A consultation was launched last Friday to give residents, business and stakeholders across South Cambridgeshire a final chance to have their say on plans for 22,000 new jobs and 5,000 additional new homes over the next 20 years. It’s hard to underemphasis how big an impact this will have on the area, especially the proposals at Waterbeach with the knock on implications that has for Milton, from additional traffic on the A10 for example which the Transport Strategy has marked for “major road improvements” past Milton.

The full text of the press release follows and we’ve highlighted the key areas for Milton. Sadly the public consultation roadshow is not coming to Milton. The nearest it gets are Waterbeach this Thursday (25/7) and Histon on the first Thursday in September (5/9). See below for details.

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The draft Local Plan which would see a new town built north of Waterbeach, a new village at Bourn Airfield and a major extension to Cambourne to support new jobs being created in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire has been put forward after over 300 possible sites were assessed and 30,000 comments from residents, business, developers and parish councils were considered.

The new homes proposed in the draft Plan are in addition to around 14,000 homes already committed to in South Cambridgeshire District Council‘s current Local Plan. Some have already been built or are under construction, while a number of other have planning permission in locations such as on the edge of Cambridge and at the new town of Northstowe.

During two rounds of public consultation over the last year the majority of local people wanted the Council to focus on a plan that would provide additional homes in a new town or village rather than spreading lots of them across existing villages.

Around 900 of the homes needed are planned in six of the district’s larger villages which have the best services and public transport links. These will also help make sure the Council has a flexible plan for the future as larger new towns and villages take more time to deliver.

During earlier phases of the public consultation local people were asked to comment on options suggested for the plan, but in this final stage residents, businesses and anyone with an interest in the future of the district will be given the choice of saying whether they support or object in a format set by government. This will make sure views can be passed on to an independent inspector who will consider whether the plan needs to be changed before it is finalised.

All views will be considered at a meeting of all councillors next spring to review comments before the plan is submitted to government for independent examination.

The draft plan also includes a number of other policies to help guide development and protect green spaces in villages that are particularly important to local communities.

The Council has been working closely with Cambridge City Council on the overall development strategy and issues affecting both areas as well as Cambridgeshire County Council on its transport strategy to make sure that the places where people live and work or access services are linked up.

Both South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City councils will be consulting on their new Local Plans from Friday 19th July until 5pm on Monday 30th September.

The County Council’s draft Transport Strategy will also be consulted on at the same time, and sets out policies and proposals to address current transport challenges as well as improvements needed to support future growth to encourage the continued economic prosperity of this area. More information is online at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/tscsc, and available at the exhibitions being held by South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council.

A new way money is secured from developments for local facilities is also being consulted on – known as the Community Infrastructure Levy. The Levy will standardise the amount developments of different sizes will contribute on a price per square metre basis. This will mean developers and the community know the contribution from the outset rather than it being negotiated under current section 106 agreements.

Representations can be made online at www.scambs.gov.uk/localplan and 16 public exhibitions are also planned so residents can speak to officers to find out more.

Cllr Pippa Corney, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s cabinet member for planning policy and localism, said:

We are very grateful to all the people who have commented during the two rounds of public consultation as all the views we received have helped shape the draft plan we have put forward. We know there is a great need for more housing in the district to meet the needs of our residents into the future but recognise we must also strike the right balance between growth and protecting our villages and rural environment to keep South Cambridgeshire as one of the best places to live, work and study in the country.

The Local Plan is about what is best for the whole of South Cambridgeshire and I understand that some people might feel that their comments have not been heard. I can assure you that we have listened to everyone who made representations on the issues and options for the new Local Plan but we may not always have been able to agree. I would urge everyone to take this final chance to tell us your views as this will also make sure these can be passed on to a government inspector for independent review next year.

Public consultation events are being held across the district in July and September. All events run from 2.30pm to 7.30pm (events marked with * are joint events with Cambridge City Council):

July

19 – Sawston, Spicers Pavilion, Cambridge Road

22 – Linton Village College, Cambridge Road

22 – Trumpington Pavilion, Paget Road *

24 – Comberton Village Hall, Green End

25 – Waterbeach Primary School, High Street

26 – Great Shelford Memorial Hall, Woollards Lane

26 – Cherry Hinton Village Centre, Colville Road *

29 – Bar Hill Village Hall, The Spinney

30 – Cambourne, The Hub, High Street

31 – Cambridge, Meadows Community Centre, St. Catharine’s Road *

September

2 – Sawston, Spicers Pavilion, Cambridge Road

3 – Caldecote Village Hall, Furlong Way

4 – Gamlingay Eco Hub, Stocks Lane

5 – Histon & Impington Recreation Ground, New Road, Impington

9 – Melbourn, All Saints Community Hall, Station Road

10 – Swavesey Village College, Gibraltar Lane

Further information:

Forecasted jobs growth 2011-2031: 22,000

Forecasted homes required 2011-2031: 19,000 (of which 14,000 are already built, with permission or included in current plans – mainly developments on the edge of Cambridge and Northstowe)

Site details:

Larger strategic sites:

• Waterbeach (new town) – 8,000-9,000 homes, 1,400 of which by 2031.
• Bourn airfield new village – 3,500 homes, 1,700 of which by 2031.
• Cambourne West – 1,200 homes, all by 2031.

Edge of Cambridge:

• NIAB 3 site – not to increase the number of homes on the NIAB development but to make sure of a high quality development at an appropriate density
• Near ARM, Fulbourn Road – a small area of employment land as an extension to Peterhouse Technology Park (along with 2 other small areas in City Council’s area).
• Cambridge Northern Fringe East/proposed Cambridge Science Park Station area – redevelopment following joint area action plan being developed (SCDC and City Council).

Cambridge Airport site:

Airport itself not planned for development during the plan period. Held in reserve for possible development after 2031 if it becomes available (SCDC and City Council).

Two parts of the original Cambridge East site coming forward as planned;

• Marshall’s Wing development north of Newmarket road – 1,200 homes (SCDC), and
• North of Cherry Hinton for 110 homes (along with land in City Council’s area, for a total of 500 homes).

Smaller local sites:

• Comberton: 90 homes opposite Comberton Village College which will deliver local benefits of a much needed football pitch and changing facilities and also community car parking that is also available as overspill parking for Comberton Village College
• Gamlingay: Jobs and 90 homes on a brown field site at Green End Industrial Estate
• Histon & Impington: new gateway to the villages through revitalisation around the busway stop and 25 homes in Impington Lane
• Melbourn: 65 homes on land to rear of Victoria Way
• Sawston: 540 homes in total – 200 homes by redeveloping part of the Dales Manor Business Park, 80 homes between Dales Manor Business Park and Babraham Road, and 260 homes south of Babraham Road to the east of the village.
• Willingham: 50 homes on land east of Rockmill End