On 27 September 2018, the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan was adopted and the Adopted Policies Map was agreed for publication.

Stages in the Preparation of the Local Plan

The following stages have been undertaken in preparing the new Local Plan.

1. Evidence Gathering

Evidence gathering and preparation of the Local Plan began in 2011. The Local Plan is supported by a range of evidence base and supporting studies.

2. Issues & Options Consultations

There were three rounds of public consultation on issues and options for the Local Plan as to how the district should be developed over the next 20 years: 

• Issues & Options (July - September 2012)
• Issues & Options 2 (January - February 2013)
• Consultation on Potential Football Stadium at Sawston (March - May 2013)

Before this, we did two rounds of public on issues and options for Gypsy and Traveller planning policies and proposals to inform the preparation of a Gypsy and Traveller DPD. In January 2012, we made the decision that planning policies and proposals for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation should be included in the Local Plan rather than in a separate DPD.

3. Proposed Submission Consultation

Public consultation on the Proposed Submission Local Plan was undertaken in 2013. 

4. Submission of the Local Plan

On 28 March 2014, the Local Plan and its supporting documents were submitted for independent examination.

Laura Graham BSC MA MRTPI as the Inspector to carry out an independent examination of the Local Plan. She was assisted by Alan Wood MSC FRICS. The task was to see whether the Local Plan was ‘sound’, taking account of comments made on the Proposed Submission Local Plan.

The inspectors asked us and objectors a series of questions as set out in the Inspectors' Matters & Issues, and as a result have received written statements and heard evidence at examination hearings held between November 2014 and July 2017.

The Inspectors considered the evidence and reported on their findings. They concluded that, subject to a number of modifications, that the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the area.

5. Adoption of the Local Plan

The Council will now have a final opportunity to discuss the Local Plan, but there is no further opportunity to make additional changes unless they are typographic in nature. The options available to Members now are to adopt or reject the Local Plan (including the Modifications as stipulated by the Inspectors).

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan will be presented to a Cabinet meeting on Monday 24 September 2018 before a final decision on adoption is made at a Council meeting on Thursday 27 September 2018.

Sustainability Appraisal

Sustainability Appraisal is important to the plan making process to help ensure that the Local Plan makes an effective contribution to delivering sustainable development. Weighing positive and negative aspects provides opportunities for plans to be improved. 

• Scoping Report - this identifies issues of particular importance to the district that should be considered.

• Initial Sustainability Appraisal Report - this is carried out alongside the Issues & Options stage of plan making and provides information and analysis of issues, details of how alternative approaches were identified (and why alternatives were not considered reasonable), and a comparison of the potential impacts of those alternatives approaches.

• Draft Final Sustainability Appraisal Report - this is carried out alongside the draft plan stage of plan making and assesses the draft policies and allocations selected for the final plan, considering the likely significant effects of the plan as a whole, how they can be mitigated or enhanced, and how impacts can be monitored. At this point the appraisal shows reasons why an option is eliminated.

• Monitoring - the results of regular monitoring of the sustainability appraisal objectives are published in the Annual Monitoring Report, and are used to help indicate when a review of the plan is required.