Highways Depot, Whittlesford

HIGHWAYS DEPOT, WHITTLESFORD

Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford On behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council and the Highways Agency September 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. BRIEF

2. THE SITE & CONTEXT

3. SITE PHOTOGRAPHS

4. BENEFITS OF DEVELOPMENT

5. DESIGNATIONS & CONSTRAINTS

6. QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

1. Introduction

1.1 Brief

The Carter Jonas Planning Division on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council (Strategy & Estates Dept.) and the Highways Agency is promoting selected land within the District of South Cambridgeshire as sustainable locations for future housing growth. This documents supports the development of the existing depot and offices at Station Road East, Whittlesford (‘The Site’) and provides a consultation response to the recently published Issues & Options South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) Local Plan.

The new planning system places emphasis on “front loading.” This involves proposals being assessed at an early stage in the plan process, which should allow for a more informed decision when the Local Development Framework (LDF) is finally published. This report therefore aims to assist South Cambridgeshire District Council in their consideration of those settlements and sites best suited for housing allocation within the district in anticipation of their emerging Local Plan.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

PART A – SITE UNDERSTANDING

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012 2. The Site & Context

2.1 The Site

The site area proposed for consideration extends to some 2.284ha/5.65acres. The land lies to the north of Station Road East, near to Whittlesford Parkway Station. See red line area shown on the site location plan.

2.2 Context

The site is located in an area known as Whittlesford Bridge, in association with the railway station which is located 100m to the west. To the north and east the land is vacant greenfield, leading towards Sawston beyond. To the south of the Site is the railway station car park, which backs onto the A505 at higher ground. To the west of the site is a row of 8no. Residential properties, separated from the boundary of the site by a green access trip leading from Station Road to the land at the rear. Lion Works employment area is located beyond the houses, which consists of a number of industrial units.

Whittlesford Parkway is well connected, within easy reach of the A505, M11 towards Stanstead, A1301 and the A11. It lies 9 miles by road from Cambridge.

2.3 Current & Proposed Use

The site is currently in use as a highways vehicle depot and also accommodates offices; part owned by the County Council, part Highways Agency. There is a plan, subject to formal ratification by the partners, to relocate to a new shared depot site that can serve both, and other public sector partners. This is part of the ‘Making Assets Count’ programme that seeks to make best use of public sector assets. The site therefore offers the opportunity for a residential led mixed use development (medium density 30dph).

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

3. Site Photographs

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SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

4. Benefits of Development

4.1 Growth Strategy & Settlement Hierarchy

The Site currently lies outside of the defined settlement framework for Whittlesford Bridge. However South Cambridgeshire District must allocate land to provide space for housing growth to cover the Local Plan period up to 2031 (18,500 – 23,500 dwellings). The presumption, in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework, shall be for sustainable development. This therefore requires the Council to seek suitable and deliverable sites. The delivery of homes and employment within settlements such as Whittlesford, in order to meet the needs of the district and the local community, whilst maintaining a balanced and mixed community is key to the future long term viability and success of rural settlements and their economy.

The existing Core Strategy document identifies Whittlesford as a Group Village within the adopted settlement hierarchy, where development up to 15 homes may be acceptable. However, a Minor Rural Centre is defined by South Cambridgeshire District Council as settlements which do not in themselves have a sufficient level of services and facilities to justify being designated as Rural Centres, but play an important role in the district by servicing a small rural hinterland. As a matter of principle this does not include villages that are in the immediate proximity of Cambridge (Girton and Milton), as they do not perform this function. Taking this into account it is argued that Whittlesford, in combination with Whittlesford Bridge, justify designation as a Minor Rural Centre, serving the surrounding villages , including Thriplow and Duxford.

4.2 Sustainable Development – existing services & facilities

Whittlesford Bridge includes the Red Lion public house and a Travelodge hotel. A petrol station and services, including Marks & Spencer's convenience store and McDonalds restaurant is located within close proximity along the A505. Whittlesford, just a 10 minute walk or 5 minute cycle ride across the railway bridge from the Site, hosts the following facilities; Primary school; playgroup; village shop; Post Office; community hall; recreation ground; two public houses; vetinary practice; allotments and two places of worship.

4.3 Sustainable Development – public transport availability

Public transport links from Whittlesford Bridge are very good. The Parkway railway station provides direct links to Cambridge, Bishops Stortford and London Liverpool St, with a 30 minute to hourly service. Buses to Cambridge and Saffron Walden leave from Station Road West (citi 7) Monday to Saturday. Also Whittlesford to Saffron Walden (Tesco) (no. 101) and towards Sawston and Hinxton (no.7A).

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

4. Benefits of Development

4.4 Opportunities offered by Development

The preceding information demonstrates that development within this location could provide a sustainable solution to the future growth requirements within South Cambridgeshire District. This Site has the ability to satisfy demand for housing within Whittlesford, including local needs affordable properties.

By virtue of the proximity between the Site and the existing facilities in Whittlesford, in particular the railway station, new residents who occupy any properties subsequently constructed here would be within easy walking distance of all village services and sustainable modes of transport. Sustainable growth here would assist in maintaining the vitality and viability of the rural community, supporting existing facilities and potentially making viable new ones.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

5. Designations & Constraints

5.1 Flood Risk

The Site is considered to be at low risk of flooding. Environment Agency online flood mapping classifies the area as flood zone 1.

5.2 Land Use Designations

The northern section of the Site is designated as Green Belt; this area may be retained as outdoor recreational space if release is not considered appropriate. However it is not considered that its’ release would undermine the primary objectives of the green belt. The site is not the subject of any other land use designations.

5.4 Heritage Assets

The Site does not lie within or adjacent to a designated Conservation Area. To the south west of the Site, along Station Road East, lies the Grade II listed Red Lion Pub and Hotel and the Grade II* Church of Hospital of St John the Baptist, which is now owned and managed by English Heritage. It is not considered that development of this Site would harm the setting of either of these two heritage assets.

5.5 Ecology

According to Natural England mapping the Site is not designated as a SSSI; National or Local Nature Reserve; Country Park; Doorstep or Millennium Green. Magic Defra mapping also does not identify any constraints.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

5. Designations & Constraints

5.6 Highways

It is anticipated that vehicular access could be provided from either (or both) of the existing access points which lead onto Station Road East. This road is currently restricted to 30mph and is therefore suitable, in principal, for residential traffic. Station Road East is a no through road, coming to a dead end at the railway line (pedestrian access over the line is provided via a footbridge). This arrangement therefore means that were the Site developed the majority of traffic would come from the east, off the A505. Similarly when leaving the Site. traffic will head out back onto the A505; this junction is a left turn only situation, however the nearest roundabout for traffic wishing to head west towards the M11 is just a 500m drive away.

5.7 Further work

This proposal will continue to evolve through the identification of any site constraints (both policy and physical) and it is proposed that these shall be mitigated against or compensation measures put in place to address any issues which may arise. This includes highways, drainage, landscape, heritage assets, biodiversity, infrastructure and utilities e.g. gas, electricity and water.

The proposal will also progress through consultation with the relevant local authorities, including catchment schools, to identify if there is capacity to serve the needs of the new development, and if not, what improvements would be necessary e.g. physical expansion. In this case, financial contributions would be sought and agreed from the development as part of a legal agreement.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

PART B – DEVELOPER RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS AND ISSUES

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan – Issues and Options Consultation

6. Response to Questions

Question 3: How much employment do you consider the Local Plan should provide for? i. Lower Jobs Growth – 14,000 additional jobs over the Plan period (700 jobs per year) ii. Medium Jobs Growth – 23,100 additional jobs over the Plan period (1,200 jobs per year) iii. High Jobs Growth – 29,200 additional jobs over the Plan period (1,500 jobs per year)

We support a strategy for Medium/High Jobs Growth (1,200 - 1,500 jobs per year) over the Plan period commensurate with the quantum of housing to be delivered.

One of the three key components of sustainable development as defined in the NPPF (‘the Framework’) is the economic role the Planning System plays – contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth and innovation; and by identifying and coordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure.

The Cambridge economy has withstood the recent downturn better than anticipated, and over the last 20 years the area has seen the total number of jobs increase by an average of 1,600 additional new jobs every year. The lowest performing years (2008-2011, the start of the economic downturn) produced an output of 1,000 jobs per annum.

Given that this is a plan for the forthcoming 19 years, concern regarding the natural slowdown of the Cambridge Cluster/continuation of the PARTdownturn seemsB – unnecessarilyDEVELOPER pessimistic RESPONSE and short-sighted. Whilst this may be the case for the next 5 years, as the previous 20 years have shown, there is the opportunity for growth in the mid to latter parts of the Plan period to sustain/exceed the ‘High Growth’ 1,500 new jobs annual average. TO QUESTIONS AND ISSUES The Jobs Target policy should embrace the Cambridge area’s reputation as a global leader in research and knowledge based industries and higher education available by seeking to achieve the maximum level of jobs growth. The Cambridge area has the ability to retain and attract the top performing companies, despite significant domestic and international competition, but a coordinated statement from the Cambridge authorities needs to be given that jobs growth can be accommodated within a flexible, ambitious and responsive framework. A policy which advocates high growth will support this desired approach.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan – Issues and Options Consultation

6. Response to Questions

Question 4: How much new housing do you consider the Local Plan should provide for? i. Lower Housing Growth – additional 4,300 dwellings (equal to 925 dwellings per year) ii. Medium Housing Growth – additional 7,300 dwellings (equates to 1,075 dwellings per year) iii. High Housing Growth – additional 9,300 dwellings (equates to 1,175 dwellings per year)

We support a strategy for High Housing Growth (23,500 dwellings) over the Plan period.

The second of the three key components of sustainable development as defined in the Framework is the social role of the Planning System – supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by creating a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural well-being.

We have previously advocated a High Jobs Growth strategy and therefore a commensurate level of housing growth is necessary to reduce the burden of commuting through the district.

The 23,500 target for the next 20 years would provide the same average annual completions target as the Core Strategy (1999-2016) and East of England Plan (2001-2021) of c.1,175 dwellings. It was anticipated that the level of completions would not meet the target until later in the plan period once the major developments came forward. This may again be the case going forward, although the Council may this time choose to avoid a PARTstrategy which B – places DEVELOPER too great a reliance RESPONSE on a small number of very large new settlements or urban extensions and instead prioritise large developments (e.g. Up to 500 dwellings) in key sustainable locations (such as Cambridge edge, Rural Centres) and/or medium developments (e.g. TOUp to QUESTIONS100 dwellings) in other AND sustainable ISSUES locations (such as Minor Rural Centres, Group Villages). In such cases, housing completions could be achieved within a quicker timeframe (as less upfront infrastructural delivery) than previous very large urban extensions/new settlements. In 2007/2008 the annual completions was 1,274, demonstrating that an annual average completion rate of 1,175 is feasible.

A High Housing Growth target would also make the greatest contribution towards affordable housing completions, of which there is a severe shortfall.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan – Issues and Options Consultation

6. Response to Questions

Question 5: Do you consider that the Plan should include an allowance for windfall development

We do not support the inclusion of a windfall allowance, if it forms a notional annual figure that is used to reduce the agreed growth target that is derived through a planned identification of deliverable and developable sites over a 5-15 year period. We accept that LPAs may however choose to make an allowance for windfall sites in the five-year supply if they have compelling evidence that such sites have consistently become available in the local area and will continue to provide a reliable source of supply. Any allowance should be realistic having regard to the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, historic windfall delivery rates and expected future trends, and should not include residential gardens.

Question 6: What level of 5-year land buffer do you think the Council should plan for that would be capable of being brought forward from later in the plan period? i. 5% buffer ii. 20% buffer

We would support a 20% buffer. The Framework advocates that where there has been a record of persistent under delivery of housing, local planning authorities should increase the buffer to 20% to provide a realistic prospect of achieving the planned supply and to ensure choice and competition in the market for land. SCDC have had a persistent under delivery through out their recent Plan, as described in the recent AMR (2010/2011):

PARTCumulative B net – housing DEVELOPER completions: 1999 RESPONSE – 2011 = 9,285 Cumulative annualised requirement: 1999 – 2011 = 14,112 TOShortfall/Surplus QUESTIONS: - 4,827 AND ISSUES

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan – Issues and Options Consultation

6. Response to Questions

Question 9: What do you think is the best approach to the development strategy for South Cambridgeshire? All options are expected to involve some village development to provide flexibility and early housing provision: i. Cambridge focus (would require a review of the Green Belt) ii. New settlement focus iii. Sustainable village focus (would require a review of the Green Belt) iv. Combination of the above

We would support a development strategy focusing new development on the edge of Cambridge and on sustainable villages. Development around Cambridge is without question the most sustainable option for growth, offering opportunities to support High Jobs Growth within the City, and the provision of new transport infrastructure such as the Busway, the forthcoming Science Park Train Station and improvements to the A14.

The contribution of sustainable settlements is also important in the early delivery of housing growth. Many are large (in terms of population), have a strong services/facilities base (e.g. schools, public transport accessibility, employment, shops), lie within close proximity to Cambridge, and have the capacity to accommodate substantial housing and employment growth.

Question 13: Which, if any, of the following changes to the rural settlement hierarchy do you agree with?

The existing Core Strategy document identifies Whittlesford as a Group Village within the adopted settlement hierarchy, where development up to 15 PARThomes may B be – acceptable DEVELOPER. However, a RESPONSE Minor Rural Centre is defined by South Cambridgeshire District Council as settlements which do not in themselves have a sufficient level of services and facilities to justify being designated as Rural Centres, but play an important role in the district by TOservicing QUESTIONS a small rural hinterland AND. As a matterISSUES of principle this does not include villages that are in the immediate proximity of Cambridge (Girton and Milton), as they do not perform this function. Taking this into account it is argued that Whittlesford, in combination with Whittlesford Bridge, justify designation as a Minor Rural Centre, serving the surrounding villages, including Thriplow and Duxford. Whittlesford/Whittlesford Bridge has three pubs, hotel, petrol station and services including Marks & Spencer's convenience store and McDonalds restaurant, primary school, playgroup, village shop, Post Office, community hall, recreation ground, vetinary practice; allotments and two places of worship.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford September 2012

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan – Issues and Options Consultation

6. Response to Questions

Question 14: What approach do you think the Local Plan should take for individual housing schemes within village frameworks on land not specifically identified for housing? i. Retain existing numerical limits for individual schemes ii. Increase the size allowed for individual schemes iii. Remove scheme size limits for Minor Rural Centres, and if included for Better Served Group Villages, so they are the same as Rural Centres iv. Remove scheme size limits for all categories of village

We would support the proposal for increasing the size allowed for individual schemes as set out in Figure 6, although would advocate a higher threshold for Minor Rural Centres to 100, and for Better Served Group Villages to 50. Minor Rural Centres and Better Served Group Villages will have been awarded such status on the basis that they meet a certain existing level of service and facility provision and, in many cases, capacity exists to accommodate an enlarged population. Larger developments will typically provide more on-site affordable housing , which is a common local requirement, and larger developments will also often be able to accommodate on-site open space and contribute more significantly to strategic infrastructure requirements. The proliferation of a number of smaller scale developments does not typically offer the same on-site/strategic opportunities, in spite of the possibility that the same numbers of housing across the village will be achieved.

Question 45: Which of the following options do you agree with? iii. Include a policy with higher average target densities in the most sustainable locations and lower average densities in the least sustainable but allowing for variation from site to site to reflect local circumstances. PART B – DEVELOPER RESPONSE We would support the use of density guidance in policy to provide a point of understanding for developers, residents, and LPA TOofficers/members QUESTIONS. AND ISSUES

Question 50: Do you think new homes are often too small? How do you think we should deal with the size of new homes?

We strongly support the principle of Lifetime Homes in new development and the County Council is committed to making such provision on land it is promoting.

The County Council is committed to developing in accordance with the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth which encourages a mixture of tenures and forms.

SCDC Local Plan: Issues & Options

Highways Depot, Station Road East, Whittlesford

September 2012