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Submission of Further Proposed Modifications (30 November 2016)

Submission of Further Proposed Modifications 

On 30 November 2016, we submitted to the Inspectors a letter [PDF, 0.2MB] and further proposed modifications relating to:

  • Policies for the proposed New Settlements of Waterbeach New Town and Bourn Airfield New Village
  • Proposed allocation of land south of Cambridge Biomedical Campus
  • Policies for Gypsies and Travellers
  • Monitoring the Greater Cambridge City Deal commitment to deliver 1,000 additional homes on rural exception sites
  • Hearing statements submitted for Matter SC5b: Delivering High Quality Homes (Development Management Policies) and Matter SC8: Promoting Successful Communities   
  • Strategic policies for the purposes of Neighbourhood Planning

On 13 January 2017, we submitted to the Inspectors a letter [PDF, 0.2MB] providing updates on Cambourne West and Bourn Airfield New Village.

Why are we suggesting Further Proposed Modifications?

The South Cambridgeshire Local Plan was submitted for examination in March 2014. In May 2015, the examination was suspended whilst further work and public consultation was carried out by us to address issues raised by the Inspectors [PDF, 0.1MB]. Proposed Modifications were identified by us and submitted to the Inspectors for consideration in March 2016, and the examination resumed.

Since March 2016, additional issues have arisen during the examination and changes in circumstances have occurred that require further proposed modifications to be made to the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan.

At this stage in the examination process, modifications can only be put forward as recommendations to the Inspectors for their consideration through the examination hearings and as they prepare their report on the examination. If the Inspectors consider that such modifications are necessary to make the plan sound, they will be published for consultation at a later stage in the examination process, which is expected to be after the hearings have been held.

What are the Further Proposed Modifications?

The Further Proposed Modifications submitted to the Inspectors on 30 November 2016 relate to:

  • Policies for the proposed New Settlements of Waterbeach New Town and Bourn Airfield New Village – the submitted Local Plan includes allocations for two new settlements north of Waterbeach and at Bourn Airfield. Modifications are proposed to Policies SS/5 and SS/6 to state that Supplementary Planning Documents will be prepared instead of Area Action Plans and also to make other consequential changes to the policies. For Bourn Airfield, modifications are also proposed to extend the boundary of the Major Development Site (as shown on the Policies Map).
  • Proposed allocation of land south of Cambridge Biomedical Campus – additional work has been undertaken in relation to drainage, biodiversity, and transport and we have concluded that any issues are capable of appropriately being addressed. Modifications are proposed to the Local Plan to allocate the site for employment uses.
  • Policies for Gypsies and Travellers – the Government published new planning guidance in August 2015 and a new Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTANA) has been completed. Modifications are proposed to the Local Plan to reflect the changes in Government guidance and the new GTANA.
  • Monitoring the Greater Cambridge City Deal commitment to deliver 1,000 additional homes on rural exception sites – at the joint housing hearing in June 2016, the Inspector asked us to consider modifications to the Local Plan to make clear the approach to monitoring the City Deal commitment to deliver 1,000 additional homes on rural exception sites. Modifications are proposed to the Local Plan to state the approach to monitoring agreed by the City Deal Board.
  • Hearing statements submitted for Matter SC5b: Delivering High Quality Homes (Development Management Policies) and Matter SC8: Promoting Successful Communities – in responding to the Inspectors’ questions for Matters SC5b and SC8, a number of potential modifications were identified by officers in the submitted hearing statements, which sufficiently altered the policy and therefore required consideration by Members.
  • Strategic policies for the purposes of Neighbourhood Planning – we are required to identify strategic policies in the Local Plan for the purposes of neighbourhood planning. Modifications are proposed to the Local Plan to identify the policies that are strategic for the purposes of neighbourhood planning.

A Sustainability Appraisal screening [PDF, 4MB] has been carried out on the Further Proposed Modifications, which does not identify any significant changes to the Sustainability Appraisal carried out during the plan making process.

The Further Proposed Modifications were agreed by the Planning Portfolio Holder and full Council in November 2016. A Further Proposed Modification relating to Bourn Airfield New Village was agreed by the Planning Portfolio Holder in December 2016.

Documents submitted to the Inspectors

Evidence Base and Supporting Studies

The proposed modifications have been informed by a number of evidence based documents:

If you would like further information, please either email the Planning Policy Team on ldf@scambs.gov.uk or phone 01954 713 183.