for walking and cycling to connect the town to neighbouring villages and the open countryside
• To provide a network of cycleways, segregated from other modes where appropriate and to ensure covered, secure cycle parking facilities for homes, workplaces, the town centre, local centres and other places
• To create an effective and dedicated bus loop through the town to maximise the opportunities offered by the Guided Bus route and to ensure that all dwellings are within 600 metres of a High Quality Public Transport stop
• To develop a network of streets which connect the principal land uses
• To secure the vitality of the town centre by ensuring adequate access for the residents of the town and surrounding villages with a focus on the local bus loop but covering all modes and including an appropriate level of car parking
• To link Northstowe to the main road network whilst minimising the impact of traffic generation on surrounding communities
• To identify the appropriate stages in the development when transport infrastructure will need to be provided.
Road Access
There will be a need to consider the various points at which the development connects to the wider network of roads, including the A14. The more the traffic is distributed the less impact there will be on a single point. This development will take place over a number of years and there will be a need to examine the phasing of the
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introduction of the new road access points. There are likely to be road connections to the full development from:
• B1050 Hattons Road
• Dry Drayton Road
• Longstanton West Bypass (the bypass itself to be delivered by the Home Farm development)
Links from Hattons Road and Dry Drayton Road will provide access onto the A14 and reduce the amount of traffic passing through local villages. The A14 is to be improved to a dual three-lane carriageway, with associated parallel local roads; the Highways Agency will be consulting on the preferred route in September 2004, with a view to the improvements being completed by 2010.
A link to the Longstanton West Bypass / Station Road, Longstanton junction will provide additional access onto the local road network to the north, allowing adjoining villages to access the facilities and services at Northstowe. Careful consideration will need to be given to the design of these access roads and junction layouts to ensure there will be no resultant rat-running in these villages. For example, it is possible to design junction layouts which restrict movements in certain directions.
NSx Road Access – Preferred Approach
The development of Northstowe should be accessed via new links to the following roads and measures should be incorporated to minimise traffic impacts on nearby villages:
• Hattons Road • Dry Drayton Road • Longstanton West Bypass
There could also be a case for a further access to Northstowe onto Station Road, Oakington. Further investigation is required to identify whether this access is required to serve Northstowe. Other issues are whether this link would have an adverse impact on traffic levels through Oakington and also whether its proximity to the village would have unacceptable environmental impact. The issues around design of access roads and junctions referred to in relation to the preferred approach would apply equally to this situation.
NSx Access to Station Road, Oakington – Potential Option
Further investigation should be undertaken to determine whether a further road link between Northstowe and Station Road, Oakington is
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required to serve the development, whether it would have an adverse impact on traffic levels through Oakington and whether its proximity to the village would have unacceptable environmental impact.
Public Transport
High Quality Public Transport will form a fundamental part of Northstowe. The most significant connection for public transport for Northstowe should be the Guided Bus, offering direct services to the main centres of attraction in Cambridge and St. Ives/Huntingdon, and various points in between.
Northstowe should be served by a dedicated Local Bus Loop, off the main express route along the disused railway line. Unlike the express route, this loop should not be guided as the guideway would create a barrier to movement within the town, but should take the form of a dedicated bus road. A bus road will enable segregation of buses from other traffic, ensuring bus priority, and better integration into the urban form of Northstowe, serving the main centres of attraction, including the town centre and employment areas. The dedicated Local Bus Loop will also be supplemented with the local bus network and additional bus stops, which will enabling total public transport coverage within Northstowe.
The preferred approach is for all development within Northstowe to be within easy access of a public transport stop. The extent of the development accessible by the dedicated Local Bus Loop will depend upon the alignment and number of stops provided along the loop. This should maximise coverage within Northstowe, with the aim that all areas should be within walking distance of a stop (no more than 600m, equating to a 5-10 minute walk). However, it would not be desirable to achieve total coverage with the Local Bus Loop if this would compromise the quality of service that could be provided. Therefore, a careful balance must be struck between coverage and quality of service. The Council will seek as much of the development as possible to be within 600m of a stop on the Local Bus Loop, but where this is not possible, it should be within 400m of a local bus stop.
The emphasis must be on a quality service to attract high levels of use. Public transport services will require infrastructure which should of a high standard, in line with the aims of the Bus Strategy in the Local Transport Plan. As a result, infrastructure should include the provision of infrastructure such as Real Time Bus Information at stops, suitable waiting facilities and be able to provide level boarding.
NSx Public Transport – Preferred Approach
High Quality Public Transport should be provided, with associated quality infrastructure, serving the whole of Northstowe. A dedicated Local Bus Loop, linked to the rapid Guided Bus route, should be aligned and have the necessary number of stops to maximise coverage within
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Northstowe whilst not compromising the level of service. All development should be within easy walking distance of a stop on the Local Bus Loop (within 600m) or 400m of local bus stops.
Park and Ride
A Park and Ride facility is planned as part of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway proposals on the north western edge of Northstowe, with vehicular access from Station Road, Longstanton. This facility will serve many of the villages surrounding Northstowe, providing people with the opportunity to use the Guideway to access facilities and services in Cambridge and St. Ives/Huntingdon, and various points in between. It is expected that the local loop will serve residents of Northstowe, so there will be no need for residents to use the Park and Ride facility.
The Park and Ride site will be served by buses on the “express” and “local loop” sections of guideway. This provides residents in surrounding villages with the opportunity to access facilities and services in the heart of Northstowe by the Local Bus Loop in addition to locations further afield.
The Council’s preferred approach is for the Park and Ride facility to be easily accessible by foot and cycle from Northstowe, as it will be the closest guided bus stop for residents in the northern part of the town. However, direct road access to the site is not desirable if that objective is to be met. The Council will also seek to explore opportunities for shared use of the car park with other nearby uses, in accordance with the strategy in the Travel Chapter of the Core Strategy.
NSx Park and Ride – Preferred Approach
The Park and Ride facility should be easily accessible by foot and cycle from Northstowe, but direct road access to the site from the town is not desirable. The Council will also seek to explore opportunities for shared use of the car park with other nearby uses.
Cycling and Pedestrians
It is generally recognised that cycling has the potential to substitute for short car trips, particularly for journeys under 5km. Northstowe presents an opportunity to design at the outset a town where distances to facilities and services are minimised, and where accessibility by walking and cycling is paramount. It should develop a dedicated and segregated network of pedestrian and cycle routes, both within the town, and connecting with surrounding villages and the wider network, including the National Cycle Network. The transport opportunities within the development will be important as well as those connecting it beyond its boundaries.
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Internal links should be provided between the residential areas and main destinations such as the town centre, local centres, schools, open spaces and other services and facilities.
In terms of outside links the following should be examined:
• Links to surrounding villages within a 5km radius; Oakington, Longstanton, Willingham, Rampton, Cottenham, Histon, Impington, Girton, Dry Drayton, Bar Hill, Swavesey and Over.
• Links to the National Cycle Network – Route 51 (along the Guided Busway)
• Links to the wider network of byways, bridleways, cycle lanes, cycleways, footpaths and footways.
Pedestrian and cycle routes, whether within Northstowe or connecting to the wider network, should be high quality, safe, direct, connected and convenient for all users, including the less able, such as partially sighted, hearing impaired, and wheelchair users. These routes should also be complemented with quality infrastructure, such as signing, secure cycle parking, seating and lighting (of a level appropriate to the location).
NSx Pedestrian and Cycle Links – Preferred Approach
There should be a series of dedicated, high quality, safe, direct, connected and convenient cycle and pedestrian routes, both within Northstowe and connecting with surrounding villages and the wider network. These would be complemented with quality infrastructure, such as signing, secure cycle parking, seating and lighting (as appropriate).
Car Parking
It will be important to establish a culture within the development which accepts that whilst the car has an important role in providing for some journeys, for those journeys within the development, it should be the least preferred option.
In part, this will be influenced by the scale of provision of car parking both in residential areas and at key destinations. There will be a need for a certain level of car parking to enable people to park without causing social or amenity problems and to enable the town to function effectively.
Current maximum car parking standards are set out in the recently adopted Local Plan which comply with PPG13 and PPG3. These could be rolled forward and incorporated into the Core Strategy of the LDF (see Core Strategy Preferred Options
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report). These standards would apply to the development at Northstowe unless there is a case to be made for a more stringent approach. In addition, opportunities for shared parking could be explored, for example in mixed-use sites, particularly where there is a suitable mix of day-time and night-time uses. This is the preferred option.
Public car parking areas should be designed to minimise their impact on the urban form, in terms of visual impact, lighting, and should design out crime and the potential for “cruiser” gatherings which have presented problems in other areas.
NSx Car Parking Standards – Preferred Option
Car parking would be provided in accordance with the maximum standards set out in the Core Strategy. In addition, opportunities for shared use parking should be explored in suitable locations.
However, an alternative option would be for part of the development to have more stringent approach. For a town such as at Northstowe, more stringent standards may be appropriate, particularly in higher density areas such as the town centre which are well served by public transport.
NSx Car Parking Standards – Alternative Option
Car parking could be minimised. This would see more stringent standards in higher density areas well served by public transport such as the town centre. In addition, opportunities for shared use parking should be explored in suitable locations.
Housing
The aim that Northstowe will be a sustainable and balanced community will be influenced to a significant extent by the quality, type, mix and affordability of the housing that it provides, which in turn will influence the types of people that will choose to and be able to live in the town. The density of housing development is inherently related to those issues.
NSx Housing Objectives – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should have the following objectives for housing:
• To provide an adequate and continuous supply of land for housing to meet the strategic requirement for 6,000 dwellings at Northstowe by 2016
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• To provide high quality housing that makes best use of land with higher densities in locations close to a good range of services and facilities and where there is good public transport accessibility
• To ensure the provision of a range of housing types and sizes, including affordable housing, to meet the identified needs of all sectors of the community.
Housing Density
The Structure Plan states that at least 40 dwellings per hectare should be sought in locations close to a good range of existing or potential services and facilities and where there is, or there is potential for, good public transport accessibility. In planned new communities and locations with access to high quality public transport services, it advises that significantly higher densities should be sought. It states that densities of less than 30 dph will not be acceptable.
The use of an average density target across the town as a whole would allow for variation in density in different locations and within neighbourhoods through the use of a mix of densities across the town for both achieving a mixed community and would assist with urban design.
Taking the Structure Plan policy forward at Northstowe, higher densities above 40 dph should be provided in and close to the town centre, local centres and the stops on the dedicated local route linking and the main Cambridge to Huntingdon Guided Bus route with greater use of apartments of town houses. The objective is to make the town as accessible as possible means that it should be possible for the major part of the town to be within an easy walk of at least one of these facilities. There may be some small areas that are less accessible and where lower densities may be more appropriate and also to provide variety in character and more typical family housing. This suggests that an average density target some way above 40 dph would be appropriate for consistency with the Structure Plan policy. It is not possible to determine the precise target without carrying out further design and capacity work.
An alternative approach would be to set an average density target of at least 40 dph and to address density levels in different parts of the town through the development control process. However, given the potential for relatively high densities in significant areas of the town, this approach is not within the spirit of the Structure Plan policy.
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NSx Housing Density – Preferred Approach
The Area Action Plan would have a target for Northstowe for an average density across the town that is some way above 40 dwellings per hectare, with higher densities achieved in and around the town centre, local centres and public transport stops. The actual figure would be determined following further study.
NSx Housing Density – Alternative Approach
The density target could be for at least 40 dwellings per hectare across the town, with higher densities achieved in and around the town centre, local centres and public transport stops. However this would give less certainty that the Structure Plan policy would be met.
House Types and Quality
The key to the success of Northstowe will be as much the quality of what is provided as the nature of the uses, services and facilities themselves. Densities of 40 dwellings per hectare (dph) or more are quite normal in most towns and do not mean sacrificing quality, but it does mean South Cambridgeshire thinking about residential environments in a different way. As set out in the Development Principles section, a high quality of design in both the buildings and the wider environment will be required at Northstowe, and the package of supplementary guidance for Design that will be required will be a key tool in ensuring that high quality is delivered on the ground.
In order to meet the need for smaller dwellings in the area and to respond to the density requirements for the town, a variety in dwelling types will need to be provided. This will also help provide interest in the character and design of the town. This will include modern apartments in the town centre and close to services and facilities and public transport nodes, imaginative use of town houses, terraces and other forms of high quality but higher density housing types.
NSx Housing Types – Preferred Approach
There will be a variety in the housing types provided at Northstowe to offer choice. This will require imaginative developments which include apartments in the more accessible locations and close to services and facilities, town houses, terraced housing and family housing in forms which embrace the move towards more sustainable ways of living.
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Affordable Housing
A key driver behind the growth area strategy for the Cambridge Sub Region is to help provide more affordable housing in and close to Cambridge. The term affordable housing is now used to encompass a wide variety of types and tenures of housing for a wide range of people with different personal circumstances. The common feature is that it is housing that is subsidised in some way to make it affordable to those who cannot afford a home on the open market. Affordable housing comprises:
• low cost market housing such as shared equity home ownership which can be offered to those who are earning a reasonable salary but nonetheless cannot afford to buy a home in the Cambridge area because of the buoyant market at the present time. This can include key workers who are typically employed in key public services such as nurses, teachers and the police. This subsidised market housing is also known as “intermediate housing”.
• social rented housing for those on lower incomes, typically housing provided by registered social landlords (housing associations).
• supported housing eg for older people, people with physical or learning disabilities, or other vulnerable client groups eg young people, mental health as determined by the Supporting People Strategy for Cambridgeshire.
This issue is addressed in the Housing section of the Core Strategy Preferred Options Report, which sets out options for affordable housing policy district wide, having regard to the findings of the Council’s 2002 Housing Needs Survey (Final Report June 2003), carried out by Fordham Research. The issue for the Northstowe Area Action Plan is whether there are any particular circumstances relating to Northstowe which suggest that a different approach should be pursued. The District Council’s view is that the strategic developments are key to addressing the affordable housing requirements in the area and logically the district wide targets should apply. An argument could be put forward that these developments provide an opportunity to secure a higher level of affordable housing provision by virtue of their scale.
However, the District Council is mindful of the significant infrastructure requirements of building a new town and its preferred approach is therefore that the district wide affordable housing policies should apply to Northstowe. If there is an issue about whether the development will stand the affordable housing target, that is a matter that needs to be addressed through the planning application process where all the policy calls on the development, together with other development related requirements, can be looked at comprehensively and relative priorities determined (this issue will also be addressed in the Planning Obligations paper).
The other factor particular to Northstowe is that it is an entirely new freestanding settlement. It is not an addition to an existing settlement where the wider housing mix will be relevant in addition to that within the development itself. Here, it will be a
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new community and it is important that it achieves a balanced and sustainable community profile. In order to ensure this, it will be important that the right tenure mix within the affordable housing is secured. It will be important to ensure the provision of social rented housing. However it is likely that it will be appropriate to have a significant proportion of intermediate housing to ensure that all sectors of the population are able to live in the town. The approach proposed in the Core Strategy is that the tenure mix should not be prescribed in the policy, because of the need for it to be flexible over time and respond to changing circumstances in both the housing market and affordable housing funding priorities. It is a matter to be negotiated at the time of a planning application. This approach is particularly appropriate for a development the scale of Northstowe which will take place over a long time period.
The Council is satisfied that it is reasonable in principle to apply the district wide affordable housing policies to Northstowe.
NSx Affordable Housing – Preferred Approach
The District wide affordable housing policy should apply to Northstowe. Any issue over viability of the district wide target should be addressed as part of the consideration of an application alongside other calls on the development. The types of affordable housing will be determined at the time of the planning application, but will include social rented housing as well as a significant proportion of intermediate tenure.
Housing Mix
The Core Strategy Preferred Options report sets out proposals for the introduction of targets in the housing mix policy that seek to ensure that developments provide a mix of housing sizes that address the high level of need for smaller 1 and 2 bedroom homes in the Cambridge area. For many years, the market in South Cambridgeshire has been providing a high proportion of larger properties of 4 bedrooms or more, at the expense of smaller properties. The district wide targets aim to redress this imbalance, whilst at the same time are mindful of the need to create balanced communities. The Council considers it entirely reasonable and appropriate that the district wide policy applies to Northstowe.
NSx Housing Mix – Preferred Approach
The District wide housing mix policy should apply to Northstowe in order to provide a range of housing sizes to help ensure a balanced community.
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Community Services, Facilities, Leisure, Art and Culture including Community Development
The development of Northstowe provides the opportunity for community services and facilities providers to take advantage of emerging best practice in order to ensure that the new residents of Northstowe and the surrounding villages secure the greatest benefit from living in and close to the new town.
NSx Community Services, Facilities, Leisure, Art and Culture Objectives – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should have the following objectives for community services, facilities, leisure, art and culture:
• To support the early establishment of a successful new community at Northstowe
• To ensure provision of appropriate services and facilities which would reasonably be expected to be found in a small market town of 20,000 to 24,000 people with a small catchment of surrounding villages.
• To secure the provision of leisure and cultural facilities which would reasonably be expected to be found in a small market town of 20,000 to 24,000 people with a small catchment of surrounding villages.
• To encourage the provision of public art.
The service providers have been collaborating over the last 18 months to establish what services and facilities should be provided as well as how they should best be provided. This collaboration has been undertaken by the Local Strategic Partnership of District and County Councils, working with the Health Services, the Police, Parish Councils, the business and voluntary sector.
These service providers are considering a number of innovative ways of providing their services and facilities and will themselves undertake consultation before making their decisions. It is only once it knows what and how services will be provided that the District Council can prepare the detailed plans. However, the principles which are likely to guide the location of services and facilities in Northstowe will be:
• accessibility to the people who will be seeking services and facilities • combining or linking services and facilities which will be mutually supportive and convenient for the public • concentrating services and facilities in a few locations order to ensure that a journey for one purpose provides the opportunity to serve another purpose,
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reducing the number of journeys, and providing opportunities for community interaction.
The town and local centres will be the focus of services and facilities at Northstowe and will be linked together by the dedicated public transport route through the town as well as by the footpath and cycleway network which will provide safe and convenient public access.
The service providers are investigating opportunities for closer integration of their services to offer a better overall service to the public and to make the best use of land, buildings and other resources. Co-location can provide substantial savings, operational efficiency and better customer service. This would be achieved by sharing buildings, car parks and other facilities such as receptions. Examples of shared provision which are being investigated are:
• a combined library, information and learning centre • making the secondary school a focus of community activities including lifelong learning, a sports centre and swimming pool. • providing a venue for the performing arts and larger community events; this could be partly co-located with an ecumenical centre • children’s and family support services may benefit from being located in primary schools and therefore at each local centre • care facilities and services for older people could be integrated within the wider community and health care provision and linked to a range of housing options • a health campus comprising a number of GPs and other health specialists such as dentists, optometrists, physiotherapists, chiropodists sharing support facilities to provide a better service to the public. Nurse Practitioners could be based at the primary schools offering greater accessibility. • the faith needs of Northstowe are also still being investigated but could be met through an ecumenical centre for the Christian denominations but the needs of other faiths will also need to be considered – traditionally building used for worship have provided important landmark buildings • a combined youth and community centre youth offering a wide range of uses for all ages
The service providers need to consult with their own professionals and their customers before they can make decisions on how they will provide their services and facilities at Northstowe. Once they have made their decisions, the Area Action Plan can make the necessary land allocations at the town and local centres and include policies to secure the provision of the land and equipped buildings from the developers of the town.
In addition to the provision of services and facilities, provision will be needed for professional Community Development Workers to help establish a vibrant and sustainable community from the outset of development and also to provide support
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mechanisms in response to local need. In addition the needs of young people should be considered at the earliest stage of development, including the employment of youth workers.
NSx Public Provided Community Services, Facilities, Leisure Art and Culture - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach to securing the provision of the full range of publicly provided services and facilities that will be required at Northstowe is that they will be funded in full by the development. The development will provide for innovative means of provision, including opportunities for joint provision and co-location to provide services which best meet people’s needs and which are cost efficient to service and facility providers. Once the full range of services and facilities has been determined, any planning permission granted for the development of Northstowe will include a planning obligation requiring their phased delivery.
Not all services and facilities will be provided by the public sector. A large number of facilities at Northstowe will be provided commercially and will include such facilities as public houses, shops, a market and leisure uses. Some of these would be considered essential to the development of a successful community and there will need to be some certainty that they will be capable of being provided. This will be particularly important in the early phases of development in order to ensure that Northstowe has a basic range of services and facilities which will help attract its first residents.
The priorities for commercial leisure provision (for example, cinema, ten pin bowling, health and fitness clubs, golf facilities, snooker and pool rooms will be considered in consultation with other neighbouring local authorities in order that deficiencies and priorities can be identified.
NSx Commercially Provided Services, Facilities, Leisure, Art and Culture - Preferred Approach
The preferred approach to the provision of commercially provided services and facilities is that the development will make provision for all the commercial services and facilities that a town with a population of 20,000 to 24,000 people will require. During the negotiations over the granting of planning permission, those commercial services and facilities which are essential to the successful establishment of a new sustainable community will be identified and any planning permission granted for the development of Northstowe will include a planning obligation requiring their phased delivery. Providers of commercial
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leisure facilities should be proactively encouraged in accordance with the agreed priorities.
The Range of Services, Facilities, Leisure and Community Infrastructure
The range of services and facilities and community infrastructure that will be provided at Northstowe is still being investigated by the service providers but early indications are that they will include: . a) Education – Primary and Secondary One secondary school 5 primary schools Nursery provision Pre-school provision (0-4) Out of school care (0-14 year olds) Special Education Further education in co-operation with the Learning and Skills Council b) Lifelong Learning Public Library, information and advice centre, including provision for voluntary sector Adult and Community Learning c) Social Services Social services Children and families services Services for older people Mental health services Services for the disabled d) Fire Services Fire Services e) Police Police Services including Police Community Support officers f) Community Facilities Community centre/meeting place Swimming Pool and Leisure Centre Place of worship (provision for a number of different faiths) Burial ground Allotments Youth Centre Dedicated Children’s Play Areas
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Outdoor sports facilities including tennis courts, bowls greens and artificial turf pitches Youth Facilities (e.g. skateboard parks) g) Community Development Arrangements for involvement of existing local communities and service providers in the design process. Plan for community development (residents and workers in the new town) as settlement grows. Interim arrangements for community meeting place. Establishment of residents representative group and communication between new residents Arrangements for establishment of town council, and district/county electoral areas review. Arrangements for permanent town/parish council office facility Arrangements for involvement of residents in management of community facilities Community Development worker(s) and Youth Workers
h) Commercial Shops – including early support for local shopping provision (including unit shops). A market, including provision for locally-based farmers market Pubs/takeaways/cafes/eating places Post Office/banking facilities Leisure e.g. cinema, bowling, fitness
i) Healthcare Care facilities for older people A health campus offering general medical services including GP Practice(s) plus a number of health specialists such as dentists, optometrists, physiotherapists and chiropodists plus dispensary. Enhanced services including minor surgery and specialised clinics Nurse Practitioners based at each primary school Ambulance facility
j) Faith An ecumenical centre for the Christian denominations, including worship space, administrative office, meeting room(s), prayer space, catering and support facilities, and accommodation for a minister. The needs of other faiths will also need to be considered, possibly using facilities in other buildings.
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Location of Community Facilities
Local centres should be located within walking distance of all homes. Each local centre is anticipated to include:
• The Primary School, with associated pre and post school provision, nurse practioner and family services • Local commercial facilities, including convenience shopping, a nursery and café/takeaways • Local meeting room, which could also be used for small-scale worship/prayer, and local learning point.
The local meeting room could be provided within the primary school, with independent access and security, or on an adjacent site.
The other facilities will be located to serve the whole population of Northstowe, generally within the town centre area, enabling interaction between the users of the different services. The secondary school may need to be located away from the majority of the town centre services, to provide a more appropriate environment for pupils, at lunchtimes and before/after school, and better access to playing field and sports provision.
Meeting Recreational Needs
Northstowe’s residents should be able to find that their sport, leisure and recreational needs are met locally so that they can lead a healthy lifestyle and enjoy a high quality of life and leisure time. Whilst some higher order and commercial leisure activities can only be met in Cambridge as the sub-regional centre, every opportunity should be taken to allow people from Northstowe and the surrounding villages to meet as many their needs without having to travel further afield.
NSx Recreation - Objectives
The following objectives should be adopted to meet recreational needs at Northstowe:
• To provide adequate sports facilities • To ensure adequate public open space for play and informal leisure • To create a town park to serve as a focus for the town’s outdoor activities • To ensure adequate opportunities for commercial leisure • To provide an appropriate countryside experience.
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Public Open Space
There will need to be a high standard of public open space provision in Northstowe consistent with its role as a town of significant size. The Area Action Plan will set a minimum standard for public open space. The District Council has prepared a Recreation Needs Assessment to inform policies in the Local Development Framework. This relates primarily to existing villages and suggests that larger villages require a standard equal to or slightly higher that the National Playing Fields Association “Six Acre Standard”. Its findings are not necessarily directly appropriate for Northstowe; however, the close relationship to the nationally recognised National Playing Fields Association ‘Six Acre Standard’ provides a degree of legitimacy for using the proposed District standard for the new town.
NSx Public Open Space – Preferred Approach
At Northstowe the South Cambridgeshire Core Strategy outdoor playspace and informal open space minimum standards would apply. However, additional space would be required for allotments.
The location of formal sports pitches is also relevant to the overall quality of provision. A location for outdoor pitches provided in a cluster and supported by appropriate ancillary facilities that is adjacent to the secondary school could help provide a flexible facility with wider community benefit.
NSx Location of Sports Pitches – Preferred Approach
A large outdoor area offering a combination of grass pitches would be based adjacent to the secondary school with a large club house offering changing accommodation. This would allow for greater flexibility of use by school and community.
Formal Sports Provision
The Area Action Plan must identify the formal sports facilities required to meet the needs of the new population, such as swimming pools, sports halls, etc, and also the changing and social facilities needed to support this provision. It is important to ensure that these facilities are within easy access of residents and should therefore be located within easy walking distance of residential areas. Formal sports facilities should also be located close to the high quality public transport route through the town.
NSx Distance to Formal Sport – Preferred Approach
All homes should be within 1,000m (10 - 15 minute walking time) of formal sports provision.
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The Council will undertake a full assessment of the formal sports facilities required to meet the needs of the new community including detailed discussions with each of the Sports Governing Bodies, further analysis with Sport England linked with an assessment of local and national sporting trends. A variety of information and advice is already available including:
The 2003 Sport England Facility Demand Estimator, which is a national sports facility planning tool taking into account likely demand for swimming pools, sports halls, artificial turf pitches for hockey and indoor bowls only, suggests the need for Northstowe as:
• 1.2 x 25 m swimming pool (4/5 lanes) • 1.9 sports halls • an artificial turf pitch for hockey (0.4) • an indoor bowls facility
In addition, the Sport England document “Planning Obligations for Sport and Recreation 1993”, estimates the need based on 8,000 homes as approximately:
• 8 floodlit tennis courts • 1.5 full sized outdoor bowling greens • 4 squash courts • 18 hole golf course • 4 lane athletics track
Some recent trends suggest a need for more mini soccer pitches and also full sized artificial turf pitches for football training and matches and smaller football training facilities.
Other formal sports facilities will be also be required to meet the needs of all residents and will be provided in clusters supported by appropriate ancillary facilities.
NSx Formal Sports provision – Preferred Approach
A Strategy for Formal Sports should be prepared taking account of a full assessment of the formal sports facilities required to meet the needs of the new community, including detailed discussions with each of the Sports Governing Bodies, further analysis with Sport England and linked with an assessment of local and national sporting trends.
Dual use of Indoor Sports Facilities
Cambridgeshire has a well developed tradition of community colleges and village colleges which provide “Dual Use” sports facilities for both school and community use. This works well in South Cambridgeshire where the existing policy is to base its
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main indoor sports centres and swimming pools at secondary schools managed under a service level agreement with the school. This offers a good value approach and ensures that all people have access to good quality, local sports facilities.
It also encourages greater after school sport for young people and gives priority to community use in the evenings and weekends.
The service level agreements include all indoor sports facilities plus outdoor tennis courts and multi use games areas. They do not include grass pitches as this leads to over use of school pitches and regular access cannot always be guaranteed by the schools. Grass pitches located close by can, however, offer some joint usage.
Dual Use Sports Facilities also work well in neighbouring local authority areas where they are located in more urban environments including Huntingdonshire and East Cambridgeshire.
NSx Dual Use Sports Provision – Preferred Approach
The main indoor sports facility would be based at the secondary school. This would be a dual use facility used by both school and community and might also include an athletics track, tennis courts and one or more floodlit artificial turf pitches.
Children’s Play
A Play Strategy will be produced for Northstowe 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 total land space required will be based on the Council’s proposed standard for inclusion in the Core Strategy of 0.8 hectares per 1000 population of which up to 50% will be in the form of LAPs LEAPs, NEAPs and SIPs. However the distribution of play spaces is also important if they are to properly serve local needs.
LAPs will not be formally equipped but will provide soft and hard landscaping to provide a natural meeting place and play space for children and adults. The National Playing Fields Association recommends that no home should be more than 60m (1 minute walk) from a LAP.
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NSx Local Areas for Play - Preferred Approach
No home would be more than 60m from a LAP.
LEAPs offer formal equipment for children up to 8 years. They should incorporate at least 8 pieces of equipment including a minimum of 3 pieces suitable for toddlers. The National Playing Fields Association recommends that no home should be will be more than 400m (5 minutes walk) from a LEAP.
NSx Local Equipped Areas for Play - Preferred Approach
No home should be more than 400m from a LEAP.
NEAPs and SIPs will cater for unaccompanied 8 – 14 year olds and will include equipped play areas and more natural areas using local features and also youth sports facilities including informal multi-use areas and provision for a range of wheeled sport areas. The National Playing Fields Association recommends that no home should be more than 1000m (15 minute walk) from a NEAP or SIP.
NSx Neighbourhood Equipped Areas for Play & Spaces for Imaginative Play - Preferred Approach
No home should be more than 1,000m from a NEAP or SIP.
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.
NSx Community Involvement - Preferred Approach
Local children and young people should be involved in the design of all play areas.
A Town Park
Given that the highest densities will be developed in and around the town centre and that it will be a focus for activity, it will be important to ensure that those living in, working in and visiting these areas have easy access to high quality open space. A formal town park would offer the opportunity for these needs to be met and to act as a peaceful/vibrant area close to the centre of activities. It would also offer the opportunity to provide an outdoor venue for entertainment such as concerts and fetes close to the heart of the town thus contributing to its community development. To fulfil
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this function it is important that it is one continuous space rather than a series of interlinking green areas around the town centre. It will be important that it is connected to the adjoining green ways and residential areas by high quality footpaths and cyclelinks. It could include some sports provision such as tennis courts and bowls, and could also provide facilities such as picnic areas.
NSx Town Park – Preferred Approach
A town park of at least 3 ha should be developed within or adjoining the town centre.
Green Corridors
The landscape strategy being developed for Northstowe suggests a series of green corridors connecting the surrounding countryside with the town and penetrating into and through the urban fabric, consistent with the character of Cambridge, albeit on a smaller scale.
These green corridors will offer landscape and biodiversity value as well as recreational use and are likely to range in width from approximately 15m, the minimum which is required to achieve cycleways, footpaths, verges, planting and water/drainage features, to around 100m of informal open space, recreation and children’s play areas. There may be potential for the wider areas of the corridor to accommodate formal sports provision without detracting fro the overall role.
They should be accessed from built development areas by footpaths and cycleways and connect to each other, to the green separation with neighbouring villages and with the surrounding countryside in order to maximise their value in creating a complete network.
They should also link to other neighbourhood community facilities, and in particular the primary schools, offering recreational amenity for children and parents between home and school. In addition they can offer sustainable access links to areas of formal sports pitches and facilities.
NSx Green Corridors – Preferred Approach
A series of green corridors should be created which would have landscaping and biodiversity value and also perform a recreational function for both informal recreation and children’s play.
NSx Green Corridors – Potential Option
A potential option would be for the green corridors where they widen out to also incorporate formal sports pitches and facilities, where they
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could accommodate do so without detracting from the landscape and biodiversity value of the corridor. In such cases, changing accommodation would also need to be provided.
In order that the green corridors safely fulfil their landscape, recreational and biodiversity functions for both human and wildlife use, the number of road crossings to these the corridors should be limited. Any crossings should be well designed and complement the landscape character.
NSx Crossing Green Corridors - Preferred Approach
Road and bus crossings through the green corridors should be well designed to limit any safety implications and be low key in character to limit adverse affects on the landscape.
Water Features
To meet the objective of water forming an integral part of the design of the town, advantage should be taken of the need for substantial surface water drainage and incorporate this as an amenity.
The layout of this water based amenity could potentially take a number of different forms ranging from a linear canal type feature based on the Fens landscape, to a number of small lakes or one large lake that provides the opportunity for water based recreation and non motorised water sports.
The preferred option is for a linear water formation which could take the form of a water park providing a recreation and amenity feature and which could link with other open areas. This would offer the greater overall community benefit to the new population of Northstowe.
NSx Water Features – Preferred Option
The preferred option for surface water drainage is for a linear water formation, based on a Fen-edge landscape, offering an aesthetic and visual benefit to the town as well as a recreation facility.
NSx Water Features – Rejected Option
The provision of a single large lake to deal with surface water drainage could offer greater potential for non motorised water sports and water based recreational activity, but would not provide the same amenity
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benefits or reflect the town’s Fen-edge location and is therefore rejected.
Landscaping Recreational areas
Both formal and informal recreational areas, footpaths and cycleways will need to be appropriately landscaped to reflect their locations. A landscape strategy should be prepared for the town which incorporates a range of landscape character from formal tree and shrub planting within the denser urban areas, to areas of more naturalistic planting within larger open spaces and boundary areas. The retention of the existing established trees and hedges should be encouraged resulting in early landscape benefits and minimising the loss of established habitats, where this is consistent with the landscape strategy.
NSx Landscaping Recreational areas - Preferred Approach
A landscaping strategy should be prepared for the town which incorporates a range of soft landscaping features ranging from formal tree and shrub planting within the denser urban areas, to areas of naturalistic planting within larger open spaces and boundary areas and endeavouring to retain existing vegetation where this is consistent with the strategy.
Public open space management
With a wide variety of public open space and facilities being planned for Northstowe, it is important that appropriate long-term management arrangements are planned and implemented at an early stage. This includes ensuring that parcels of land are not fragmented and that it is clear which body is responsible for their maintenance and care. This is particularly the case for incidental open space within housing development and roadside verges.
NSx Management of Open Space – Preferred Approach
All public open space and incidental space should be in a single ownership to avoid fragmentation and a robust management plan would in place before construction work commences. 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 in the town secured by agreement from the developers.
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Commercial Leisure Provision
The provision of commercial leisure facilities is market led as these facilities must be profit making. It is, however, important that commercial leisure facilities provided properly meet the needs of the new residents, fill gaps in provision where possible and complement existing facilities.
Commercial recreation facilities might include ten-pin bowling, pool and snooker, health and fitness clubs and also golf facilities as mentioned above.
NSx Commercial Leisure – Preferred Approach
The Council should work with neighbouring local authorities and the Developers to develop a strategy for commercial leisure provision that meets local need and complements existing facilities.
Phasing of delivery
It will be important for the new residents to have access to both recreational facilities and informal open space to meet their needs at a very early stage. Phasing is particularly relevant to the provision of sports pitches as they need to be established for up to 2 years before they can be used. The early implementation of these areas should be conditions of any planning permission.
NSx Phasing of the delivery of open space – Preferred Approach
Recreational facilities and landscaping should be delivered early within the development through Section 106 Agreements.
Existing Golf Course
The existing Cambridge Golf Course is a low budget 18 hole facility with driving range which will be lost as part of the development. A more detailed assessment will be made of the need to replace this facility to serve the new town and the local area. However it is likely that the new community of Northstowe will require golf provision.
NSx Golf Provision – Preferred Approach
The existing golf course should be replaced by a suitable alternative that would provide affordable golf for all existing users plus the new residents of Northstowe. This would be managed commercially.
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Countryside Recreation
As a town with a considerable population living at densities which overall are higher than in the existing market towns, it will be important that residents have the opportunity to connect with the surrounding countryside. One advantage of Northstowe being developed in a compact form will be that the countryside is never far away and should be reachable on foot and certainly by bicycle. However, the intensively farmed nature of the countryside around Northstowe means that he opportunities for informal recreation are limited.
The County Council, in partnership with the District Councils has undertaken a study of “Strategic Open Space”. This is a higher order facility which serves a wider catchment and different purpose than local public open space and which has more than local significance. The District Council is considering including a standard for Strategic Open Space in the Core Strategy, drawing on the study and further ongoing work. The Study will help identify what standard should be identified for Strategic Open Space and also the appropriate contribution towards additional Strategic Open Space that should come forward from developments, including Northstowe. It is generally recognised that Cambridgeshire is deficient in this type of open space. As a major new community, Northstowe will itself create a need for a strategic open space facility and it will be important to ensure that its substantial population has good access to the countryside.
Strategic Open Space could consist of recreational parks and gardens, natural and semi-natural green spaces and strategic green corridors. They would be expected to be accessible to significant numbers of people.
At Northstowe, this is likely to be translated into a need for areas of open access where people could find the facilities which would enable them to experience informal countryside leisure activities. Such facilities could include a visitors’ centre, areas for picnicking, barbeques, kick about areas, kite flying and so on, as well as supporting facilities such as car and cycle parking, toilets, etc. Such areas are normally defined as country parks. If it is intended to meet an existing deficit in this part of the district, it would not be appropriate for the entire burden of a new facility to fall on the developers of Northstowe.
The green separation between Northstowe and Oakington would have potential to form the focus of a small country park. This could include managing an area adjacent to Oakington village for wildlife with less public access in order to maintain its rural village character. The development of a small country park in this location would be well related to the southern part of the town and would have the potential to connect with the suggested water park and the green separation between Northstowe and Longstanton.
To the west of Station Road another county park could be established. It would be well related to the northern part of the town and to Longstanton, particularly the new
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development at Home Farm on the west side of the village. If the option of extending Northstowe across to the west of Station Road were to be adopted to achieve a town of up to 10,000 dwellings, the Country Park could lie to the west of that development and would assist in screening it from the wider countryside. It would also have the advantage of being accessible to the wider area through the access road to the A14 and proximity to the stops on the Guided Bus route and the Local Bus Loop. Station Road would need to have some form of safe crossing for cyclists and pedestrians. Again, a country park in this location would have potential to connect with green separation, green corridors and the water park to provide a countryside experience encircling Northstowe. Making use of green routes to link countryside open spaces is an effective way of maximising the countryside experience without needing vast areas of dedicated open space.
NSx Countryside Recreation – Preferred Approach
Two country parks should be provided: • In the green separation between Oakington and Northstowe • west of Station Road, Longstanton
These would be linked to provide a circular route via: • the green corridors through the town • green separation • the water park • the wider countryside.
If these areas are demonstrated to be in excess of what is required to meet the needs of Northstowe itself, a proportion of the west of Station Road country park would need to be funded by means other than developer contributions from Northstowe.
There will also be a need to develop a strategy whereby there would be improved access from Northstowe into the wider countryside through footpaths and cycleways, connecting wherever possible to other areas of Strategic Open Space.
NSx Access to the Countryside – Preferred Approach
A strategy should be developed to link all parts of the town to the wider countryside through an enhanced network of footpaths and bridleways.
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Land Drainage and Water Conservation
In Cambridgeshire, with its low lying land, the treatment of surface water run-off is of critical importance in order to avoid flood risk of either any new development or land nearby or downstream.
Although it appears generally level, the site of Northstowe lies at between 5m and 16 OD (Ordnance datum) and is a naturally draining site being just above the fen level (0 – 5 OD) where drainage has to be by pumping.
NSx Land Drainage and Water Conservation – Objectives
The Area Action Plan for Northstowe should have the following objectives for land drainage and water conservation:
• To ensure that the development would not be at risk of flooding either from itself or surrounding watercourses, for up to the 1 in 100 year event.
• Not to increase the flood risk to surrounding properties and communities, particularly Oakington and Longstanton, or downstream areas.
• To mitigate current flood risks affecting Oakington village.
• To maintain where possible, practicable and sustainable the natural catchment areas.
• To ensure that landforms and engineering works in any drainage scheme do not compromise the Fen-Edge character of the surrounding area by considering the landscape options available for the site.
• To suggest an appropriate foul water drainage system and disposal method for the site.
• To develop appropriate strategies for the management and maintenance of all water bodies and watercourses.
• To determine the scope for water recycling within the development, through layout and building design, etc.
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Surface Water Drainage
The majority of the site drains naturally north-eastwards as ground levels fall towards the Fens. This gives the opportunity to develop a series of balancing lakes or lagoons parallel to the former St. Ives railway line. These would hold any surface water run-off so that discharge into the existing watercourses would be controlled at a rate no greater than if the site were undeveloped.
Surface water from within the development would need to be guided to a series of channels which could be set within green corridors running through the urban area and which would then feed down to the main water holding area, which would form a linear feature along the western boundary of the St. Ives railway line. A strategy would be drawn up to develop a positive surface and greywater system, using sustainable urban drainage systems. This would include a robust worse case scenario to size balancing ponds and could include swales, reed beds and other forms of filtration drainage within the development where practical.
This would present the opportunity to create an extensive, multi-functional linear water park at the edge of the town as a foil to the built development, the character of which would both reflect the fen-edge location and complement the built form. This proposal would also allow the creation of a diverse environment to provide both a visual and recreation amenity for the residents of the new town and surrounding villages as well as opportunities for biodiversity.
An alternative option would be a single large lake rather than a linear feature which would provide the opportunity for more formal water-based recreation. However, it would not provide the wider amenity and character benefits which would accrue from a more widespread, linear distribution of the water.
NSx Surface Water Drainage – Preferred Option
Surface water drainage would be by means of a series of channels within green corridors through the town which would then feed down to the main water holding area which would be a linear feature along the western boundary of the St. Ives railway line. This would create a water park which should have a series of lakes which are connected and contain water at all times of the year.
NSx Surface Water Drainage – Alternative Option
This would be the same as the Preferred Option but would create a single large lake in the water park, which would provide the opportunity for more formal water-based recreation. However, it would not provide the wider amenity and character benefits which would accrue from a more widespread, linear distribution of the water.
35 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Northstowe Area Action Plan: Preferred Options – Initial Draft July 2004 Northstowe Member Steering Group – APPENDIX 2
Foul Drainage and Sewage Disposal
Anglian Water has advised that the flows from the development could be treated at Uttons Drove Sewage Treatment Works (STW). The Uttons Drive STW is at capacity and hence would require upgrading. Anglian Water is currently undertaking a study to investigate outfall options with a view to agreeing a suitable outfall location/arrangement with the Environment Agency, Internal Drainage Board and the District Council.
The foul water produced at the site is likely to drain by gravity to a minimum of two pumping stations, one of which will be the terminal pumping station. The terminal pumping station would then pump the foul water to the Uttons Drove STW via a new outfall route, hence avoiding the existing pumping station within Longstanton and foul drainage system that has a history of flooding.
NSx Foul Drainage and Sewage Disposal – Preferred Approach
Sewage disposal would be by means of Uttons Drove STW via two pumping stations and a new outfall route.
Management and Maintenance of all Water Bodies and Watercourses
It will be important to ensure that surface water drainage will be suitably managed and maintained in perpetuity, beyond the lifetime of construction. The options for this are for maintenance and management to be the responsibility of one of the following:
• the District Council • a water company such as Anglian Water • a publicly accountable trust.
It is important to ensure that the body made responsible has adequate expertise and is financially stable in perpetuity. Milton Keynes’ water maintenance is undertaken by a publicly accountable trust, which draws its income from commercial property within the town. This was assigned to it by the developers. This is the preferred option. The other options are rejected for the reasons set out below.
NSx Management and maintenance of watercourses – Preferred Option
All water bodies and water courses would be maintained and managed by a specific trust which would be publicly accountable. This trust would be funded in perpetuity by taking ownership of commercial property developed as part of the town.
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NSx Management and maintenance of watercourses – Rejected Option A
All water bodies and water courses would be maintained and managed by the District Council. This is rejected as the District Council could not guarantee having the necessary resources and expertise to undertake this task.
NSx Management and maintenance of watercourses – Rejected Option B
All water bodies and water courses would be maintained and managed by Anglian Water. This is rejected as this is a commercial organisation could not guarantee being able to fulfil this function in perpetuity.
Alleviating or reducing the flood risk to existing settlements of Oakington and Longstanton.
The Structure Plan requires that any new settlement in the area should provide mitigation of flood risk to Oakington and should not exacerbate the existing flood conditions in Longstanton.
At Oakington the Beck Brook has been liable to flood and parts of the village have also flooded as a consequence. There are two options to prevent or reduce this:
• by building up the levels of the land on the sides of the brook • by creating a new cut to bypass the brook
Building bunds would contain any flood water but could introduce an alien feature into a lowland landscape, whilst a new cut could be landscaped and form an interesting feature as part of the green separation between Oakington and Northstowe. The main problem of a new cut would be that it could reduce the water table level at Northstowe to the disadvantage of biodiversity.
NSx Alleviating flood risk at Oakington – Option A
The flooding of the Beck Brook would be contained by raising ground levels along the side of the brook.
37 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Northstowe Area Action Plan: Preferred Options – Initial Draft July 2004 Northstowe Member Steering Group – APPENDIX 2
NSx Alleviating flood risk at Oakington – Option B
The flooding of the Beck Brook would be alleviated by a new channel which would bypass the existing brook and take flood water away from it and Oakington village.
Water Conservation
There are a number of ways to conserve water through:
• the use of water saving devices • use of rainwater, and • greywater recycling
The development of an entirely new town allows the opportunity to design water conservation measures into buildings to reduce the demand for water. However, there could be implications of doing so, for example the use of rainwater (rainwater harvesting) could lower surface water run-off so that watercourses and the water table are at lower levels than would otherwise be the case. This could have an adverse impact on biodiversity. The aim should therefore be to reduce water consumption generally, but to seek a balance in the management of water recycling so that there is no adverse impact on the water environment and biodiversity.
NSx Water Conservation - Preferred Approach
All development in Northstowe will incorporate water conservation measures of water saving devices, rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. A strategy would be required from all developers to demonstrate that they will be able to achieve a high reduction in the use of piped water, whilst managing recycling of water to ensure no adverse impact on the water environment and biodiversity.
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. Locally, climate change has important implications for the natural environment of South Cambridgeshire. Much of the District 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.
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NSx Energy Objectives – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should have the following objectives for energy:
• energy use should be minimised in new development to reduce CO2 emissions which contribute to climate change
• energy should be used efficiently
• greater use made of renewable energy sources
Energy Provision
A major development of the scale of Northstowe, and the fact that it will be a freestanding new settlement, enhances the potential for a comprehensive approach towards the provision of energy. The Structure Plan envisages that Northstowe will be an “example of excellence in the creation of a sustainable settlement” (Policy P9/3). In particular, Northstowe offers the opportunity for innovative measures, including renewable energy.
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 intended that the Core Strategy will include policies that seek the provision of renewable energy in association with larger developments (see Core Strategy Preferred Options).
It is important that the potential for renewable energy is maximised at Northstowe. 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, East 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. It identified that Northstowe offers the greatest technical potential for incorporating a range of renewable, including photovoltaic energy (PV), solar thermal, biomass and wind. It also suggests that it is likely to have the greatest potential for planned development of infrastructure, such as heat grids and private and wire electrical networks.
Opportunities for generating some of the town’s own energy needs by harnessing renewable energy will therefore need to be investigated. The aim should be for a forward thinking approach to maximising renewable energy provision in the new town. However, it is recognised that it is important not to overburden the development to the extent that its viability is undermined. It is therefore
39 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Northstowe Area Action Plan: Preferred Options – Initial Draft July 2004 Northstowe Member Steering Group – APPENDIX 2
recommended that the district wide policies apply to Northstowe rather than any more onerous target.
NSx Energy Provision - Preferred Approach
The district wide policies for renewable energy should apply to Northstowe in order to maximise opportunities offered by the scale and nature of the new town whilst not overburdening the development.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Similar considerations apply to energy efficiency and energy conservation as to energy provision. It is intended that the Core Strategy will include a district wide policy seeking a high level of energy efficiency and energy conservation measures in all new development (see Core Strategy Preferred Options). It will also ensure that the target is related to current practice at the time of an application, ensuring that the performance of Northstowe over the long period of its implementation will always remain challenging and forward thinking.
It is important that the potential for energy conservation is maximised at Northstowe. However, it is also important not to overburden the development to the extent that its viability is undermined. Therefore the preferred approach is to apply the district wide policies at Northstowe.
NSx Energy Conservation - Preferred Approach
The district wide policies for energy conservation should apply to Northstowe in order to maximise opportunities offered by the scale and nature of the new town whilst not overburdening the development.
Notwithstanding, whilst it would not be appropriate to include higher standards for Northstowe as a whole, there is potential to include exemplar projects within the development which respond to the Structure Plan requirements that the development “will be an example of excellence in the creation of a sustainable settlement …. and will promote the Sub-Region as a leader in technological innovation..…”.
NSx Energy Provision: Exemplar Projects – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should be required to include within the development exemplar projects in energy efficient developments. This could be achieved by building a proportion of the development to advanced practice which fully addresses sustainability issues and minimises any environmental impact by pushing at the boundaries.
40 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Northstowe Area Action Plan: Preferred Options – Initial Draft July 2004 Northstowe Member Steering Group – APPENDIX 2
Waste
It is not the role of the Area Action Plan to include policies for waste. Waste policies are contained in the Structure Plan and the Waste Local Plan. These plans form part of the development plan for South Cambridgeshire and will need to be read alongside the Area Action Plan for Northstowe. However, to assist those reading the Area Action Plan, it will set out briefly the planning policy context for waste contained in the Structure Plan and Waste Local Plan.
The Cambridgeshire Structure Plan 2003 says that Northstowe should include an appropriate waste management facility and that the town will include social infrastructure and local facilities to meet the needs of the settlement and the immediate surrounding area rather than the wider Sub-Region.
The Waste Local Plan 2003, prepared by Cambridgeshire County Council as the waste planning authority, identifies Northstowe as a suitable location for a major waste management facility and a household waste recycling centre.
The masterplanning process for Northstowe will need to take account of all components of the development plan, and will be the vehicle for bringing together the overall policy framework for the new town.
Telecommunications
Effective telecommunications are of great benefit to both the economy and the community, and the technology is developing rapidly. It is closely related to information technology, where broadband access is becoming increasingly important to businesses, as well as enabling home working which can contribute to reducing the need to travel.
NSx Telecommunications Objectives – Preferred Approach
Northstowe should have the following objectives for telecommunications:
• to provide an effective telecommunications infrastructure, including provision for broadband
• be capable of responding to changes in technology requirements over the period of the development
The development of an entirely new town provides the opportunity to ensure that all telecommunications infrastructure is designed and installed as an integral part of the
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development. This is in addition to the requirements of all developments as set out in the Core Strategy.
In terms of underground cables, these should be provided as part of the development of the town and located to ensure ease of future maintenance with minimum disruption, including to landscaping.
For surface infrastructure, the scope to share existing telecommunications masts should be maximised and potential to utilise existing buildings should also be explored to help minimise visual impact.
NSx Telecommunications – Preferred Approach
All telecommunications infrastructure, including provision for broadband, should be designed and installed as an integral part of the development, which minimises visual impact and future disturbance during maintenance.
Planning Obligations
The over-arching principle for the funding of the services, facilities and infrastructure that will be needed at Northstowe is that they will be funded in full by the development without which they would not be needed. However, Northstowe will not exist in isolation. Its development will be part of an overall development strategy for the whole of the Cambridge Sub-Region. Services, facilities and infrastructure will provided elsewhere in the Sub-Region which will be required by the development at Northstowe. The most obvious examples are the Guided Busway and the A14 improvements.
In order to ensure that this sub-regional infrastructure is provided when it is needed, that appropriate levels of funding are secured from new development and that a consistent approach is taken to securing contributions from individual development to the service, facilities and infrastructure that will be provided at each development, the planning authorities, service and infrastructure providers have established an organisation called the Cambridge Sub-Region Infrastructure Partnership. The Partnership is developing a planning obligation strategy which will be incorporated into the planning obligation strategy for Northstowe.
The individual chapters of the preferred options paper include options for services, facilities, infrastructure and other uses such as affordable housing which will be delivered in full or in part by the developers of Northstowe.
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