South Cambridgeshire District Council is committed to

Democratic Services Contact Officer: Ian Senior 03450 450 500

16 October 2012 To: Chairman –Tim Wotherspoon Vice-Chairman –Phil Read Members of the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee – Councillors

Trisha Bear (South Cambridgeshire District Council), Brian Burling (South Cambridgeshire District Council), Simon Edwards (South Cambridgeshire District Council), David Jenkins (Cambridgeshire County Council, Cottenham, Histon and Impington Electoral Division), Shona Johnstone (Cambridgeshire County Council, Willingham Electoral Division), John Reynolds (Cambridgeshire County Council, Bar Hill Electoral Division), Alex Riley (South Cambridgeshire District Council) and Hazel Smith (South Cambridgeshire District Council)

And to Councillor Sue Gymer, substituting for Councillor David Jenkins Dear Councillor You are invited to attend the next meeting of NORTHSTOWE JOINT DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE, which will be held in COUNCIL CHAMBER, FIRST FLOOR at South Cambridgeshire Hall on WEDNESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2012 at 10.00 a.m. Members are respectfully reminded that when substituting on committees, subcommittees, and outside or joint bodies, Democratic Services must be advised of the substitution in advance of the meeting. It is not possible to accept a substitute once the meeting has started. Council Standing Order 4.3 refers. Yours faithfully JEAN HUNTER Chief Executive South Cambridgeshire District Council is committed to improving, for

all members of the community, access to its agendas and minutes. We try to take all circumstances into account but, if you have any specific needs, please let us know, and we will do what we can to

help you.

AGENDA

PAGES 1. Apologies for Absence To receive apologies for absence from committee members. 2. Declarations of Interest 3. Minutes of Previous Meeting 1 - 6 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2012 as a

correct record.

South Cambridgeshire Hall Cambourne Business Park Cambourne Cambridge CB23 6EA t: 03450 450 500 f: 01954 713149 dx: DX 729500 Cambridge 15 minicom: 01480 376743 www.scambs.gov.uk

4. Public Speaking 5. LONGSTANTON AND OAKINGTON & WESTWICK (Land south of

Longstanton Park and Ride and adjacent to the B1050 at Station Road and adjacent to Hatton's Road, Longstanton.

7 - 128

6. Date of next meeting Wednesday 28 November 2012 at 2.00pm

OUR VISION

South Cambridgeshire will continue to be the best place to live and work in the country. Our district will demonstrate impressive and sustainable economic growth. Our residents will have a superb quality of life in an exceptionally beautiful, rural and green environment. The Council will be recognised as consistently innovative and a high performer with a track record of delivering value for money by focussing on the priorities, needs and aspirations of our residents, parishes and businesses.

OUR VALUES We will demonstrate our corporate values in all our actions. These are: • Trust • Mutual respect • A commitment to improving services • Customer service

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR VISITORS TO SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE HALL While the District Council endeavours to ensure that visitors come to no harm when visiting South Cambridgeshire Hall, those visitors also have a responsibility to make sure that they do not risk their own or others’ safety. Security Members of the public attending meetings in non-public areas of the Council offices must report to Reception, sign in, and at all times wear the Visitor badges issued. Before leaving the building, such visitors must sign out and return their Visitor badges to Reception. Emergency and Evacuation In the event of a fire, a continuous alarm will sound. Evacuate the building using the nearest escape route; from the Council Chamber or Mezzanine viewing gallery this would be via the staircase just outside the door. Go to the assembly point at the far side of the staff car park. • Do not use the lifts to exit the building. If you are unable to negotiate stairs by yourself, the

emergency staircase landings are provided with fire refuge areas, which afford protection for a minimum of 1.5 hours. Press the alarm button and wait for assistance from the Council fire wardens or the fire brigade.

• Do not re-enter the building until the officer in charge or the fire brigade confirms that it is safe to do so.

First Aid If someone feels unwell or needs first aid, please alert a member of staff. Access for People with Disabilities The Council is committed to improving, for all members of the community, access to its agendas and minutes. We try to take all circumstances into account but, if you have any specific needs, please let us know, and we will do what we can to help you. All meeting rooms are accessible to wheelchair users. There are disabled toilet facilities on each floor of the building. Infra-red hearing assistance systems are available in the Council Chamber and viewing gallery. To use these, you must sit in sight of the infra-red transmitter and wear a ‘neck loop’, which can be used with a hearing aid switched to the ‘T’ position. If your hearing aid does not have the ‘T’ position facility then earphones are also available and can be used independently. You can obtain both neck loops and earphones from Reception. Toilets Public toilets are available on each floor of the building next to the lifts. Recording of Business and Use of Mobile Phones The Council is committed to openness and transparency. The Council and all its committees, sub-committees or any other sub-group of the Council or the Executive have the ability to formally suspend Standing Order 21.4 (prohibition of recording of business) upon request to enable the recording of business, including any audio / visual or photographic recording in any format. Use of social media during meetings is permitted to bring Council issues to a wider audience. To minimise disturbance to others attending the meeting, all attendees and visitors are asked to make sure that their phones and other mobile devices are set on silent / vibrate mode during meetings. Banners, Placards and similar items No member of the public shall be allowed to bring into or display at any Council meeting any banner, placard, poster or other similar item. The Chairman may require any such item to be removed. Disturbance by Public If a member of the public interrupts proceedings, the Chairman will warn the person concerned. If they continue to interrupt, the Chairman will order their removal from the meeting room. If there is a general disturbance in any part of the meeting room open to the public, the Chairman may call for that part to be cleared. Smoking Since 1 July 2008, the Council has operated a Smoke Free Policy. Visitors are not allowed to smoke at any time within the Council offices, or in the car park or other grounds forming part of those offices. Food and Drink Vending machines and a water dispenser are available on the ground floor near the lifts at the front of the building. Visitors are not allowed to bring food or drink into the meeting room.

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SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

Minutes of a meeting of the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee held on Thursday, 4 October 2012 at 2.00 p.m.

PRESENT: Councillor Cllr Tim Wotherspoon (South Cambridgeshire District Council) –

Chairman Councillor Phil Read – Vice-Chairman Councillors: Trisha Bear (South Cambridgeshire District Council), Brian Burling (South

Cambridgeshire District Council), Simon Edwards (South Cambridgeshire District Council), Tumi Hawkins (South Cambridgeshire District Council - substitute for Councillor Hazel Smith)), Shona Johnstone (Cambridgeshire County Council, Willingham Electoral Division), John Reynolds (Cambridgeshire County Council, Bar Hill Electoral Division) and Alex Riley (South Cambridgeshire District Council)

Officers in attendance for all or part of the meeting: Lois Bowser Northstowe Team Leader Clare Buckingham Education Officer (Policy, Planning and Review) Jane Green Head of New Communities Ian Howes Principal Urban Designer Michael Jones Northstowe Principal Planning Officer Jo Mills Planning and New Communities Director Stephen Reid Senior Planning Lawyer Juliet Richardson Project Lead, Growth and Economy (CCC) John Seddon Northstowe Transport Officer (SCDC / CCC) Ian Senior Democratic Services Officer 10. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from District Councillor Hazel Smith for whom

District Councillor Tumi Hawkins was a substitute. Apologies were also received from County Councillor David Jenkins.

11. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST The following interests were declared:

Councillor Trisha Bear Non-Pecuniary Interest as a member of

the National Trust

Councillor Brian Burling Non-Pecuniary Interest as a member of Over Parish Council and, as a South Cambridgeshire District Council representative, of Swavesey Internal Drainage Board. Councillor Burling grazes cattle either side of Swavesey Drain and further downstream.

Councillor Simon Edwards Non-Pecuniary Interest as a member of Oakington Parish Council, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the National Trust, Hurlingham Polo Association, and the Old West Internal

Agenda Item 3Page 1

Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee Thursday, 4 October 2012

Drainage Board.

Councillor Tumi Hawkins Non-Pecuniary Interest as a member of the National Trust

Councillor Shona Johnstone Non-Disclosable Pecuniary Interest as the owner of property within the vicinity of Webbs Hole Sluice.

Councillor John Reynolds Non-Pecuniary Interest as a member of Cambridgeshire County Council, the National Trust, RB, and CPA

Councillor Alex Riley Disclosable Pecuniary Interest by reason of the proximity of his domestic property to Northstowe.

Councillor Tim Wotherspoon Non-Pecuniary Interest as a member of Cottenham Parish Council, Cottenham Village Design Group, Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, Twentieth Century Society, and the Old West Internal Drainage Board. Councillor Wotherspoon had publicly endorsed the OWIDB’s representations but stated that, should any new information become apparent about surface water drainage, he would consider it afresh.

12. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Joint Committee authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of

the meeting held on 20 July 2012, subject to the following amendments: Minute 6 (Public speakers) At no. 9, the word ‘Councl’ should be ‘Council’ (other typos had been identified in the Minutes) Minute 7 (Northstowe Development Framework) In the section headed ‘B1050 Road’, delete the final sentence from ‘Councillor’ to ‘villages’. Delete the section header ‘Access to Station Road, Oakington’ and insert the header ‘Station Road, Oakington’. Delete the paragraph from ‘Councillor Edwards reminded…’ to ‘…from the DFD’. Under the heading ‘Further discussion’, delete Point 3 (‘A phasing strategy…to the DFD’).

13. PRESENTATION BY HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AGENCY - PHASE 2 PROPOSALS Terry Fuller, Regional Director of the Homes and Communities Agency, and Tony

Gallagher, Chairman of Gallagher, gave a joint presentation as joint promoters for Northstowe. They an assurance that they are commited to the new town for the long term. Discussion ensued about • Options

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• Timescales • Phase 2A and ongoing negotiations with regard to acquiring the land shown yellow

on the indicative plan • Policy NS/4 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan • The need to keep the NAAP and Exemplar list under review to ensure they evolve

in line with advances in building practices and technology • The importance of achieving a quality of infrastructure that would be attractive to

potential residents and businesses • The ‘legacy’ from Northstowe • The impact of development and occupation at Northstowe on the A14 in its current

state • The desirability of phasing the town centre and housing alongside each other.

Tony Gallagher confirmed that the Joint Promoters had control of all strategic land required for Northstowe. He further stated that he was committed to quality at Northstowe. Terry Fuller went on to say that he wanted Northstowe to be a place where he would be proud to bring his grandchildren.

14. PRESENTATION OF COMPUTER SIMULATION MODEL FOR B1050 AND ACCESS The Joint Committee were shown a number of computer simulations indicating the

potential impact of Phase 1 Northstowe on traffic flows along the B1050 at 8.30am and 5.30pm. Councillor Alex Riley had also carried out a survey and he raised concern about some of the projected figures. Discussion ensued about • The potential disparity between the Cambridgeshire modelling and the data

recorded by Councillor Riley with regard to the B1050 • The impact (not specifically modelled) of travel to and from school • The potential impact on traffic flow from there being so many signalled junctions • Potential rat-running and its impact on Longstanton • The impact on the modelling of Home Farm, Longstanton, and weather conditions.

15. PRESENTATION OF PROJECT PLAN The Joint Committee received an outline of the Project Plan. 16. PUBLIC SPEAKING David Reeves on behalf of Oakington Parish Council

Comments made were as follows: • Clarity was needed about traffic issues • The number of vehicle movements along Airfield Road on an average weekday • The Northstowe Area Action Plan was out of date • What modelling is to be used • Southern link road needed sooner rather than later

Officers clarified that reference in the Phasing Plan to ‘Airfield Road’ referred to the main road inside the old airfield, and not to the road between Oakington and Longstanton that is commonly known as ‘Airfield Road’.

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Keith Wilderspin on behalf of Swavesey Parish Council Mr Wilderspin prepared a written statement which he read out at the meeting. In summary, the statement said • significant consideration is being given in producing policy to cover the timing of

delivery of key infrastructure on site at Northstowe. • the development of Northstowe will also require the provision of off site

infrastructure in order to mitigate its impact on existing communities. • To date, less consideration has been put into enshrining appropriate timings and

phasing for the delivery of off site infrastructure into policy. One example of this is the delivery of works required to mitigate against increased foul water discharges to Uttons Drove Sewage Treatment Works which impacts on flood risk to Swavesey.

• It has been proposed that this impact be mitigated through delivery of phase 2 of the Land Drainage Solution, which includes the installation of a pump at Webbs Hole Sluice with a pumping capacity of 1 Cumec. As yet, despite repeated requests to officers, no certainty as to the timing of delivery of Phase 2 of the Land Drainage Solution has been provided. It is noted that some works required to be delivered as part of Phase 1 have yet to start.

• South Cambridgeshire District Council must o Provide a robust guarantee to the local community that the Land Drainage

Solution will be delivered in full as part of the development of Northstowe. o Provide a robust guarantee to the local community as to the timing of

delivery of the full Land Drainage Solution. • recent case law casts doubt on the right of Sewage Authorities to discharge water

onto land in third party ownership, which is a fundamental component of the proposed Land Drainage Solution, as such officers should be asked to provide a robust guarantee that the legalities of this issues have been fully considered and there is no uncertainty as to the legality of delivery of mitigation in the proposed manner.

• If the current policy and position do not allow for certainty to be given on these points, South Cambridgeshire District Council should rectify this omission, possibly as part of the phasing plan, before the determination of the current planning application for Phase 1 of Northstowe.

• When considering the impact of a development on the scale of Northstowe on existing communities, it is inappropriate to leave important elements such as flood risk to be dealt with in a piecemeal fashion as the development progresses phase by phase. Much has been made of Northstowe being an exemplar and sustainable development. I would suggest that for Northstowe to be considered as such the cumulative impact of all phases, together with other consented developments that impact on the same catchment need to be properly planned for in advance and considered in a holistic manner.

• any drainage is only as good as its outfall which in this case includes all of Uttons Drove Swavesey Drain including the Chain Ditch to its outfall in the River Great Ouse below Brownshill Staunch.

• Phase One of the LDS covers Cambourne 950 plus 1,000 headroom to allow for a thousand homes within the catchment, not 950 at Cambourne plus 1,000 elsewhere in the catchment plus 1,500 homes at Northstowe.

James Dodson – Farmer from Swavesey Mr Dodson invited the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee to to undertake a site visit to Webbs Hole Sluice.

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Paul Kitson, Homes and Communities Agency, and Alan Joyner, Gallagher The Exemplar List reflected the aspirations of all stakeholders for all phases of the project, and would be subject to review. Discussion ensued about • Phasing • The Exemplar List • Build-out timescale • The relation between Phases 1 and 2 given the position regarding the A14. • Suggestion that Point 4 of the Exemplar list (Environment) should include bio-gas. • Suggestion that Point 6 of the Exemplar list should commit to sourcing all materials

from within the United Kingdom, locally where possible. The Joint Promoters were amenable to this in principle subject to being available to source from elsewhere if particular materials were otherwise not readily available or available at a reasonable cost.

17. DFD ADDENDA: PHASING AND DELIVERY STRATEGY AND EXEMPLAR LIST Further to its meeting on 20 July 2012 (Minute 7 refers), the Northstowe Joint

Development Control Committee considered a report about the two outstanding addenda to the Development Framework Document, namely the Exemplar List and the outline Phasing and Delivery Strategy. Referring to Item 6 under the Environment heading in the Exemplar list, County Councillor Shona Johnstone said that the challenges faced should be looked at as a whole. It was vital that the methodology be appropriate. Referring to Item 7, she said that greater clarity was needed with regard to an Economic Development Quality of Employment Strategy. Councillor Simon Edwards asked that extra wording be added to Paragraph 1.10 so that it concluded, “…On this basis, housing completions in Phase 2 could be in the 4th year of house building at Northstowe subject to the transport assessment work set out in paragraph 2.5 below…” Councillor Alex Riley expressed grave concern about the robustness of the local road system. In particular, he questioned the reliability of some of the computer modelling relating to traffic flow along the B1050, which had never been envisaged as an arterial road for Northstowe. He also noted that the Dry Drayton road was unlikely to link up with the A14 once upgraded. He expressed further concern that the Northstowe project could be two thirds of the way to completion before there existed sufficient highway capacity. Further to its endorsement of the Development Framework Document on 20 July 2012 (Minute 7 refers), the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee

(a) Endorsed the submitted Exemplar List (Appendix 1) as a framework and material consideration of planning, development and community proposals in the creation of Northstowe as a quality place in which to live a healthy sustainable lifestyle;

(b) Noted that the Exemplar List represents a set of realistic aspirations that should be used to establish the standard against which forthcoming proposals are assessed across all phases;

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(c) Endorsed the Phasing and Delivery Strategy (Appendix 2), amended as follows

(i) Paragraph 1.10 to conclude, “…On this basis, housing completions

in Phase 2 could be in the 4th year of house building at Northstowe subject to the transport assessment work set out in paragraph 2.5 below…”

(ii) Amended Indicative Phasing diagrams for Phase 1 and Phase 4

as an outline representation of the proposed phasing and delivery of the infrastructure and development proposals across all phases of the development as an appropriate approach to the sequence of development including infrastructure and community facilities and public open space;

(d) Noted that as each phase of development is brought forward a more

detailed and specific phasing plan will be submitted for approval that will reflect the principles of the outline Phasing and Delivery Strategy; and

(e) Noted that the Exemplar List and Phasing and Delivery Strategy may be

subject to review in line with or separately from the Review of the DFD as a whole every three years, as endorsed by the Joint Committee on 20 July 2012.

18. DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday 24 October 2012 in the Council

Chamber, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, starting at 10.00am.

The Meeting ended at 5.55 p.m.

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NORTHSTOWE JOINT DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE

Report by: Planning and New Communities Director Application Number

S/0388/12/OL Date Received

27 February 2012

Parishes/Wards Longstanton and Oakington & Westwick

Site Land south of Longstanton Park and Ride and adjacent to the B1050 at Station Road and adjacent to Hatton’s Road, Longstanton.

Proposal Up to 1,500 dwellings; a primary school, a mixed-use local centre (including a community building and provisions for non-residential institutions, financial and professional services, shops, cafes and restaurants, drinking establishments and hot food take-away), leisure, community, residential institutions, cultural health, and employment provision (business, general industry and storage and distribution), including a recycling centre; formal and informal recreational space and landscaped areas; and infrastructure works including site re-profiling and associated drainage works, foul and surface water pumping stations, two flood attenuation ponds on land east of Hatton’s Road; and associated works including the demolition of buildings and existing structures.

Applicant Gallagher Longstanton Ltd Recommendation

Resolution to approve the grant of outline planning permission, subject to each of the following (including exchange of requisite documentation):

1) S106 items and triggers, which remain under

negotiation; 2) satisfactory land transfer documentation with

Cambridgeshire County Council regarding the Secondary School;

3) agreement as to the planning conditions, currently in draft form as detailed in section 26.0.

Application Type Outline all matters reserved Departure: No The above application has been reported to the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee (NJDCC) for determination by Members in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation for the Joint Development Control Committee for Northstowe. Members will visit the site on 22nd October 2012

Agenda Item 5Page 7

1.0 Executive Summary 1.1 The above recommendation is made having had regard to all other material

planning considerations and in particular those areas where objections have been lodged. As such, it is considered that the proposal adequately addresses issues highlighted in this report.

1.2 Additional information and EIA documentation was provided that clarified parts of the original submission.

1.3 Transport issues have been carefully addressed and neither the Highway Authority nor Highway Agency objects to the proposal subject to the conditions and legal agreement being secured as part of this consent. Despite the objections raised locally, the scheme is considered to accord with the relevant local and national policies.

1.4 Drainage and flood risk issues have been extensively considered with consultation with the relevant water providers and the Environment Agency. It is considered that the proposal conforms to the principles set out within PPS25 and local policies.

1.5 The proposal provides for sufficient open space and recreational provision, and provides for education to the satisfaction of Cambridgeshire County Council. In addition provision will be secured for a secondary school to be delivered during the build-out of phase 1. Community facilities have been adequately provided for and are to be secured through S106 agreement. The proposal meets sustainability policies in terms of design and renewable energy, ecology, biodiversity and waste management and sufficient mitigation is provided for noise and contamination issues. Air Quality issues can be adequately addressed through conditions.

1.6 Many of the representations have been addressed through additional clarification or the proposed conditions as outlined in this report. The remaining representations are not considered sufficient to warrant the refusal of permission.

1.7 Subject to the negotiation of the S106, exchange of satisfactory land transfer

documentation regarding the Secondary School, suitably worded planning conditions and scheme viability the development proposals are considered to represent an acceptable form of sustainable development that would facilitate the first phase of development thus enabling the delivery of the wider town. This delivery would encompass a phased approach, in parallel to major infrastructure improvement works to the A14.

1.8 At this time no adverse impacts of the resolution to approve this scheme are

considered to be significant or demonstrable to outweigh the benefit that would result from such resolution.

1.9 Members are therefore recommended to ratify the contents of this report to

enable officers to negotiate the terms of the S106 and final planning conditions subject to scheme viability.

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1.10 Point 1) of the recommended resolution to approve has been drafted on the basis

that the S106 Heads of Terms will be brought before the NJDCC for ratification prior to the issuing of planning consent. In addition, that report will include draft conditions relating to Economic Development (commercial area and local centre), and Housing, which are not part of this report.

1.11 It is proposed that points 2) and 3) of the recommended resolution, the

agreement of planning conditions and land transfer documentation are delegated to officers subject to the consultation and agreement from the chair and vice chair of the NJDCC who may bring any particular points back for consideration by the NJDCC if the chair and or vice chair feel that significant new matters have arisen or where they feel satisfactory resolution has not been achieved.

2.0 Introduction

Background Context 2.1 The determination of the planning applications for the proposed town of

Northstowe, submitted in 2007 was put on hold in 2009. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) was created in December 2008 from a merger of English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation. The HCA and Gallagher Longstanton Ltd (Gallagher Estates) have been the Joint Promoters for Northstowe since 2009. A delivery paper was provided in 2010 setting out a proposal to bring forward Northstowe in the light of the economic downturn, and following the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010, where the Government announced the withdrawal of the proposed A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement scheme, a revised delivery paper was submitted.

2.2 The revised delivery proposal set out a phased approach to development of

Northstowe with a view to planning for a first phase which would kick start and support the development of the whole. A series of workshops with officers, local Members and the Northstowe Parish Forum and, in addition, two public events were held to review the original masterplan for the whole site. The scheme for a phased approach was considered at a pre-application stage by the Cambridgeshire Quality Panel, where it was judged that the phase 1 local centre should be sited within close proximity to the Longstanton Park and Ride site with the primary school adjacent providing enhanced co-location, synergy and joined up trips.

2.3 In July 2012 the Department for Transport announced a programme for major

investment in upgrading the A14 in Cambridgeshire. 2.4 Gallagher Estates submitted a Development Framework Document (a site-wide

masterplan) under reference ‘S/0390/12/MP’ on 27th February 2012. This document sets out Northstowe as an exemplar 21st century town with a strong regional and local identity. It outlines proposals to combine the best historic characteristics of local settlements with provision for more ‘sustainable’ patterns of living and lifestyle choices, aspiring to be the most sustainable town in Cambridgeshire and the region.

2.5 The Development Framework Document (DFD) derives from the Northstowe

Area Action Plan (NAAP,) and uses the four themes of the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for growth (Community, Climate, Connectivity and Character) as a basis. The DFD is supported by a sustainability appraisal and a statement of consultation. The NJDCC endorsed the DFD in July 2012 subject to the provision

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of two addenda setting out the methodology for phasing and greater clarification of the exemplar elements of what would make the town special (see appendix L). These were endorsed by the NJDCC on 4th October 2012. The endorsed DFD now forms a material consideration in the determination of the planning applications for each phase of the town.

3.0 SITE DESCRIPTION

3.1 The application site (122ha) is located to the northeast of the village of

Longstanton and abuts the western boundary of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB) approximately 10km northwest of Cambridge with the villages of Oakington to the south and Rampton to the east. The application red line boundary comprises two separate areas; the development site (97ha), proposed to accommodate the development proposal and an area of land (25ha) for the provision of flood attenuation ponds southwest of the village of Longstanton on Hattons Road.

3.2 The development site comprises an 18-hole golf course, driving range and

agricultural fields. The site abuts the Longstanton Park and Ride site to the north and east and the CGB route to the east. Three public rights of way run through the western part of the site with vehicular access off the B1050. The site’s current landscape comprises an engineered golf course including bunds, ponds, fen drains, hedgerows, trees, arable fields and grassland. The application site also includes a small section of land west of the B1050 southeast of the land allocated within the NAAP as strategic reserve land (58ha), mainly comprising agricultural land.

3.3 The remainder of the land allocated for Northstowe outside this application is

located south of the development site and comprises the former Oakington airfield and barracks, the residential housing estate ‘Rampton Drift, agricultural farm land and open land associated with the former Ministry of Defence site (MOD) now in the ownership of the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA).

4.0 THE PROPOSALS

4.1 An Outline planning application was submitted on 27th February 2012. 4.2 The proposals seek outline planning permission, for the following development,

with details of access, appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale to be reserved:

• Up to 1,500 dwellings, including affordable housing in a mix of tenure types; • A local centre, including space for a community building and provision for

retail and other appropriate uses; • A three-form entry primary school; • 5 hectares (ha) of employment land including a household recycling centre

and foul water pumping station; • Formal and informal public open space, including a sports hub of over 6ha

and approximately 23ha of additional public open space including parks / play space and a network of footpaths and cycle ways;

• Water bodies of approximately 5.2ha including a water park providing a recreational, ecological and drainage resource;

• 1.57ha of allotments and community orchard; • Areas of enhanced ecological environment to enable a rich diversity of

habitats to flourish;

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• Surface water drainage infrastructure for Phase 1 and the wider Northstowe site, as well as mitigating the potential existing flood risk at the neighbouring village of Longstanton through the provision of two balancing ponds;

• Strategic landscape provision. 4.3 The following additional infrastructure works are also proposed as part of the

Phase 1 development:

• Improvements to the existing B1050; • Internal road network; • Safeguarding of land for the first length of an internal bus-way link to the

Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB); • Earthworks and cut and fill to enable land raising and re-profiling of the

site for sustainable drainage purposes;

Documents accompanying the application 4.4 The application comprises the following documents:

• Planning application (1app) form, land ownership certificate C, and agricultural land holding certificate, and planning application red line boundary (including blue line);

• Site location plan (red and blue line plan) 1:6,000; • Existing site plans: principal development area and land at Hatton’s Road

1:500; • Parameter plans: 1a) Land use, open space and landscape, 1b) Land use,

open space and landscape – Hatton’s Road attenuation ponds, 2) Movement and access, 3) Building Heights & 4) Density (All at 1:500);

• Design and access statement; • Environmental statement (ES) (Including Transport Assessment and Flood

Risk Assessment) 4.5 The application is accompanied by the submission of the following supporting

documents:

• Planning supporting statement; • Phase 1 illustrative master plan 1:5,000; • Local centre strategy and retail needs assessment (incorporating retail

capacity assessment); • Construction management strategy; • Strategic utility report (including foul sewage assessment); • Health impact assessment; • Waste management strategy; • Sustainability statement; • Tree survey and arboriculture implications assessment; • Water conservation strategy; • Low emissions strategy; • Statement of consultation.

4.6 Additional information was submitted on 31st August 2012 providing clarification in

support of the information submitted with the application. This includes:

• Transport Technical Note; • Health Impact Assessment Addendum;

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• Ecological Survey additional information; • Existing & Proposed Levels Plan; • Site Section Drawings; • Environmental Impact Assessment Additional Information; • Planning Statement Addendum

5.0 PLANNING HISTORY 5.1 The Development Framework Document (DFD) S/0390/12/M, which sets out the

principles to guide future development as well as the amount, range and location of land uses that could be accommodated within the Northstowe site was endorsed by the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee on the 20th July 2012, as a material consideration for the determination of future planning applications, subject to the submission of two addenda outlining the exemplar elements of the town and the phasing strategy. These addenda were endorsed by the NJDCC on the 4th October 2012.

5.2 Planning Applications S/7006/07/O, S/7007/07/F, S/7008/07/F & S/7009/07/F for

the development of a new town and highway works and necessary infrastructure in the Parishes of Oakington and Westwick and Longstanton for Gallagher Longstanton Ltd remain undetermined.

6.0 POLICY 6.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published in March 2012. It

sets a presumption in favour of the approval of sustainable development proposals that accord with the development plan without delay; and where relevant policies are out-of-date, granting permission unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.

6.2 The NPPF states that the pursuit of sustainable development requires careful

attention to viability and costs in decision-taking. Sites and the scale of development should not be subject to such a scale of obligations and policy burdens that their ability to be developed viably is threatened. To ensure viability, the costs of any requirements likely to be applied to development, such as requirements for affordable housing, standards, infrastructure contributions or other requirements should, when taking account of the normal cost of development and mitigation, provide competitive returns to a willing land owner and willing developer to enable the development to be deliverable.

6.3 The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan, 2003 and South

Cambridgeshire District Council, Core Strategy, 2007 established the need for and principle of the new town of Northstowe. Northstowe is defined by the Northstowe Area Action Plan (NAAP) as ‘an exemplar and vibrant 21st Century town with a strong local identity and built to high environmental standards’. The NAAP sets out the local policy context for the delivery of Northstowe and forms the principal policy framework for the delivery of Northstowe.

6.4 The proposals have also been considered against the core principles of the

Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth and the four ‘C’s: Community, Connectivity, Climate and Character. See Appendix A for a full list of all relevant national and local planning policy documents and the specific policies relevant to the determination of this planning application.

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7.0 PUBLICITY & ENGAGEMENT 7.1 The application has been subject to extensive consultation and publicity. In

addition to standard consultation letters, statutory press notices and the display of site notices, a series workshops and exhibitions were held before and following the submission of the application.

7.2 In 2009 the Northstowe Parish Forum was formed. It is made up of County,

District and Parish Councillors who represent the communities that surround the application site. Over the last three years regular meetings have been held with the Parish Forum and those discussions have informed the current proposals. Members of the forum have also visited other new developments to look at good practice and learn lessons which can be applied to the Northstowe development.

7.3 Subject to approval of the Phase 1 application, members of the Parish Forum

have volunteered to participate in working groups to develop further aspects of the proposals such as design, economic development and retail, transport and drainage.

7.4 All the application documents and consultation responses were made available

on the Council website. 8.0 EXTERNAL CONSULTATIONS

8.1 External consultation responses are set out in Appendix B. 9.0 INTERNAL CONSULTATIONS 9.1 Internal consultation responses are set out in Appendix C. 10.0 REPRESENTATIONS 10.1 The application consultation period ran from 5th March until 16th April 2012 and

included four public ‘drop in’ events at Longstanton and Oakington, which were attended by approximately 500 hundred people. Approximately 200 representations have been received, some of which made separate representations on the Phase 1 proposals and the DFD whilst others chose to make a single representation with comments relating to both proposals.

10.2 Appendix D provides a summary of the representations received during the public

consultation period that expired on 16th April 2012. Key themes in the representations are provided below:

• Transport – Traffic impact upon the A14, the B1050 (including comments

relating to the proposed site access arrangements) and on local road networks including the airfield road, a request for a Willingham bypass and for cycle routes connecting the site to surrounding communities including Bar Hill;

• Loss of the golf course as an amenity; • Phasing of development should bring forward A14 Link road and town

centre using brownfield land first; • Drainage and water resource capacities; • Early provision of community facilities and education; • Compliance with the NAAP; • Extent of green separation and use within these areas;

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11.0 ASSESSMENT

11.1 From the consultation responses and representations received and from

inspection of the site and the surroundings, the assessment is structured under the following headings:

• Principle of Development • Urban Design & Landscape • Transport and Connectivity. • Flood Risk & Drainage • Environmental Impact Assessment • Environmental Health • Housing • Sustainable Development • Education • Community • Economic Development and Local Centre. • S106 Heads of Terms & Viability

12.0 PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPMENT

12.1 The development proposal has been compiled to accord with the Northstowe

Area Action Plan. It also needs to be considered against the endorsed Development Framework Document, 2012 (DFD), which is now a material planning consideration. The DFD provides a site wide master plan incorporating a vision for Northstowe and sets out clear development principles for the town as a whole as required by the NAAP. The phased delivery approach of an initial phase of development off the B1050 was agreed in principle as part of the DFD and, in part, in response to the government halting progress on the major A14 improvement works. The phase 1 development was considered to be of an appropriate scale to be accessed off the B1050 subject to the agreed Transport Assessment identifying that the traffic impact could be mitigated to facilitate the first phase of development.

12.2 The NAAP was written in the context of the whole town being delivered as part of

one single outline planning application and not as separate phases. In this context, certain implementation requirements have been adapted to fit the current situation. For example, the town centre strategy will be secured as part of the planning application for Phase 2. This is set out in the phasing plan for the DFD and its accompanying master plan for the whole town. This, with the early delivery of a local centre and a secondary school within the timeframe of Phase 1, provide Sustainable Development in accordance with the policy requirements of the NAAP, and in line with the presumption in favour of sustainable development as set out within the National Planning Policy Framework, 2012.

12.3 The NAAP was adopted in 2007 and pre-dates the NPPF and national and

economic considerations have out dated certain aspects of the supporting text within the NAAP. Nevertheless, the proposed strategic approach to the delivery of Northstowe is not considered to depart from the NAAP, nor would it harm its integrity as a strategic Development Plan Document, unless the determination of the current development proposal was considered to represent adverse impacts that could not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme.

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12.4 In summary the development proposal takes into consideration future cumulative development along with the necessary site wide infrastructure requirements. It supports the delivery of the wider town, and does not represent piecemeal or unsatisfactory development.

13.0 URBAN DESIGN AND LANDSCAPE 13.1 The illustrative Phase 1 masterplan (See Appendix E) outlines an indicative

approach showing how the initial phase of development could be brought forward. It includes principal access from the B1050 with two roads to the local centre and a third to the employment site. The masterplan illustrates the position of housing around a landscape framework including a sports hub with pitches, allotments and orchards to the west providing the green separation to the village of Longstanton and informal open space and a waterpark to the east. Two parallel green corridors running from west to east allow for swales (Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)) and provide permeability and connectivity through the development. The site has a dedicated Busway route (High Street) that runs through the centre of the site in addition to the provision of two secondary routes running from the north to the south either side of the primary High Street. A local centre and employment area (including waste recycling centre) is located adjacent to the B1050, providing an urban frontage that will benefit from passing trade with good links to the Longstanton Park & Ride site to the north. A primary school site is shown at the heart of the development near to both the local centre and the sports hub. The masterplan has been designed to make the best use of existing landscape features, such as hedgerows and ponds.

13.2 Achieving high quality design is crucial; this will be achieved across the

settlement, on all phases, by all individual builders, who will need to abide by a design code and a number of other strategies covering a range of matters including landscape, housing, road adoption etc. The design code for the Phase 1 development will comprise two parts. The first part will address the town wide strategic elements that will apply to both Phase 1 and all subsequent phases, and the second part will address the specific application of the town wide matters to Phase 1 together with any other matters solely related to Phase 1. All parts of the design code will be brought to Committee for approval.

Landform

13.3 There will be significant changes to the landform north of the principal green

corridor and land south of this corridor. To the north the land will be re-profiled and raised in part at the northwest end and will then fall eastward. To the south of the corridor the land will also be raised with a fall from west to east. This is to ensure that the site can be adequately drained broadly towards the south-east. A contour plan together with an indicative cross section across phase 1 from Longstanton to the water park was submitted as additional information to help to explain the proposed site topography and the relationship between features and levels. This is deemed acceptable in principle and will form a material consideration in the formation of the design code to be secured by way of condition.

Connectivity

13.4 The DFD establishes that priority will be given to pedestrians and cyclists when

designing streets and spaces, particularly over cars.

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13.5 Extensive discussions have taken place with all parties about the design and functioning of the Busway. The applicants have agreed to resolve these matters through the design coding process. The Phase 1 planning application is based on the agreed alignment and the resulting width of the Busway corridor. Further consideration is being given to an alternative layout for the Busway with the bus lanes in the centre of the highway and a one-way road either side, immediately adjacent to buildings/blocks, to enable vehicular access to the front of all properties and thereby maximise activity on this key route.

13.6 Additional information was requested to demonstrate how vehicular movements

occur along and across the Busway and how movement conflicts between modes of transport are to be resolved. This clarification has been provided and further matters relating to the ‘place making’ along this route will be addressed as part of the town-wide design code considerations.

13.7 To ensure vehicles entering Phase 1 from the B1050 follow the primary street

network, the length of road between the local centre and the Bus-way requires redesigning to prevent vehicles inadvertently accessing the lower order street alongside the Busway. The applicants agreed with this and this issue will be addressed in the design code for the Phase 1 works.

Green Separation

13.8 The application shows open land alongside the mature tree boundary with

Longstanton which varies in width from 70m at its narrowest at the northern end adjacent the B1050 to 290m wide at the southern end. The master plan review process, undertaken in 2011, revisited the ‘pinch-points’ at which stage when they were widened to increase the physical separation between settlements. The current design takes into account the relationship with the edge of Longstanton and its role in helping to create a gateway into Northstowe, with the community orchard, allotment and associated landscaping helping to set aside the two settlements and to create distinctiveness at the entrance to Northstowe. This matter will be addressed further, both as part of the town-wide design code and design code considerations for phase 1 and all subsequent phases, where the foundation design approaches and standards will be established and will emphasise the need to create visual separation through planting and screening.

Character

13.9 Further details regarding the character of Northstowe and the provision of

character areas and types have been requested. This will be addressed as part of both the town-wide design code and the design code matters for phase 1 and all subsequent phases.

13.10 Clarification was sought that the layout and design of streets should accord with

the principles set out in Manual for Streets, Manual for Streets 2, and the Cambridgeshire Design Guide. This has been stated in the revisions to the Development Framework Document and will be addressed further as part of the town-wide design code considerations, as will the approach to ensure that varying street width will be used to support place making.

Built Form

13.11 Illustrative drawings of the different proposed block structures for the town were

requested, to demonstrate that the general size of the proposed perimeter blocks is able to accommodate the variety of house types, and associated activities e.g.

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access arrangements, car parking, landscape, etc. It has since been agreed that this will be addressed as part of the town-wide design code and design code considerations for Phase 1 and all subsequent phases. The block structure indicated on the Phase 1 masterplan must therefore be considered as indicative and subject to variation until it is demonstrated that the blocks are sufficiently robust.

13.12 Initial questions regarding the size of the most southerly block in the Phase 1

employment area, in relation to accommodating the necessary facilities, off-street parking and servicing to buildings fronting the perimeter on all sides of the block have been addressed. They will be considered further, in greater detail, when considering the reserved matters application for the Phase 1 employment area.

13.13 It is important to ensure that buildings along the Busway are designed to enable

future flexibility, in order to support potential future expansion of the local centres, allowing the Busway to become a high street. This will be addressed further as part of the town-wide design code considerations, the design code considerations for Phase 1 and all subsequent phases and the reserved matters applications for development fronting onto the spine road.

Community and Open Space

13.14 Officers sought assurances regarding a minimum width of 30m for the greenways

and that ditches should be profiled to provide more ‘natural’ features, which would have visual interest when dry. The developer has provided reassurance that primary greenways will be 30m wide, but widths will vary based on detailed design considerations to address urban design and drainage considerations. This will be addressed further as part of the town-wide design code and design code considerations for Phase 1 and all subsequent phases.

13.15 The DFD has been amended to safeguard the principle that all footpath and cycle

routes within the built environment should be overlooked to promote safety. Additional guidance on this will be included as part of the town-wide design code considerations, and the design code considerations for Phase 1 against which subsequent reserved matters applications will be assessed. This accords with the vision set out in the exemplar list to ensure that a convenient, safe and ‘walkable neighbourhood’ with good provision for cyclists.

13.16 The developer was notified that all documents should refer to the 2009 Public Art

SPD which supersedes the SCDC public art policy quoted. This will be checked for accuracy in all future documentation for correctness, with public art forming part of the design code, and potentially the Community Development Plan.

Parameter Plans

13.17 The Design and Access Statement identifies that the Parameter Plans “provide

an indication of the design principles, which will inform detailed design proposals”. This is appropriate, as these plans represent an indication of intent, the development of detailed design proposals may require minor amendment to early structural indications, provided that they do not necessitate major deviation to the Parameter Plans.

13.18 Plan 1a (See appendix F) ‘Core Area Land use, open space & landscape’: The

Design and Access Statement states that “There may be some variation in the precise location of land uses and road layouts in the subsequent submission of reserved matters. Where this occurs however, it is anticipated that the overall

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concept of the outline application development proposals will be maintained etc.” This is appropriate, provided that the variations do not necessitate major amendments to the Parameter Plan.

13.19 Plan 1b (See appendix G) Core Area Attenuation Ponds: This is appropriate as

an indicative layout, provided that any variations and the detailed design stage do not necessitate significant deviation to the Parameter Plan.

13.20 Plan 2 (See appendix H) Movement and Access: This is appropriate as an

indicative overview to inform future detailed proposals, provided that any variations do not necessitate significant deviations to the Parameter Plan.

13.21 Plan 3 (See appendix I) Building heights plan: This plan indicates the maximum

building heights, supported by the Design and Access Statement which states “For the most part building heights are largely at two or three storeys with some higher buildings in key locations and along the dedicated Busway or primary streets. A landmark structure (up to 25m) within the local centre, such as a clock tower at the community centre is proposed within the local centre to aid legibility and create a varied skyline.” The Parameter Plan, however, does not indicate any minimum building heights. Adequate minimum building heights will be important in key locations to provide legibility and comfortable containment of public realm spaces. Accordingly the maximum building heights should be seen as indicative and not interpreted in a manner that would allow lower building heights where they would undermine legibility or spatial enclosure. Any variations should not necessitate major amendments to the Parameter Plan.

13.22 Plan 4 (See appendix J) Density plan: This plan indicates the distribution of three

density ranges, 30-34 dwellings per hectare along the western edge of Northstowe facing Longstanton, 34-38 dwellings per hectare in the majority of the site, with 38-42 dwellings per hectare around the local centre and along the Busway. This distribution of density hierarchy is appropriate as it accords with the NAAP and allows for a variation across the site. Any variations should not necessitate major amendments to the Parameter Plan.

Landscaping & Trees

13.23 An indicative framework for the hierarchy of green infrastructure has been

provided as part of the indicative master plans for the whole site within the DFD and Phase 1 development proposal. These are supported through the provision of a landscape strategy within the DFD and Phase 1 Design and Access Statement, which are further supported by the exemplar list, which advocates a strong landscape and accessible green infrastructure that integrates amenity, recreation, drainage and biodiversity.

13.24 Landscaping to help create distinctiveness will be addressed further, as part of

the town-wide design code and design code considerations for Phase 1 and all subsequent phases. It is proposed that detailed landscape designs and specifications for the associated reserved matters applications shall be accompanied by a design statement that demonstrates how the landscaping scheme accords with any emerging or approved details sought as part of the design code for the site. This will be secured by way of condition requiring detailed proposals for both hard and soft landscaping to be provided pursuant to the submission of each reserved matters application.

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Ecology

13.25 The provision and width of green corridors offers more ecological potential than the previous application and will improve biodiversity integration throughout the site. The northern green corridor would retain key landscape features and the swale would link the large pond on the edge of the former golf course to the green infrastructure. The biodiversity value of this corridor is increased a community park and the open space associated with the primary school. The southern corridor also contains a swale and pond feature and is of sufficient width. The indicative layout proposed within the masterplan provides water features that will help integrate wildlife into developed areas. The continuous wide green fringe along the eastern waterpark with interconnected green corridors will encourage more forms of wildlife and the sinuous shape of the water provides more opportunity to create diverse habit within the varying landform. The most south westerly corner of the site the structural landscaping shows the retention of a large semi-natural area. This area has potential for new ponds to help compensate for those lost in the golf course.

13.26 The application includes indicative layout of sports pitches including a Multi-Use-Gamed-Area (MUGA) which is currently shown adjacent to the kingfisher pond. This will be revisited as part of the sports strategy and prior to any reserved matter application to ensure a satisfactory relationship which does not adversely affect wildlife. Additional kingfisher nest sites are to be created to mitigate for possible disturbances and it is recognised that this water body may also be of value to feeding bats. Light pollution must be addressed by way of conditions relating to the biodiversity strategy design code, layout and environmental impact mitigation measures.

13.27 As the site will become drained through the network of swale and locally piped systems there is the risk that water supplied to ponds will become much reduced possibly compromising their future existence. Therefore methods of water management will be explored for the re-use of surface water drainage to ensure that the existing and newly created water bodies are maintained.

13.28 The development proposal did not detail mitigation measures but relied on the

extensive work already carried out for the site upon previous planning applications. However, later work during 2012 has refined general approaches relating to species/animals such as, common lizards, badgers, barn owl, breeding invertebrates, water voles, otters and kingfishers, which did not present any significant findings. As a consequence a condition is proposed to be imposed requiring all of the relevant ecology work to be pulled together in an up-to-date Biodiversity Strategy, consistent with the site’s landscape strategy that includes appropriate measures for mitigation, enhancement and habitat creation. So that habitats such as wild flower meadows can be considered for the biodiversity and amenity value.

13.29 Consultation and representation responses raised two important objections on

ecological grounds. One objection was from the invertebrate conservation charity Bug Life, which resulted in a site meeting between all concerned parties to walk over the golf course and is adjacent habitat so that a basic assessment of the requirements for further survey work could be decided upon. The additional survey work for invertebrates with a commitment to provide invertebrate habitats within the general landscaping form has enabled Bug Life to remove its objection. Another objection drew attention to a range of issues. The main focus of which was the adequacy of the surveys undertaken. In order to address this objection a range of additional surveys was undertaken so that a more detailed

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understanding of the development area was gained. These repeat surveys did not present any significant ecological constraint.

Archaeology

13.30 The proposed archaeological mitigation as detailed in the application, including

the proposals for excavation, recording, analysis and publication is acceptable in principle. In addition, the plan to develop a Construction Environment Management Plan and innovative approach to using technology to broaden community involvement and engagement are also welcomed. A condition requiring the submission of an archaeological investigation management plan will be submitted to and approved by the District Council in conjunction with the County Council prior to development commencing on site.

Summary

13.31 The Phase 1 planning application provides adequate information as to the

structure of the development proposals to provide an appropriate basis for development. As indicated above, further detailed information is required on various matters, but these will be addressed further in the town wide design code, in the design code for Phase 1 and all subsequent phases and in all future reserved matters applications along with other suitably worded conditions commensurate to each material consideration.

14.0 TRANSPORT AND CONNECTIVITY

Background 14.1 Transport issues generated a significant number of comments from those

responding to the consultation. These comments came from the strategic and local highway authorities (the Highways Agency and Cambridgeshire County Council respectively) as well as from Parish Councils, members of the public and County and District Councillors. The issues raised are covered in the following section of this report but in summary, included:

• Impact of development traffic upon the A14, the B1050 and other local roads

including the Airfield Road between Longstanton and Oakington. • Impact of the site access junctions upon the safe and efficient operation of the

B1050. • The need for cycle routes linking the Northstowe site to neighbouring

communities including Bar Hill. • The need for local bus services to the site to supplement the CGB services. • The need for a Willingham Bypass.

A14 and Wider Transport Issues:

14.2 The Highway Agency is the Government agency responsible for the management

of the A14, as part of the strategic highway network. A significant number of representations have been received expressing concerns over the impact of traffic generated by the Phase One development upon the safe and efficient operation of the A14, which is a key route linking communities within Cambridgeshire as well as carrying strategic traffic through the County. The information contained in the Transportation Assessment (TA) identifies that traffic flows on the Bar Hill to Girton section of the A14 would increase by around 2% as a result of the Phase One development.

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14.3 The HA has given full consideration to the information submitted by the applicant in the TA, and has responded confirming that the Phase One development is acceptable subject to the attachment of suitably worded Conditions to any planning approval. Specifically, the HA has confirmed that the mitigation measures proposed will, alongside their own investment in the Interim Measures outlined below, achieve nil detriment on the A14 and/or the resulting queues will be contained within acceptable limits, as appropriate.

14.4 On 18th July 2012, Government announced that the A14 improvement scheme

was being added to the national roads programme and work would commence on the design process with a view to a potential construction start in 2018, subject to completion of statutory processes and agreement of the funding package. Funding is anticipated to come from a mix of private (tolling) and public sector sources. If this indicative timetable is adhered to, then construction could start midway through the proposed Phase One development programme. The elements of the scheme are:

• Huntingdon Southern Bypass. • On-line improvement of the A14 between Fenstanton and Milton

Interchanges. • Local Access Roads between Fenstanton and Girton, enabling

consolidation of local junctions on the A14. • Improvement of Girton Interchange (A14 / M11 / A428).

14.5 In addition, Government has also identified over £27 million of investment to

deliver an interim package of measures designed to provide increased capacity on the A14 prior to the full scheme being implemented. These measures include: • Junction improvements at the Girton and Spittals Interchanges (largely

signing and lining improvements). • Installation of improved driver information systems (Variable Message

Signs) on the A14 and on some local approach roads. • Expansion of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB) Park and Ride

car park at St Ives. • Localised widening of the A14 between Junctions 31 (Girton) and 32

(Histon). 14.6 It is expected that these measures will be in place before the projected start of

building on the Phase One development. This will mean that the capacity of the A14 will be enhanced, helping to accommodate the projected 2% increase in traffic on the A14 resulting from the Phase One development. Accordingly, it is accepted that the 1,500 homes proposed within Phase One at Northstowe could proceed in advance of the major improvements to the A14, and that the traffic generated by the Phase One development can be accommodated, with nil detriment, on the A14.

Local Transport Issues

14.7 Whilst the Phase One application is generally compliant with the transport

policies contained within the Northstowe Area Action Plan and the Cambridgeshire Local Transport Plan, there were a number of concerns expressed by the County Council, as Local Highway Authority, and by other consultees, over the site transport strategy that is set out within the TA. Much work has been carried out by the applicant to address these issues and, subject to the application of appropriate Planning Conditions and agreement of Planning

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Obligations in the S106 Agreement; it is now considered that the transport strategy for the site is acceptable.

A14 / B1050 Bar Hill Interchange

14.8 The impact of the development upon the A14/B1050 has been assessed within

the TA, and problems with queuing traffic on the B1050 approach from Longstanton in the morning peak, and from Bar Hill in the evening peak, have been identified. The layout of the Bar Hill North roundabout is sub-optimal, with the left turn-slip roads for the movements to and from the B1050 North being generally unused. In response to concerns expressed by the HA, the County Council and by other consultees, an alternative junction layout, based on a conventional roundabout (i.e. without the slip roads), has been designed by the developer and assessed as substantially mitigating the impact of Phase One development traffic upon the junction.

14.9 This layout is acceptable, subject to detailed design (including safety audit) being

satisfactorily completed, to both the County Council and the HA. Therefore, a financial contribution will be sought from the applicant to enable the construction of this improvement scheme to mitigate the impact of the Phase One development. This contribution will be secured in the form of an appropriate Planning Obligation.

14.10 Should the A14 improvement scheme (which will require the re-modelling of this

interchange) be constructed in advance of this junction improvement being required, then the financial contribution would be used to help meet the costs of the A14 scheme in lieu of the junction improvement.

Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB)

14.11 The CGB provides the strategic public transport link to the Phase One site, which

is well located in relation to the Park and Ride facility at Longstanton. The CGB will provide access for Phase One residents to a wide range of services including employment, education and health facilities in Cambridge, Huntingdon and St. Ives. The CGB will play a major part in helping to make Northstowe a sustainable community by providing a fast, frequent and direct bus service between the site and these destinations.

• The requirement is for a financial contribution to CGB construction and

operational costs, as without the investment in CGB the site would clearly be unsustainable.

• The section of Busway proposed within the Phase One site should be brought into use for the planned local bus service serving the site, rather than simply retained as a safeguarded route. This would establish usage of the route by buses, and avoid future problems arising from Phase One residents getting used to the safeguarded route being a green space.

• Ensuring safe and direct walking and cycling routes between all elements of the Phase One development and the Park and Ride site to promote easy access to the CGB services.

14.12 These issues can be controlled through the application of appropriate Planning

Conditions and Planning Obligations, and have been accepted in principle by the developer.

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Walking and Cycling 14.13 Priority will be given within the site to walking, cycling and bus services, and high

quality walking and cycle routes are proposed linking the Phase One development to the CGB Park and Ride site and to Longstanton village. This is reinforced within the exemplar list of the Development Framework Document.

14.14 Following concerns expressed both by the County Council and through

representations from the local community, it has also been agreed in principle that a developer contribution will be made towards the construction of a shared use walking and cycling route alongside the B1050 between Longstanton and Bar Hill. This will enable residents of the Phase One development to access the retail, employment and health facilities at Bar Hill by sustainable modes of travel, as well as benefiting the local communities at Longstanton and Bar Hill. This contribution will be secured by way of Planning Obligation.

14.15 Improvements to Public Rights of Way within the site, and connecting the site to

neighbouring communities, will also be sought and secured at later stages, to address comments made by Longstanton Parish Council and residents.

Traffic Monitoring and Management Strategy

14.16 The Phase One development will generate significant additional traffic upon the

local road network, including the B1050, the Airfield Road between Longstanton and Oakington, and other local routes in the vicinity of the site. This impact has been quantified and set out within the TA. Significant concerns have been expressed by consultees, including the County Council, about the impact of development traffic upon the local road network.

14.17 To mitigate this impact, a Traffic Monitoring and Management Strategy will need

to be developed in partnership with the developer and the local community, with the monitoring work and management measures funded by the developer. This approach, which has been agreed in principle with the developer and will be secured through Planning Condition and Obligation, will enable the developer funding to be targeted on the parts of the local network where the local community collectively has the greatest concern, and will ensure the most effective use of available resources. Monitoring will commence prior to the start of construction works to ensure that a robust baseline for traffic flows is established.

Site Access Arrangements

14.18 The site access proposals submitted alongside the Phase One application

comprise four new junctions on the section of the B1050 between the Longstanton Bypass and the Park and Ride access. This proposal has generated significant concerns from the County Council and from numerous consultees worried about the impact of the additional junctions on the performance of the B1050. In response to these concerns the applicant has submitted further information, including traffic modelling work, relating to the collective performance of these junctions and to the design ethos which has resulted in this proposed layout. This further information has been appended to this report as Appendix M.

14.19 The County Council still has concerns about the proposed layout, and the

inclusion of a pocket of the Phase One development to the West of the B1050. This is likely to lead to unnecessary severance for residents occupying these

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houses. However, it is recognised that the developers are aiming to establish a specific local centre in this part of the development, and the proposed junction layout on the B1050 is intended to support this.

14.20 Recognising that this is an outline planning application, and that detailed design

work still needs to be carried out on both the local centre and the site access arrangements, it is considered that the principle of the Phase One development taking its initial road access from the B1050 is acceptable, and that sufficient capacity exists on this section of the B1050 to accommodate a junction or junctions providing access to the development. Therefore, it is considered appropriate that, subject to a suitable Planning Condition being placed requiring the detailed design of the site access junctions to be subject to the usual safety and quality audits, the principle of accessing the Phase One development from the B1050 be accepted.

14.21 In relation to the proposed pocket of development to the west of the B1050, it is

recommended that this be accepted in principle subject to a Planning Condition linking the phasing of this part of the development to the provision of a suitable access arrangement, and the review of potential alternative alignments for the B1050 associated with the northern part of the wider Northstowe development site.

Willingham Bypass

14.22 To the North of the site, the B1050 passes through Willingham. In response to

the planning application, several representations have been made requesting that consideration be given to requiring the construction of a Willingham Bypass in connection with the Northstowe development, to mitigate the impact of development traffic upon the community of Willingham.

14.23 Whilst the TA indicates that the Phase One development would not generate

sufficiently high volumes of traffic to significantly impact upon the B1050 through the village, it is clear that the full Northstowe development, should it come forward as set out in the Development Framework Document, is likely to have a major impact. Whilst that impact might be mitigated to the South of the site through the provision of new access roads linking the site to the A14, to the North it is likely that mitigation measures would be required potentially including the construction of a Bypass for Willingham. Accordingly, it is considered reasonable that a proportionate contribution towards the costs of such a Bypass should be sought from the Phase One development, and therefore an appropriate contribution will be secured in the form of a Planning Obligation.

Public and Community Transport

14.24 Whilst the CGB provides the Phase One site with excellent public transport

services to Cambridge, Huntingdon and St Ives, the TA identifies a need to enhance local bus services through the extension of the Citi 5 service from Bar Hill to and around the site. Currently the Citi 5 operates every 20 minutes between Cambridge and Bar Hill, with an hourly service extending to Longstanton and through to Swavesey. Interchange with the CGB services is available at the Longstanton Park and Ride site.

14.25 Some sectors of the new Northstowe community will, however, not be able to use

the conventional bus services offered by either the CGB or the Citi 5 extension. To cater for this demand, a financial contribution will be sought to enhance local Community Transport services. This contribution will also be secured through an

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appropriate Planning Obligation.

Travel Plans 14.26 The scale of development proposed would trigger the need for Travel Plans for

the residential, employment and school elements of the Phase One development. The Travel Plans would set out the measures to be taken by the developer to encourage residents, employers and employees, and schools to encourage sustainable travel to and from their sites. Robust Travel Plans will be essential to reinforce Northstowe’s credentials as a sustainable community.

14.27 Framework Travel Plans were submitted alongside the TA. These have been

assessed by the County Council and are considered to be generally acceptable. The further development and implementation of these Travel Plans will be secured through appropriate Planning Conditions and Obligations.

Construction Traffic

14.28 The Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP) contains details of the

access arrangements for vehicles, plant and personnel including the location of construction traffic routes, details of their signing, monitoring and enhancement measures. Mitigation measures to minimise the impact on surrounding villages are also to be secured.

14.29 It is recognised that construction traffic is a temporary feature of a new

development, and the trips generated will not have a permanent impact of the transport network. However, consultees have expressed strong concerns about the impact of construction traffic upon their local communities. Routing of construction traffic away from local communities will therefore be critical to a successful CEMP.

14.30 The CEMP will also need to take account of the movement of construction

workers to and from the site as well as heavy goods vehicles. A Travel Plan for construction workers, identifying measures such as encouraging use of the CGB by workers to access the site and transporting workers by minibus from remote bases will therefore be required as part of the CEMP and will be exemplary in its use. The CEMP will be secured through a Planning Condition covering construction activity and the management of the construction process.

Summary

14.31 There are no objections from either the strategic or the local highway authorities

to the Phase One application being approved, subject to the implementation of an appropriate transport strategy to manage the demand for travel generated by the site, and to mitigate the impact of development travel upon the local transport network.

14.32 This transport strategy will need to be secured through the application of

appropriate Planning Conditions and Obligations to any planning approval. As this is an outline application with no reserved matters, it should be noted that elements of the transport strategy, such as the detailed site access arrangements from the B1050, will be subject to further detailed negotiation and design processes including safety audits prior to being accepted by the local highway authority.

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15.0 FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE

Surface Water Drainage

15.1 The Surface Water Drainage (SWD) proposal comprises a Sustainable Urban

Drainage System (SUDS) that transfers all surface water runoff from hard surfaces to permeable areas and swales. These strategic swales will carry water through the site from west to east (following re-profiled site area) culminating at a water park upon the eastern boundary that would hold and attenuate water. The water park allows water to be released in a controlled manner via pumped outfalls into the Reynolds Drain, managed by off-site telemetry equipment. Balancing ponds have been designed to cope with extreme of 1:200 year floods, which means that water would be attenuated with no discharge from the Water Park while Cottenham Lode or Reynolds Drain are in flood.

15.2 The Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed that the information submitted is

acceptable in principle subject to the provision of necessary conditions in order to secure suitable surface water drainage measures, including the operational management of the system.

15.3 Representations from local residents and Drainage Boards have highlighted the

significance of securing adequate flood risk mitigation and drainage proposals prior to work commencing onsite. In particular there are concerns regarding the adoption and management of the drainage infrastructure with the requirement of an operational strategy to be submitted for approval including the relevant drainage authorities. These matters will be subsequently resolved through the provision of planning conditions and S106 requirements.

Off Site Flood Mitigation

15.4 The development proposal also includes the provision of off site flood mitigation

for the village of Longstanton through the provision of upstream storage in two ponds approximatley 4-5ha in size. These ponds are to be located due west of the village of Longstanton and will run alongside the Award Drain and will reduce the flow of water passing through Longstanton. These proposals were required by the NAAP to improve the situation in Longstanton.

15.5 The surface water proposals would not impact on the Council’s Award Drain

system other than the location of the proposed new ponds to cater for highway run-off. The principle of the design has been accepted by the Councils’ Drainage Manager and the Environment Agency subject to detailed design to follow as part of submissions pursuant to conditions. An informative will be provided advising that all works in the vicinity of the Council’s award drains should obtain Land Drainage Byelaw approval prior to commencement on site.

15.6 The phase 1 development will not impact upon the village of Oakington and off

site flood mitigation for this village will be provided as part of the phase 2 works at Northstowe.

Foul Water Drainage

15.7 Concerns have been raised through the consultation process over the

sustainability of the proposed foul water proposals. As such, representations from

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local residents and Internal Drainage Boards seek the provision for a land drainage solution to provide the necessary headroom for Northstowe as a whole.

15.8 The EA have confirmed that suitable foul drainage infrastructure is required to be

implemented in order to accommodate the scale of the phase 1 planning proposals. This would comprise a new pumping station to be provided at Webb’s Hole Sluice on the Swavesey Drain system. This is required in order to accommodate the additional treated discharge from Utton’s Drove Sewage Treatment Works. The EA consider the installation of the pumping station to be an essential to the approval of the development proposal.

15.9 Officers are currently working in partnership with the Environment Agency and

Anglian Water as well as the Joint Promoters to complete and agree a programme of implementation for the delivery of this pump for Swavesey Drain. The Local Authority has endorsement via the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for a loan under the Growing Places Fund (GPF) to help facilitate the provision of the pump. Repayment of the loan will be factored into the S106 and viability negotiations.

15.10 A condition will be required securing the implementation of the pumping station

prior to the occupation of an agreed number of homes and amount of floor space. The EA’s initial interim response indicated that such a condition would be required seeking implementation prior to the occupation of any housing. However, subject to assessment carried out in conjunction with Anglian Water and the Council it is considered that there is an evidence base for a head room for additional dwellings, the precise number of which is to be confirmed.

16.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Introduction 16.1 The development proposal represents EIA development “major urban

development project”, under schedule 2 of EIA Regulations 2011.The application documents and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with associated Environment Statement (ES) / Appendices contain the technical assessments to support the development proposal.

16.2 There are a number of topic areas in the ES which have been subject to

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) assessment, which is a means of drawing together in a systematic way, an assessment of a project's likely significant environmental effects. This helps to ensure that the importance of the predicted effects, and the scope for reducing them, are properly understood by the public and the Local Planning Authority before it makes its decision. The matters considered in the ES will be referred to under the relevant topic subheadings within this section of the report, together with any other considerations.

16.3 The Environmental Statement includes assessment of the following

environmental matters:

• Environmental Issues and Methodology • Landscape and Visual Effects • Cultural Heritage • Natural Heritage • Traffic and Transport • Air Quality

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• Noise and Vibration • Geology, Hydrology and Contamination • Water Resources, Flooding and Drainage • Community, Economic and Social Effects • Agricultural and Soil Resources • Cumulative Effects with Future Phases of Northstowe

16.4 It also includes the following Technical Appendices

A. Scoping B. Cultural Heritage C. Natural Heritage D. Traffic and Transport E. Air Quality F. Noise and Vibration G. Ground Conditions H. Flood Risk Assessment I. Agricultural and Soil Resources J. Lighting

16.5 Since the application’s submission, additional information and clarification and

technical notes have been submitted in response to consultee comments. 16.6 The ES has been taken into consideration as required by Regulation 3(4) of the

Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011.and is considered to be acceptable in principle. However, given the level of detail provided at the outline planning stage the imposition of conditions and planning obligations will be necessary to ensure that to ensure that the environmental effects of a proposed development and cumulative development are fully considered and mitigated where necessary for the consideration at the more detailed design stages.

Cumulative Impact

16.7 The EIA Directive requires consideration of the direct impacts and of any indirect,

secondary and cumulative effects of a project or in combination with other reasonably foreseeable projects. It also requires consideration of the interactions between the environmental effects listed.

16.8 The development proposal therefore needs to be assessed in conjunction with

the endorsed Development Framework Document as a material planning consideration, which sets out the masterplan for the wider town with later phases of development representing cumulative development.

16.9 In light of the above, detailed environmental impact assessments (EIA) will be

undertaken to support the outline planning applications submitted for each phase of development in addition to Phase 1. The Phase 2 EIA will need to take into consideration the impacts and mitigation associated with Phase 1 and the qualitative cumulative impacts of later phases of Northstowe. Future phase EIA’s will follow the same approach cumulatively. The principle of benchmarking the impacts of earlier phases and taking these fully into consideration will be adopted for the preparation of environmental impact assessments for each future phase of development.

16.10 For clarity the EIA accompanying the planning application for phase 2 will

undertake a significant effects / impact assessments against two baselines. The

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first assessment would consider the effects of phase 2 alone, against an updated baseline with phase 1 in place. The second would consider the combined effects of phases 1 and 2 against the 2011/12 baseline of no development at Northstowe having particular to the baselines reported in the phase 1 application ES. This would enable a more accurate and robust understanding of the cumulative effects of the two phases. A similar approach will also be followed for subsequent phases beyond phases 1 and 2. This would also allow robust and appropriate mitigation to be considered as necessary.

16.11 In summary the approach set out in paragraphs 16.4 and 5 above has been

agreed by the applicant. 17.0 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Ordnance 17.1 The Development Framework Phasing Strategy indicates a phased programme

of further unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey work will continue; with the site of Phase 2 being surveyed and any appropriate clearance work of large scale ordnance being undertaken prior to the occupation of any dwellings on Phase 1. Similarly, the sites of future phases of development will be surveyed and cleared of large scale ordnance before any dwellings are occupied in the preceding phase. This may be acceptable in isolation for the assessment of phase 1, but a strategy is needed which demonstrates a comprehensive approach to remove or mitigate the potentially significant impacts associated with UXO from the whole site which ensures a safe sites and minimises the disruption on existing residents in neighbouring villages and new residents moving into Northstowe. This strategy will include removal of ordnance from the site of Phase 1.

17.2 The Joint promoters recognised the need for an agreed site wide strategy to

ensure that the potential of the impacts of cumulative development of future phases is adequately addressed. As such an UXO remediation strategy for the whole Northstowe site will be secured within the S106 requirement.

Air Quality

17.3 The ES concludes that the effect of transport emissions on existing locations

were air quality is measured shows no discernible change and in fact there may be a slight reduction due to expected future improvement in vehicle emissions as a result of improved technology. This is linked to point 9 of the Exemplar list (see appendix L) seeking to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the impact of transport movements on local air quality.

17.4 Environmental Protection UK (EPUK) air quality impact assessment criteria

suggest the effect is negligible to neutral. Whilst the results for nitrogen dioxide are acceptable, these are still reliant on reduced vehicle emissions through fleet renewal and improving engine technology. The results are less robust and highlight the need for suitable mitigation measures to secure exposure reduction for existing receptors. Air quality impacts during construction and operational phases can be minimised by ensuring the proposed site wide mitigation measures through the provision of a Low Emission Strategy (LES) are secured at an early stage of development. An LES is a document that contains the visions and considerations that can accelerate the uptake of low emission fuels and technologies within a new development. It aims to provide a toolkit of measures to help mitigate the transport impacts of the development and to disseminate best practice in sustainable development.

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17.5 The LES measures will need to be secured by condition(s) and S106 obligations

to ensure it is implemented for an appropriate period of time e.g. 25 years and that standards are achieved. Providing a combination of S106 obligations and conditions are imposed to secure where it is reasonably to mitigate, reduce and monitor air quality emissions both during the construction and operational stages, it is unlikely that significant adverse air quality impact will arise. There is likely be an overlap with Transport/Traffic obligations e.g. traffic monitoring and management strategy, travel plans, public transport improvements provision.

Noise & Vibration

17.6 The assessment of noise and vibration has considered both the construction and operational phases of the development and impact on existing residents in the area and future residents of the development itself.

17.7 The general approach and methodology used to assess the significance of noise

impact, evaluation, prediction (nature, extent and magnitude of any noise impact) and mitigation measure identification are acceptable in principle at this stage. However, as the majority of noise impacts are related to the final detailed design, layout, construction and phasing details, a series of noise related conditions will be needed.

17.8 The levels of noise and vibration arising from the proposed development at

construction stage have been assessed with reference to guidance and advice in various British Standards documents. The assessment recommends that a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) be prepared, which would include specific method statements identifying methods of working and controls in order to reduce or minimise potential noise or vibration impacts. This could cover matters such as working methods and programme, selection of equipment and plant, use of screen hoardings and acoustic covers for equipment, directing exhausts away from sensitive areas, restricting hours of working and monitoring noise levels where impacts are likely.

17.9 The requirement for the submission and approval of a site wide CEMP is considered necessary to safeguard amenity, which should inform more detailed CEMPs relating to specific phases, which would focus on the likely impacts of each phase once detailed design work has been undertaken.

17.10 The ES states that when the site is occupied there is potential for noise to cause

adverse impact on nearby receptors (residents). This could include from plant serving non-residential buildings (i.e. the household recycling centre, commercial, retail), noise from deliveries, including loading/unloading, noise from recreational facilities (for instance, MUGA and shouting from users of playing fields), and from road traffic noise from increased vehicle movements both on and off site. However, no significant sources of vibration are considered to arise following the completion of construction works.

17.11 The assessment concludes that operational noise issues will very much be down to careful consideration of these matters at the detailed design stage to ensure that the likelihood of nuisance arising from plant and equipment serving non-residential development, from delivery movements and from sports activities on playing fields are minimised through design and siting.

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17.12 The final layout and footprints of homes are not currently finalised and noise mitigation design considerations are often detailed design issues. On balance it is considered that acceptable engineering noise mitigation measures are achievable. Therefore it is recommended that a phased noise mitigation / insulation and acoustic ventilation scheme condition for proposed noise sensitive residential premises be imposed to provide an adequate level of protection internally and externally against transportation / traffic noise associated with the B1050 / Station Road / Longstanton Bypass, the Cambridge Guided Busway (CGB) and the future internal dedicated bus way and primary roadway / streets that form part of the development site.

17.13 Notwithstanding the above, it is important that appropriate sound conscious

design and layout / distance separation should be considered as early as possible in the design stage as it may have an influence on the overall masterplan and to avoid noise from giving rise to significant adverse impacts on health or quality of life. In terms of a hierarchy of mitigation, design and layout should be considered in the first instance to design out noise impact to provide a high standard of amenity and a quality living environment and this will be reinforced and incorporated at the early design stage by including in the site wide design code with respect to transport, road and noise mitigation.

Geology, Hydrology & Contamination

17.14 Until full detail of the site layout has been agreed as part of reserved matters

applications, a residential end use has been assumed across the whole site as a conservative approach and this is considered satisfactory.

17.15 Some elevated concentrations of Arsenic, PAHs and petroleum hydrocarbons

have been noted in shallow soils within isolated locations across the development area. Further investigation has been recommended in the corresponding areas of the site to further assess any risk to human health. The arsenic concentrations are most likely natural and further bioavailability testing has been recommended to asses risk to human health. Supplementary investigation is still required in the area of the current golf course when full access is available and the results will need to be taken into account to inform any remediation measures required prior to development. Soils intended for use within garden areas will need to be confirmed as suitable for use, and this will be addressed when the further site investigation is known and any proposed remedial measures are submitted.

17.16 The application site has been assessed for risk from ordnance and is generally

classed as a low risk. A small area in the south east corner, previously forming part of the airfield, has been classed as a higher risk and full assessment is on-going. The results of this will need to be taken into account and any mitigation measures undertaken as appropriate. There are no significant identified sources of ground gas and the gas monitoring to date has classified the site ‘Green’, which does not require gas protection measures to be incorporated into the building design. The reports, recommendation for further investigation is supported and the imposition of a contaminated land condition will be sought.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA)

17.17 The HIA has been assessed against with the Council’s Supplementary Planning

Document on Health Impact Assessment (HIA SPD) and whilst its contents generally acceptable in principle, further discussions are required about how its recommendations will be addressed and monitored over the course of the development to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of the residents of

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Northstowe are met. It is considered that this work can be resolved through close working with the applicant’s consultants prior to the issuing of any outline planning permission with an appropriate mechanism in the S106 to secure future monitoring.

Waste Management

17.18 The development proposals outline the provision of a site waste management

plan to be secured by way of condition to ensure suitable control of the forecast, extent and route of site construction waste and recycling. Operational waste will be provided by a serviced site and planning obligation toward the provision of a household waste recycling centre. Residential units would incorporate sufficient internal waste and recycling storage, whereas non-residential waste would be provided for by shared or private waste storage and recycling areas.

17.19 The application documentation is acceptable in principle but further detailed

information and design will be required for approval. Nevertheless, as the waste strategy required will be directly related to and influenced by the final detailed design and layout, housing density / type and construction phasing details, a series of waste and recycling related conditions will be imposed to address suitable waste management requirements. In Section 106 contributions in relation to waste and recycling provision for waste / recycling receptacle and temporary and permanent local household recycling bring sites are to be required.

Lighting

17.20 The assessment of artificial lighting impact on residential sensitive premises is

comprehensive and robust. The generic construction and operational mitigation measures proposed are acceptable. The commitment to provide a comprehensive detailed external lighting design and specification for the proposed development prepared by a specialist lighting contractor at the detailed design stage is welcomed. If this strategy is designed in accordance with the mitigation measures proposed and approach detailed, artificial lighting would not have an unacceptable adverse impact on existing and future residential premises. Ensuring this happens at the detailed design approval of artificial lighting will be secured by condition. In addition to this, the requirements of such a condition would be reinforced through the incorporation of artificial lighting specifications within the design code.

Odour Generation

17.21 The impact of odour is any proposed non-residential uses such as the proposed

sewage pumping station, household waste recycling facility, employment areas, retail outlets / community uses is likely to be negligible if mitigation measures are implemented to minimise impact. It will therefore be necessary to adequately discharge and or abate odours and fumes to ensure odour nuisance is not caused and to protect the amenity of neighbouring premises and this will be secured by the imposition of an odour assessment / abatement condition.

Summary 17.22 The ES submitted with the application is acceptable in principle, subject to the

imposition of conditions to mitigate impact as detailed under the various topic headings above, including sufficient s106 financial contributions to address environmental health related matters that are necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms.

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18.0 HOUSING 18.1 Housing is an area where work is linked to the viability work and s106

negotiations, and for which an agreed approach and associated conditions will be brought back to the NJDCC for consideration prior to the issue of any consent.

18.2 The aim is to ensure an appropriate and deliverable package with a range of housing which meets local housing needs, allows for innovative opportunities and facilitates pace of development.

18.3 There have been significant changes to national housing policy including welfare reforms and the introduction of Affordable Rent alongside social rented and intermediate tenures. Opportunities need to be explored for different forms of delivery, for example self-build and co-housing as well as consideration to the role of the private rented sector.

Market Housing

18.4 The proposed market housing mix of 25% 2-bed, 46% 3-bed, 22% 4-bed and 7%

5+bed units broadly complies with the Northstowe Area Action Plan. However, the indicative mix fails to provide any 1-bed units which will need to be kept under review and further discussions will be needed about type, size of clusters and % market homes which will be built to lifetime homes standards.

18.5 The application conforms to the principle of affordable homes being built in

conjunction with market units, thus ensuring a balanced and tenure-blind community.

Affordable Housing

18.6 The Cambridge Challenge process selected Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association (BPHA) as the Strategic Affordable Housing provider and they have been working with South Cambridgeshire District Council since 2007 on the Southern Fringe, NIAB and Northstowe major growth development sites.

18.7 South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Affordable Housing Supplementary

Planning Document, the NAAP and Development Control Policy ‘HG/3’, state that the council will seek 40% or more affordable housing on all sites of two or more dwellings. The policy also makes clear that the Council will take account of the viability of a development proposal. The application proposes 35% affordable housing for Northstowe. The final percentage will be subject to the outcome of the viability work.

18.8 Within the overall agreed % of affordable housing, provision is also made for

specific needs. In line with all strategic growth sites 2% will be fully wheelchair accessible, and a further 8% available for other supported housing needs. In addition BPHA have committed to provide all of their units to Life Times Homes Standard and will be built to code level 4, as required by the HCA.

18.9 The Strategic Housing Team has been working with County colleagues and

BPHA to look at supported housing provision at Northstowe. As part of this, extra

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care housing for older people will be provided as part of affordable housing provision at the appropriate time and when sufficient local facilities are in place.

19.0 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 19.1 This section has been assessed against the relevant sections of exemplar list

within the DFD (see appendix L). The NAAP states that Northstowe will be developed “to a flexible design which will be energy efficient, and built to be an exemplar of sustainable living with low carbon and greenhouse gas emissions and able to accommodate the impacts of climate change.” The NAAP provides two options for this delivery:

(a) Provide “an increased level of sustainability across the development as a whole above current requirements to a material extent”, or;

(b) Build “a proportion of the development to advanced practice which fully addresses sustainability issues and minimises any environmental impact by pushing at the boundaries of the proven technology available at the time of the development”

19.2 Delivering option a) or b) above, would secure the role of Northstowe, as required

by policy, as “an example of excellence in the creation of a sustainable settlement”. The endorsed Development Framework Document sets out the parameters for these approaches with the exemplar list of qualities to which the development of Northstowe should aspire.

19.3 There are many aspects to establishing the sustainability credentials and identity

of Northstowe. The requisite areas covered here principally relate to the contribution of the buildings and infrastructure elements of the new settlement to:

• sustainable energy consumption (i.e. minimised in use, used as efficiently

as possible and drawn from renewable sources); • sustainable water consumption; • sustainable construction methods; • adaptation to the impacts of climate change; and • the broader social issues of sustainable living in a low carbon economy

19.4 In consideration of national policy advancement in Building Regulations, the

exemplar sustainability standard with regards to carbon reduction until 2016 is considered to be Code for Sustainable Homes Levels 4-5 and BREEAM Excellent or Outstanding for non-domestic properties. Following discussions with the Joint Promoters and Housing Associations it was considered that a blanket approach to defining Code Levels would be difficult to achieve with respect to the viability of the scheme and would result in user and maintenance issues for residents/tenants. As a consequence, a ‘fabric first’ approach is considered to be more practical, seeking to enhance the passive standard of house types by increasing the parameters of Part L of the Building Regulations.

19.5 A fabric first approach would involve making the building work as hard as

possible to achieve energy saving as the greatest single area of energy saving for the resident. Reductions in energy requirements through passive building measures such as high levels of insulation and U values, practical levels of airtightness and good use of thermal mass and solar gain give the best utility savings. This ‘Fabric First’ approach also allows for reduced levels of services and renewable technologies, which further helps to reduce fuel and maintenance costs.

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19.6 Setting a standard of U values across the development through the S106

agreement, would enable all dwellings to be built to the same high passive standards, which will have the additional benefit of keeping the development tenure blind so that affordable, shared ownership and sale units will have the same external appearance through fabric selection. U Value selection should be aimed to give an exemplar level of reduction in heat loss and at the same time ensure the required levels of home size and development density. The following could be used as an initial review:

• Walls: 0.18 • Windows: 1.2 • Roof and Ground Floors: 0.12 • Party Walls – Full Fill and Full Seal – 0 • Air Tightness - 4m3/m2hr @ 50 Pa

19.7 Officers wish to establish a high profile ‘sustainable living’ and engagement

programme. It is envisaged that this programme can be built into the fabric of the new settlement as it is built out. A financial contribution towards this programme will be sought from the s106 agreement.

19.8 The NAAP outlines an aspiration of 20% of the development’s on-site energy

requirements (expressed as CO2 emission figures) to be through renewable generation. The Phase 1 application is predicted to generate 10- 15% of all its energy from low carbon/ renewable energy resources, and is therefore policy compliant. In order to achieve this target the development would need the careful additional use of other building-by-building technologies such as biomass or heat pump space/water heating technologies, or through deploying, larger scale site wide-solutions such as district heating, CHP plants and wind turbines to that of micro technologies, such as solar or PV systems.

19.9 The East of England is the driest region in the country and climate change related

water stress is already being felt in many areas. Reducing water consumption where control can be introduced from the outset is a necessity for the Northstowe development. Rainwater harvesting community scale systems are being explored. Further work on the water and energy strategies will be carried out alongside the viability and s106 negotiations.

20.0 EDUCATION Primary School 20.1 The proposed first primary school would be a 3FE school with provision for up to

630 places aged 4-11 years. Suitable land (3ha) is identified both within the DFD and Phase 1 planning application. In relation to the Phase 1 development proposals of 1,500 homes the pupil forecasts indicate that an initial development of this size could yield between 375 and 525 primary age pupils (1.8FE to 2.5FE) requiring a 3FE school. This would facilitate the co-location for the community hub including children’s health and library services on the site of the first primary school.

20.2 Delivery of a 3FE building in a single phase, available for use from the first

release of housing in Northstowe, will provide a full range of public services required by the new community for its first 5 years, co-located on one site. This will be secured in the S106 legal agreement to be triggered by first occupation

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and as part of the phasing strategy for phase 1, secured by way of condition. Secondary School 20.3 For the first 3 years secondary educational provision will be provided in the first

community hub, sited at the primary school. Forecasts indicate that the secondary school will need to be available for occupation by approximately year 4 of the Phase 1 development and prior to Phase 2 with an overlap of phases. The DFD identifies suitable land and access together with the land transfer agreement between the HCA and the Local Education Authority to ensure that the delivery of the secondary school can be provided in full, in good time within this phased approach.

20.4 The first phase of the purpose-built secondary school will be 4FE (600 places) of

which 2FE will be funded by Cambridgeshire County Council to address local secondary catchment pressures whilst also making the secondary school a viable size earlier in the development. The Joint Promoters will work jointly with CCC and Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust, the promoter of the secondary school, to develop a strategy for the submission of a separate outline planning application for the secondary school and it is intended the secondary school site will be transferred to the County Council under the terms of a satisfactory Land Transfer Agreement.

21.0 COMMUNITY 21.1 The application includes adequate facilities for the Phase 1 development. It

proposes a number of community buildings within or adjacent to the local centre which, together with the primary school, will to create a community hub and support the vitality of the local centre. Facilities to be provided include: • Community centre of approx. 900sq m with flexible space to be used by a

range of groups and including ‘touchdown space for the emergency services

• Children’s play areas (A central NEAP -Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play and 4 LEAPS - Local Equipped Areas for Play as well as land for Local Areas of Play ( LAPs) and Spaces for Imaginative Play ( SIPS)

• Neighbourhood recycling point(s) (bring sites) • A pavilion at the Sports Hub to include changing rooms and social space; • A library will located in local centre.

21.2 In addition, in accordance with the DFD, 2 serviced sites will be provided for

community/voluntary groups to be taken up in the future, for example, a scout hut.

21.3 Ensuring early provision of these community facilities will be secured in the S106

legal agreement, details of which are set out in Appendix K. 21.4 Where more strategic community facilities are to be provided on later phases, an

appropriate financial contribution will be sought from this first phase of development. This may include contributions to a Civic Hub within the town centre, a burial ground (in addition to the woodland burial site), and a joint facility for emergency services in the town centre.

21.5 The existing doctor’s surgery and dentist in Longstanton have confirmed that they will be able to accommodate residents from Phase 1. Subject to approval, more detailed work will take place with the relevant NHS commissioners. The design

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code for Phase 1 will ensure that there are footpaths and cycleways between the first phase of Northstowe and Longstanton.

21.6 With regards to faith provision, the Diocese are in discussion with the Joint Promoters to secure a home for the first minister. This together with access to use the primary school (also to be run by the Diocese) and Community Centre will ensure early provision for all faith groups.

Sports and Open Space

21.7 The development proposal includes an area of 6.17ha allocated to the first sports

hub on the western side of the scheme forming part of the green separation between the site and the village of Longstanton. An indicative layout shows:

• 1 senior Pitch • 2 junior football pitches • 2 mini – football pitches • 1 senior rugby pitch • 1 Artificial Turf Pitch (ATP) • 1 bowling Green • 1 X 1 court Multi- Use Games area (MUGA)

21.8 This provision is acceptable in terms of its scale and complies with SCDC

Development Control Policy SF/11 and NAAP policy.

21.9 The indicative pitch layout will remain flexible to allow pitches to be developed as agreed in consultation with the local community, the detail of which will be set out as part of the sports strategy and subsequent reserved matters application. The Sport England technical standards for sport pavilions will be used to inform the design of the sport pavilion, which will be a multi-purpose building which will include social club as well as changing provision. The location of the pavilion and car park including access will be considered at the detailed design, as the masterplan is indicative and therefore the Design Code will review this provision providing a framework for future reserved matters applications in conjunction with a sports strategy.

21.10 In addition to grass pitches the proposal includes the provision of an all-terrain

pitch (ATP) and Multi-Use-Game-Area (MUGA). The size and specification of both of these will be agreed as part of the S106 agreement, with, in the case of the ATP, a view to securing a full-size pitch, floodlit and finished with a 3rd Generation surface, recognising the high player participation rates within the district. Timing of provision needs discussion. The grass pitches will need to be laid out as soon as possible following the land re-profiling especially as it will then take some time to establish grass pitches (approximately 18-24months). Therefore providing the ATP and/or Multi-Use-Game-Area (MUGA) as a facility in the interim will be important. Further detail of the facilities to be provided as part of the sports hub will be secured by condition encompassed within the sports and recreation strategy in conjunction with relevant strategies for lighting, ecology and the design code, and through the negotiation of the Heads of Terms of the S106 and via the conditions requiring detailed phasing, sports and recreation strategies.

21.11 As phase one does not include any indoor sports provision, an appropriate

financial contribution to the strategic facilities to be provided on later phases will be sought. It is should be noted that the Northstowe secondary school is

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anticipated to provide dual-use sports facilities including indoor sports. 21.12 The phase 1 proposals provide adequate land to facilitate NEAPs, LEAPs and

LAPs and applicants have confirmed that young people from neighbouring villages will be involved with regards to the design and selection of equipment provided in each area. Adequate land for allotments and a community orchard is also to be provided as part of the overall vision of promoting opportunities for sustainable local food production and a healthy life, as set out in the exemplar list in Appendix L.

21.13 It is crucial that the local community has sufficient support particularly in the early years. In addition, there is a need to develop proposals for a Community Council and for management of public open space and community facilities. Plans for this will be worked up over the coming months and ahead of development commencing on site, with appropriate financial contributions agreed through the S106 negotiations.

22.0 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & LOCAL CENTRE 22.1 The Phase 1 proposal provides for employment land on 5ha (including the

recycling centre) and a local centre of 1.22ha. 22.2 The mixed use local centre accommodates ground floor retail of up to 1,500sqm

with potential for a further 450sqm net for other appropriate commercial uses together with a community building of around 900sqm. Nearby facilities would also include a play area, information point and recycling centre, all subject to detail design and approval at a later stage. The stated function of the local centre is to:

• Deliver a mix of uses to enhance sustainability • Provide for day-today needs without unnecessary car trips • Provide for local employment • Contain community facilities • Provide a focus, visual and perceptual • Be capable of delivery as early as possible • Deliver voluntary and public sector services, funded where reasonable by

the development • Not detract from the main town centre

22.3 The Employment land is located off the B1050 and adjoining the Guided Busway

Park& Ride. It is proposed to accommodate B1 offices on 1.82ha, general industrial on 1.46ha, B8 storage and distribution on 0.36ha and the household recycling centre. It is estimated that 500 jobs could be provided, and a further 166 throughout the rest of the phase 1 site.

22.4 The range and co-location of commercial and community facilities in the local

centre conforms to NAAP policy NS/6 that seeks to achieve a community focus in the local centre with modest shopping facilities and a range of local services. The position of the local centre adjoining the B1050 is an appropriate response to the need to support the viability of the centre through passing trade, and accessible from the residential and employment areas on foot and by bus. The mixture of uses in this early phase will ease the transition of new residents into the community by providing a focal point and with retail facilities supporting everyday needs.

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22.5 One of the principles of the local centre is to ensure early delivery. The application states that it will be provided towards the later stages of Phase 1. Over the next few months, an economic and retail development strategy will be produced in parallel with the viability work. The outcome will be presented to Committee early next year. Assessment of the proposals in the Phase 1 application has been deferred pending this work.

22.6 The proposed location of the local employment centre was set out in the DFD and

is well positioned to ease accessibility by public transport and the private car, minimising trips through residential areas. It conforms to the NAAP policy NS/8:1c. The focus on providing higher density of employment uses with B1 is welcomed. As stated above, further work will take place over the next few months to produce an economic development strategy aiming to facilitate early delivery of employment.

23.0 S106 PLANNING OBLIGATIONS AND VIABILITY 23.1 Should this Phase 1 application be granted outline planning permission then a

Section 106 Agreement will be required setting out the obligations that the developer will be committed to provide to ensure that the community needs of the development are delivered.

23.2 Detailed negotiations on the Section 106 Agreement will commence should the

Committee be minded to grant outline planning consent. Initial discussions have taken place, and draft Heads of Terms are listed in Appendix K. The County Council Cabinet approved its sections of the draft Heads of Terms at a meeting on 2 October in its role as a statutory consultee. On 12 October, the SCDC Cabinet endorsed the relevant sections of the draft Heads of Terms and recommended that particular consideration be given to the Willingham bypass, provision for burials for Phase 1 residents and administration costs of Longstanton and Oakington and Westwick Parish Councils. As negotiations continue, it is possible that the actual requirements or their triggers will change or other means of providing or funding the requirements will be found. All phasing, trigger or levels of developer contributions are subject to the on-going viability work in the programme and will be brought to Committee for approval early next year.

Viability

23.4 The Local Authorities and Joint Promoters have appointed their respective

viability consultants, and agreement has been reached on the enabling costs of Phase 1. Detailed negotiations on viability and the s106 agreement will take place over the next months and culminate in a further report to Committee in the New Year.

24.0 CONCLUSION

24.1 Subject to the negotiation of the S106, exchange of satisfactory land transfer

documentation regarding the Secondary School, suitably worded planning conditions and scheme viability the development proposals are considered to represent an acceptable form of sustainable development that would facilitate the first phase of development thus enabling the delivery of the wider town. This delivery would encompass a phased approach, in parallel to major infrastructure improvement works to the A14.

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24.2 At this time no adverse impacts of the resolution to approve this scheme are considered to be significant or demonstrable to outweigh the benefit that would result from such resolution.

25.0 RECOMMENDATION 25.1 Resolution to approve the grant of outline planning permission, subject to each of

the following (including exchange of requisite documentation):

1) S106 items and triggers, which remain under negotiation; 2) satisfactory land transfer documentation with Cambridgeshire County

Council regarding Secondary School; 3) agreement as to the planning conditions, currently in draft form as detailed

below:

26.0 PROPOSED CONDITIONS 26.1 The matters covered within the conditions listed below are deemed necessary to

secure significant detail pursuant to the description of the proposed development. Some of these conditions may however be captured within the terms of the S106 agreement in which case they will be not feature as part of the final list of conditions stipulated in the outline planning consent.

26.2 Notwithstanding the wording and content within this section of the report the

recommended resolution of this report requests that the final drafting and wording of all conditions are delegated to officers subject to the consultation and agreement from the chair and vice chair of the NJDCC who may bring any particular points back for consideration by the NJDCC if the chair and or vice chair feel that significant new matters have arisen or where they feel satisfactory resolution has not been achieved.

Reserved Matters and Time Limits

1. No development on any individual development parcel shall commence until

approval of the details of the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale (hereinafter called the reserved matters) within that parcel has been obtained from the local planning authority in writing. The development shall be carried out as approved.

REASON: To ensure that all necessary details are acceptable In accordance with the requirements of section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

2. The first application for approval of reserved matters shall be made to the

local planning authority no later than three years from the date of this permission.

REASON: In accordance with the requirements of section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

3. The commencement of each development parcel pursuant to this outline

consent shall begin before the expiration of two years from the date of the last reserved matter of that parcel to be approved.

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REASON: To prevent the accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions and in accordance with the requirements of section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

4. Application(s) for approval of all the reserved matters shall be made to the

local planning authority before the expiration of 10 years from the date of this permission.

REASON: To prevent the accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions and in accordance with the requirements of section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and provide a consistent approach to the development of the site alongside adjoining developments.

Approved Plans

5. The development, hereby permitted, shall be carried out in accordance with

the following approved plans:

• Site location plan (red/blue line plan) ref: 155316/00; • Tree retention/loss plan: drawing 155316/ph1/sk014 TR&RP; • Water drainage strategy drawings: primary development site 2951/200/D-

01 rev C and Hatton’s Road; • Attenuation ponds 2988/FLD/302 rev D; • Foul water drainage strategy drawing 2951/200/D-03 rev B; • Ecological mitigation strategy: Environmental Statement figures 6.10a

primary development site and 6.10b Hatton’s Road attenuation ponds; • Illustrative master plan • Parameter Plan 1a) • Parameter Plan 1b) • Parameter Plan 2 • Parameter Plan 3 • Parameter Plan 4

REASON: To facilitate any future application to the Local Planning Authority under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Development Limits 6. Any development carried out under this permission, shall not exceed the

development levels set out in the description of development at the top of this report.

REASON: To ensure that the development and associated mitigation measures takes place in accordance with the principles, parameters and assessment contained within the Application Documentation and Environmental Statement.

Phasing

7. Notwithstanding the information contained in the Design and Access

Statement, prior to or concurrently with the submission of the first of the reserved matters application(s), a Site Wide Phasing Plan, which accords with the section 106 triggers shall be submitted to the local planning authority for approval. The Phasing Plan shall include the sequence of providing the following elements:

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(a) Development parcels; (b) Major distributor roads/routes within the site, including timing of

provision and opening of access points into the site; (c) the local centre and community facilities (d) Strategic foul surface water features and SUDS; (e) Open space, allotments and orchard; (f) Strategic electricity and telecommunications networks; (g) Environmental mitigation measures.

No development shall commence apart from enabling works agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority until such time as the phasing plan has been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved phasing contained within the phasing plan unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: To clarify how the site is to be phased to assist with the determination of subsequent reserved matters applications and in order to ensure that infrastructure provision and environmental mitigation is provided in time to cater for the needs and impacts arising out of the development in accordance with NAAP policies NS/1 and NS/2, which set out the vision and development principles for the delivery of the town.

Design Code

8. Prior to the submission of the first of the reserved matters applications for the

development, hereby approved, a Design Code shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Design Code shall be prepared in accordance with the principles and parameters established by this outline approval and shall include both strategic and detailed elements. The Design Code shall address all pertinent matters associated with the following subject areas:

a) The approach to design quality and its consistent implementation; b) The overall vision and character of the development and its setting; c) The creation of character areas and neighbourhoods addressing the

principles of the mix of uses; d) The conceptual design and approach to the public realm, addressing the

level of enclosure and natural surveillance, Public Art, materials, street furniture and signage, the incorporation of utilities and landscaping;

e) The principles of, the street and public spaces hierarchy to address, movement and permeability, mobility and visually impaired users, the extent of the adoptable highway, along with traffic calming measures and making reference to the phasing of land parcels;

f) The establishment of development parcel boundaries incorporating streets wholly within development parcels drawn along the rear of property boundaries;

g) The design of the transport network hierarchy, streets, cycle routes, footpaths and public spaces, providing typical street cross-sections, including details of tree planting, tree species, underground utility/service trench routes, type and specification, and on street parking, including construction design details;

h) The principles and structure of the blocks addressing key groupings or individual buildings, building form, massing, heights, scale and legibility, building typologies, density and use. This shall include the design

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principles addressing primary frontages, fronts and backs, pedestrian and vehicular access points, on plot car and cycle parking, threshold definition and surveillance of public realm areas, building materials and performance standards and design features;

i) Approach to incorporation of ancillary infrastructure/buildings such as substations, pumping stations, waste and recycling provision for all building types and underground recycling points, pipes, flues, vents, meter boxes, external letterboxes, fibres, wires and cables required by statutory undertakers as part of building design;

j) Details of the approach to vehicular parking across the entire site including the amount of parking, location and layout of parking for people with disabilities and for each building type, including details of a design approach for access points into and the ventilation of undercroft/underground parking;

k) Details of the approach to cycle parking for all uses and for each building type, including the distribution (resident/visitor parking and location in the development), type of rack, spacing and any secure or non-secure structures associated with the storage of cycles.

l) The approach to the character and treatment of the structural planting to the development areas within the primary open land, secondary open land, hedge or footpath corridors and retained trees (including the approach to SUDS design integration into the green ways);

m) The conceptual design and approach to the lighting strategy and how this will be applied to different areas of the development with different lighting needs, so as to maximise energy efficiency, minimise light pollution and avoid street clutter;

n) Measures to demonstrate how the design can maximise resource efficiency and climate change adaptation through external, passive means, such as landscaping, orientation, massing, and external building features,

o) Details of measures to minimise opportunities for crime, p) Measures to show how design will address/minimise the impact of traffic

noise on future residents, q) Details of the Design review procedure and of circumstances where a

review shall be implemented.

The Design Code shall explain its purpose, structure and status and set out the mandatory and discretionary elements where the Design Code will apply, who should use the Design Code, and how to use the Design Code. No development apart from enabling works agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority shall commence until the Design Code for the entire site has been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All subsequent reserved matter applications shall accord with the details of the approved design code, and be accompanied by a statement which demonstrates compliance with the code.

REASON: To ensure high quality design and coordinated development in accordance with Policy NS/1 the Vision for Northstowe, NS/2 Development Principles, NS/12 Landscape Principles, NS/14 Landscaping within Northstowe of the Northstowe Area Action Plan, 2007. Landscaping 9. Within any reserved matters application for landscaping details pursuant to

this approval the details required by condition 1 shall include detailed landscape designs and specifications for the associated reserved matters

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site. The details shall be accompanied by a design statement that demonstrates how the landscaping scheme accords with any emerging or approved details sought as part of the design code for the site and shall include the following:

a) Landscape strategy drawings at 1:1000 or 1:500 or other appropriate,

agreed scale showing the landscape character and themes for the development phase; relevant existing landscape features (vegetation, water, contours and changes in level etc.); areas of soft landscape and vegetation types, (amenity grass, meadow, planting, woodland etc.), areas and types of hard landscape (roads, pathways, access routes, built areas etc.), and the proposed function of landscape areas

b) A tree protection plan. The Tree protection plan should show the precise

size, spread and location of all trees and hedges to be retained, their root protection zones and methods for protection to be employed during construction including fencing specifications and the type and extent of any areas of ‘no dig’ construction.

c) Detailed soft landscape drawings at 1:100 or 1:200 or other appropriate,

agreed scale. Detailed soft landscape drawings should show the precise location of plants and other soft landscapes, the species, form and size for all trees and plants, planting rates, turf specification, seed mixes and sowing rates.

d) Detailed hard landscape drawings - plans at 1:100 or 1:200 - together with

sections, elevations and construction details at an appropriate agreed scale needed to explain the scheme. Detailed hard landscape drawings should show proposed changes in levels, including mounding, banks, ditches and swales etc. the precise location and type of hard surfaces and finishes, landscape structures, walls, banks, geotextiles, kerbs, and channels, surface drainage including SUDs areas, lighting columns and bollards, street furniture, and all boundary treatments.

e) A landscape specification to accompany the drawings describing

landscape, construction and maintenance operations. The specification should include standards and methods for site preparation, storage and care of materials on site, weed control, imported hard materials, imported topsoil, soil additives, mulches, excavation depths including dimensions for tree pits, the handling and spreading of topsoil, planting operations for trees and plants, laying turf and seeding, landscape sundries (tree stakes, plant supports, watering systems etc.)

f) A landscape management plan stating the long term vision for the

landscape and describing the relevant landscape operations to achieve this through landscape restoration, maintenance and management before, during and after construction.

The landscaping within the application site areas shall be implemented in accordance with the approved plans for implementation and replacement of landscaping.

REASON: In the interests of the amenity of residents and to ensure that a detailed approach to the development of the built-up area (or parcels thereof) is agreed, in order to safeguard the setting and special character of the site

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and its surroundings, and to ensure a suitable relationship and integration of the built development with its surroundings in accordance with NAAP policies NS/12, NS/13 and NS/14, which set out the principles for an appropriate setting for the new town.

10. All planting, seeding or turfing in the approved soft landscape details of the

relevant development parcels shall be carried out in the first planting season following the completion of the appropriate element of development.

Any trees, plants, turf or seeded areas which within a period of 10 years for strategic planting and 5 years for all other planting are removed or are noticeably damaged or diseased, or have failed to establish or make reasonable growth, shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of the same size and species, unless the LPA give written approval of a variation of the first planting.

REASON: In the interests of accurately establishing the quality and value of trees and hedges on or adjacent to the site and the implications for development.

11. No demolition, site clearance or building operations shall commence in

respect of a development parcel or strategic engineering element until tree protection for that part of the development has been carried out in accordance with tree protection details specified in the Trees Survey and Aboricultural Implications Assessment Report and drawing 155316/PH1.SK014 TR&RP.

REASON: To protect trees which are to be retained in order to enhance the development, biodiversity and the visual amenities of the area in accordance with Policies DP/1 and NE/6 of the adopted Local Development Framework, 2007.

Ecology

12. Prior to, or concurrently with, the submission of the first of the reserved

matters application for residential development for the site, a site wide Biodiversity Strategy shall be submitted to the local planning authority for approval. The plan shall set out how the development will improve the biodiversity of the site in accordance with the principles proposed in the Environmental Statement and ancillary documents/strategies submitted with the application and shall include:

a) Full details of the appropriate habitat and species surveys carried

out to date (pre, during and post-construction), and reviews where necessary;

b) Full details of measures to ensure protection and suitable mitigation to all legally protected species and those habitats and species identified as being of importance to biodiversity both during construction and post-development, including consideration and avoidance of sensitive stages of species life cycles, such as the bird breeding season, together with details of any protective fencing and/or phasing of works to ensure the provision of advanced habitat areas and minimise disturbance of existing features;

c) Identification of habitats and species worthy of management and enhancement together with the setting of appropriate conservation objectives for the site. Prescriptions shall be provided to detail how habitat and species management and enhancement shall be

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provided alongside measures to provide habitat restoration and creation to deliver targets in the Cambridgeshire and UK Biodiversity Action Plans: This will include the provision of bat and bird boxes on buildings and on trees around the site; the provision of other nesting features for bird species such as kingfisher nest banks; reptile hibernacula; the creation of new aquatic habitats including specific measures for water vole and otter conservation; measures for badger conservation; measures for amphibian conservation; the management of grassland, orchards and veteran trees;

d) A summary work schedule table, confirming the relevant dates and/or periods that the prescriptions and protection measures shall be implemented or undertaken by within, and who will specifically over-see their delivery and compliance of Works;

e) Monitoring shall be carried out in accordance with the Biodiversity Strategy, part 7, with an annual report provided to the Local Planning Authority;

f) Long-term maintenance, management and monitoring responsibilities for a period of 15 years to ensure an effective implementation of the Ecological Management Plan ensuring periodic review of the objectives and prescriptions.

No development shall commence until such time as the Biodiversity Strategy has been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All species and habitat protection, enhancement, restoration and creation measures shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Strategy. Any variation to the prescriptions, measures, and timing of delivery and/or personnel shall be agreed in writing and formally submitted as an approved variation to the Strategy.

REASON: To ensure that the development of the site conserves and enhances ecology in accordance with NAAP policies NS/16 and NS/17, which seek to minimise any adverse impact on the existing species and habitats of particular biodiversity importance that may arise as a result of development.

13. All reserved matters applications shall include a site Biodiversity Survey and

Assessment that demonstrates how it accords with the aims and objectives of the Biodiversity Strategy. It shall detail which specific ecological enhancement and/or mitigation measures are proposed and the timing for their delivery. No development shall commence within the site for which reserved matters approval is being sought until such time as the Biodiversity Survey and Assessment has been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall only commence in full accordance with the approved details.

REASON: To ensure that the development of the site conserves and enhances ecology in accordance with NAAP policies NS/16 and NS/17, which seek to minimise any adverse impact on the existing species and habitats of particular biodiversity importance that may arise as a result of development.

Archaeology

14. No Development Phase or Strategic Engineering Element shall commence

until a programme of archaeological investigation and recording has been implemented for that Development Phase or Strategic Engineering Element in accordance with the approved Written Scheme of Investigation. The

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developer shall afford access at all reasonable times to any archaeologist nominated by the Local Planning Authority, and shall allow the observation of the excavations and record items of interest and finds.

REASON: To ensure the implementation of an appropriate archaeological Investigation, recording, reporting and publication in accordance with policy CH/2 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

Fire Hydrants 15. All reserved matters applications shall include a scheme for the provision of

fire hydrants shall be submitted to the local planning authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and the approved scheme shall be fully operational prior to the first occupation of that development parcel.

REASON: To ensure the provision of adequate water supply infrastructure to protect the safe living and working environment for all users and visitors.

Transport

16. No development shall commence until a scheme detailing the proposed

improvement works for the B1050, including the form of the site access junction arrangements, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority; and no building shall be occupied until the approved scheme has been carried out in accordance with the approved plans.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms with Objective D6/g and Policy NS/10 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan in the interest of highway safety with regard to Primary Road Access arrangements and highway capacity.

17. No development shall commence, including any works of demolition, until a

Construction Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for:

i. The parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors. ii. A Travel Plan setting out measures to encourage site operatives

and visitors to travel to and from the site using sustainable means of transport.

iii. Loading and unloading of plant and materials including restrictions on times of delivery or collections.

iv. Storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development.

v. The erection and maintenance of security hoarding including decorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where appropriate.

vi. Wheel washing facilities and carriageway cleaning arrangements. vii. Measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during

construction. viii. A scheme for recycling / disposing of waste resulting from

demolition and construction works ix. The provision of safe walking and cycling routes through the

construction site including the management of existing Public

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Rights of Way and links to the Longstanton Park and Ride site, as well as routes serving completed phases of the development.

x. Details of the location of haul roads and construction site access arrangements from the public highway.

xi. Details of areas for the storage of spoil/soil.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policy NS/24 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan through the delivery and implementation of a comprehensive construction strategy in the interest of highway safety and residential amenity.

18. No phase of development shall commence until details of any works related

to that phase that will impact upon the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway corridor (as defined within the CGB Guidance for Developers) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and until the necessary statutory permissions for these works have been obtained.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policies NS/11 and NS/24 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan by ensuring that construction works associated with the development do not impinge upon the safe and efficient operation of the CGB.

19. Each reserved matters application shall include a scheme detailing the

walking and cycle routes connecting that phase of development to Longstanton Village, to the B1050 and to the Longstanton Park and Ride site, and onsite community facilities and the local centre, and the phase of development shall not commence until the scheme has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No building shall be occupied within that phase of the development until the scheme has been carried out in accordance with a programme to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policy NS/11 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan by the provision of safe walking and cycling routes between each part of the development and Longstanton village, the B1050 and the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway Park and Ride site.

20. No development shall commence until a scheme detailing the proposed

Busway route through the development site has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No building shall be occupied within each phase of the development until that part of the approved scheme that would enable connection of that phase of the development to the Longstanton Park and Ride site has been carried out in accordance with the approved plans and with a programme to be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policy NS/11 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan through the provision of a dedicated Busway route through the development linking to the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.

21. No development shall commence until details of a Traffic Monitoring and

Management Strategy have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Implementation of the Traffic Monitoring and Management Strategy should commence at least three months prior to commencement of the development in accordance with the approved strategy.

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REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policies NS/10 and NS/24 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan through the implementation of a robust traffic monitoring and management strategy to identify and mitigate the impact of development traffic upon the local highway network. Monitoring will need to commence at least three months prior to the commencement of construction work on the development site to allow time for Automatic Traffic Count equipment to be installed and baseline traffic flows to be identified before construction traffic is generated by the development.

22. No development shall commence until an Adoption Strategy has been

submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved Adoption strategy shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and shall set out:

i. The elements of the transport network within the site which will be

offered for adoption by the Local Highway Authority. ii. The elements of the transport network within the site which will be

retained in private ownership, and the management arrangements for these elements of the network.

iii. The elements of the recreational path network that will be offered for adoption as Public Rights of Way.

iv. The elements of the recreational path network which will be retained in private ownership, and the management arrangements for these elements of the network.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policies NS/10 and NS/11 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan by identifying future management arrangements for the various elements of the transport network within the development site.

23. Each reserved matters application for residential development shall include a

scheme detailing the implementation programme for the frameworks for the following relevant travel plans within that phase of development:

• Residential Travel Plan • Employer Travel Plan • School Travel Plan

No residential, employment or school within that phase of development shall be occupied until the implementation schemes have been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and the respective Travel Plans will then be implemented in accordance with the approved programme.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to Policy NS/11 of the Northstowe Area Action Plan by encouraging the use of sustainable modes of transport by residents, employers, work forces, school children, staff, and their visitors.

Environmental Statement

24. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the mitigation

measures as set out in the Environmental Statement, dated February 2012 and its supplementary documents and strategies.

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REASON: To ensure that the development takes place in accordance with the principles and parameters contained within the Environmental Statement.

25. No development, hereby approved, shall commence until the following detail

has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

a) The application site has been subject to the supplementary investigation

and recording of contamination as recommended in the WSP Geo environmental Assessment Interpretative Report February 2012 and final remediation objectives have been determined through risk assessment and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

b) Detailed proposals for the removal, containment or otherwise rendering

harmless any contamination (the Remediation Method Statement) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

c) The works specified in the remediation method statement have been

completed, and a Verification report submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, in accordance with the approved scheme.

d) If, during remediation works, any contamination is identified that has not

been considered in the remediation method statement, then remediation proposals for this material should be agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors in accordance with Policy DP/1 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

26. Within any reserved matters application for residential development pursuant

to this approval a noise assessment and noise attenuation / insulation scheme (having regard to the building fabric, glazing and mechanical ventilation requirements) for the residential units, to protect occupants from B1050, Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB) both off and on site and internal site construction and traffic noise, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The noise insulation scheme shall demonstrate that the external and internal noise levels recommended in British Standard 8233:1999 “Sound Insulation and noise reduction for buildings-Code of Practice” (or as superseded) shall be reasonably achieved and shall include a timescale for phased implementation, as necessary.

The scheme as approved shall be fully implemented before the residential use hereby permitted is occupied and shall be retained thereafter and not altered without prior approval.

REASON: To ensure that sufficient noise attenuation is provided to all residential properties to protect residents from the impact of B1050, CGB and internal site traffic noise and safeguard the amenity and health of future

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residents in accordance with Policy NE/15 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

27. Prior to the commencement of the development, hereby permitted, for uses

other than individual residential premises to include waste & recycling centre / points, renewable energy sources, the household waste recycling centre, MUGAs, recreational / sports land, a noise impact assessment and a scheme for the insulation of the building(s), or uses and for associated plant /equipment and any other noise mitigation measures as appropriate in order to minimise the level of noise emanating from the said building(s) and/or plant or uses shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The scheme as approved shall be fully implemented before the uses hereby permitted is commenced and shall thereafter be maintained in strict accordance with the approved details.

REASON: To protect the amenity of nearby properties in accordance with policy in accordance with Policy NE/15 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

28. In the event that foundations for any Development Phase or Strategic

Engineering Element of the proposed development require piling, prior to the development within that Development Phase or Strategic Engineering Element taking place, a method statement shall be submitted for approval in writing by the LPA detailing the type of piling and mitigation measure to be taken to protect local residents from noise and vibration. Potential noise and vibration levels at the nearest noise sensitive locations shall be predicted in accordance with the provisions of BS 5228- Part 2 Code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open sites – Part 2: Vibration. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

REASON: To protect the amenity of nearby properties in accordance with Policy NE/15 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

29. Within any reserved matters application pursuant to this approval the

reserved matters details shall include details of the height, type, position and angle of glare of any final site lighting / floodlights including horizontal and vertical isolux contours. The details and measures so approved shall be carried out and maintained in accordance with the approved lighting scheme/plan.

REASON: To protect the amenity of the nearby residential properties in accordance with Policy NE/14 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

30. No development shall commence until an electric vehicle charging

infrastructure strategy and implementation plan to include details of the number, location, installation and management of the electric vehicle charging points having regard to parking associated with various planning class uses and the provision of ev cabling infrastructure to future proof demand, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA. The electric vehicle charging points shall be implemented prior to occupation and maintained in accordance with the approved strategy / plan and details and to the satisfaction of the LPA.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to NPPF and South Cambridgeshire’s District Design Guide SPD adopted in March 2010,

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Appendix 4, Air Quality through the implementation of a robust Low Emissions Monitoring, Management and Review Strategy to identify and mitigate the impacts of traffic / transport emissions on local air quality, public health and habitats during the construction and operational phases of the development and in accordance with submitted Document 14- Northstowe Phase 1 Planning Application, Low Emissions Strategy, February 2012.

31. No development shall commence until details of a Low Emissions Monitoring,

Management and Review Strategy including the provision of an annual LES review reports has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Implementation of the Low Emissions Monitoring, Management and Review Strategy should commence at least six months prior to commencement of the development in accordance with the approved strategy unless otherwise approved in writing by the local planning authority.

REASON: To ensure that the development conforms to NPPF and South Cambridgeshire’s District Design Guide SPD adopted in March 2010, Appendix 4, Air Quality through the implementation of a robust Low Emissions Monitoring, Management and Review Strategy to identify and mitigate the impacts of traffic / transport emissions on local air quality, public health and habitats during the construction and operational phases of the development and in accordance with submitted Document 14- Northstowe Phase 1 Planning Application, Low Emissions Strategy, February 2012.

32. Before the development/use hereby permitted is commenced, or prior to, or

coincident with the submission of any Reserved Matters Application for any non-residential class uses, details of equipment for the purpose of extraction and/or filtration and/or abatement of fumes and or odours shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The approved extraction/filtration/abatement scheme/s shall be installed before the use hereby permitted is commenced and shall be and retained thereafter. Any approved scheme/system shall not be altered without prior approval. Any approved fume filtration/extraction system installed, shall be regularly maintained in accordance with the manufacturers specification to ensure its continued satisfactory operation to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: To protect the amenity of the nearby residential properties in accordance with Policy NE/14 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

33. Within any reserved matters application for commercial and employment uses

pursuant to this approval the details required by condition 1 shall include full details of the on-site storage facilities for waste including waste for recycling. Such details shall identify the specific positions of where facilities for commercial or industrial waste, or any other means of storage will be stationed and the arrangements for the disposal of waste, and shall identify collection contract details. The approved facilities shall be provided prior to the commencement of the use and shall be retained thereafter unless alternative arrangements are agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

REASON: To ensure the provision of waste collection infrastructure on site and to protect the amenities of nearby residents/occupiers and in the interests of visual amenity in accordance with Policy DP/3 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007

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34. The development hereby permitted shall not commence until a Waste

Management & Minimisation Strategy (WMMS), including the completed RECAP Waste Management Design Guide Toolkit and supporting reference material, addressing the management of municipal waste generation during the occupation stage of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Waste Management & Minimisation Strategy (WMMS) must demonstrate how waste will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the RECAP Waste Management Design Guide Supplementary Planning Supplementary Planning Document 2012 and the principals of the waste hierarchy, thereby maximising waste prevention, re-use and recycling from domestic households and commercial properties and contributing to sustainable development. The WMMS should include:

i. A completed RECAP Waste Management Design Guide Toolkit and

supporting reference material

ii. A detailed Waste Audit to include anticipated waste type, source, volume, weight etc. of municipal waste generation during the occupation stage of the development

iii. Proposals for the management of municipal waste generated during

the occupation stage of the development, to include the design and provision of permanent facilities e.g. internal and external segregation and storage of recyclables, non-recyclables and compostable materials; access to storage and collection points by users and waste collection vehicles

iv. Arrangements for the provision, on-site storage, delivery and

installation of waste containers prior to occupation of any dwelling

v. Proposals for the design and provision of temporary and permanent community recycling (bring) facilities, including installation, ownership, on-going management and maintenance arrangements

vi. Arrangements for the efficient and effective integration of proposals

into waste and recycling collection services provided by the Waste Collection Authority

vii. A timetable for implementing all proposals

viii. Provision for monitoring the implementation of all proposals

The approved facilities shall be provided prior to the commencement of the use and shall be retained thereafter unless alternative arrangements are agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

REASON: To ensure that waste is managed sustainably during the occupation of the development in accordance with objectives of Policy P1/3 of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan (2003).

35. Prior to the commencement of each development parcel a detailed

construction environmental management plan (CEMP) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in respect of that

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Development Phase or Strategic Engineering Element and shall be in accordance with the site-wide CEMP. The detailed CEMP shall include:

a) Proposed earthworks including soil quantities and topsoil storage to BS3882:2007 b) Archaeological protection and mitigation measures to be implemented during the construction process c) A detailed method statement for the removal or long-term management / eradication of any Japanese knotweed on the relevant parts of the site – to include proposed measures to prevent the spread of Japanese knotweed during any operations such as mowing, strimming or soil movement. It shall also contain measures to ensure that any soils brought to the site are free of the seeds / root / stem of any invasive plant covered under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. d) Contractor’s access arrangements for vehicles, plant and personnel including the location of construction traffic routes to and from the site, details of their signing, monitoring and enforcement measures e) Details of haul routes within the relevant parts of the site f) A plan specifying the area and siting of land to be provided for parking, turning, loading and unloading of all vehicles visiting the relevant parts of the site and siting of the contractors compound during the construction period to be agreed on a phased basis g) Delivery times for construction purposes h) Dust management and wheel washing measures i) Noise method, monitoring and recording statements in accordance with the provisions of BS5228 (2009): Code of practice for noise and vibration control on construction and open site – Part 1 and 2 j) Results of a noise assessment of the potential impact of construction noise on Hatton Park Primary School and details of suitable mitigation measures as appropriate (in accordance with relevant standards and best practice) k) Details of best practice measures to be applied to prevent contamination of the water environment during construction l) Measures for soil handling m) Details of concrete crusher if required or alternative procedure n) Details of odour control systems including maintenance and manufacture specifications o) Maximum noise mitigation levels for construction equipment, plant and vehicles p) Site lighting for the relevant part of the site q) Screening and hoarding details r) Access and protection arrangements around the site for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users s) Procedures for interference with public highways t) External safety and information signing notices u) Liaison, consultation and publicity arrangements, including dedicated points of contact v) Complaints procedures, including complaints response procedures w) Membership of the considerate contractors’ scheme.

REASON: To ensure the environmental impact of the construction of the development is adequately mitigated and in the interests of the amenity of nearby residents/occupiers.

Flood Risk & Drainage

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36. A detailed Surface Water Drainage Strategy for the application site, (excluding the Hatton’s Road attenuation ponds) based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro-geological context of the development, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority, prior to commencement of that Development Parcel to which the drainage relates. The strategy should be in accordance with the surface water drainage strategy drawing 2951/200/D-01 rev C, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The surface water drainage strategy shall include:

• Details of existing and proposed drainage routes, including groundwater. • Detailed calculations for any on or off-site storage requirements, including

precautionary factors for potential future impermeable expansion areas or extensions.

• Detailed calculations for the proposed discharge rates to the receiving watercourses, inclusive of any necessary base-flow rates.

• A detailed scheme for the operation of the pumped system, which will need to include the monitoring/telemetry system within the receiving watercourses.

• Details of how the scheme and any proposed structures shall be maintained and managed after completion as required.

• The scheme shall be fully implemented, in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

REASON In order to safeguard against the risk of flooding, to ensure adequate flood control, maintenance and efficient use and management of water within the site, to ensure the quality of the water entering receiving water courses is appropriate and monitored and to promote the use of sustainable urban drainage systems to limit the volume and pace of water leaving the site in accordance with Policies NE/11 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

37. Prior to the commencement of development, a scheme for the delivery of the

proposed off site flood risk mitigation works for Longstanton Village shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The scheme shall be fully implemented and subsequently maintained, in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority. Future maintenance responsibilities must also be identified and agreed in writing prior to commencement of any development.

Reason: To reduce the risk of exacerbation of flood risk to the Village of Longstanton in accordance with NAAP Policy NS/21.

38. A detailed scheme for the future responsibilities for the management of the

surface water drainage scheme, including the flood mitigation for Longstanton and the proposed Hattons Road attenuation ponds for the relevant Development Phase or Strategic Engineering Element shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the LPA prior to occupation of that Development Phase to which the drainage relates. The relevant area shall thereafter be managed in accordance with the approved scheme.

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Reason: To ensure the satisfactory management of the surface water scheme in perpetuity with the development in accordance with NAAP policy NS/21.

39. The development, hereby permitted, shall not be commenced until such time

as a detailed scheme for on-site foul water drainage has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority.

The scheme shall be fully implemented and subsequently maintained, in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

The scheme shall also include details of how the drainage pipe-work and infrastructure shall be fully monitored during implementation.

Reason: To prevent the increased risk of flooding and/or pollution of the water environment and to ensure no surface or ground water infiltration in accordance with Policies NE/10 and NE/11 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

40. No more than [to be confirmed] of dwellings/floorspace of the development,

hereby permitted, shall be occupied until such time as the land drainage solution for the Uttons Drove Waste Water Treatment Works has been fully implemented in accordance with the approved scheme unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The Land Drainage Solution shall include the installation of a pumping station, to the prior agreed specifications of the local planning authority, at Webb’s Hole Sluice.

Reason: To prevent the exacerbation of flooding and pollution of the water environment by ensuring the satisfactory disposal of treated foul drainage from and the integrity of, the Utton’s Drove Sewage Treatment Works in accordance with Policies NE/10 and NE/11 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.

Sustainability

41. Prior to the submission of the first reserved matters application for any

development parcel a low carbon sustainable living strategy shall be submitted to, and approved by, the local planning authority.

Each subsequent reserved matters application will be required to update this strategy and identify its renewable energy contribution, set against the site wide cumulative contribution. It shall also include an assessment of any air quality, noise, or odour impact and mitigation measures required to maintain amenity and prevent nuisance. The development shall then be carried out in accordance with the agreed details.

REASON: To ensure an energy efficient and sustainable development in accordance with Policies NE/1 and NE/3 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007 and NAAP policy NS/23.

42. Reserved matters applications for each Development Phase shall include an

Energy Delivery Strategy setting out methods to be used to achieve a target

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of no less than 10% of energy to be generated from renewable sources to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Development Phase shall thereafter be implemented in accordance with the approved strategy, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the LPA.

REASON: To ensure an energy efficient and sustainable development in accordance with Policies NE/1 and NE/3 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007 and NAAP policy NS/23.

43. Prior to the commencement of development, hereby approved, a scheme for

water conservation and management shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Development Phase shall thereafter be implemented in accordance with the approved strategy unless otherwise agreed in writing by the LPA.

REASON: To ensure practicable water conservation measures in accordance with Policy NE/12 of the adopted Local Development Framework and NAAP policy NS/21.

44. Prior to the commencement of development, a strategy to facilitate super-fast

broadband for future occupants of the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The strategy shall seek to ensure that upon occupation of a dwelling, either a landline or ducting to facilitate the provision of a broadband service to that dwelling from a site-wide network, is in place and provided as part of the initial highway works and in the construction of frontage thresholds to dwellings that abut the highway, unless evidence is put forward and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority that technological advances for the provision of a broadband service for the majority of potential customers will no longer necessitate below ground infrastructure. The development of the site shall be carried out in accordance with the approved strategy.

REASON: To ensure that the needs of future residents to connect to the internet does not necessarily entail engineering works to an otherwise finished and high quality living environment, in accordance with NAAP Policy NS/22.

Housing

45. Wording of necessary conditions to be reported back to the NJDCC following the completion of a Housing Strategy.

Economic Development & Local Centre

46. Wording of necessary conditions to be reported back to the NJDCC following

the completion of an Economic Development Strategy.

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26.0 BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS 26.1 The following papers and documents represent background reading leading up to

the determination of the recommendation within this report:

• Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee Report 20th July 2012 • South Cambridgeshire District Council Cabinet Report 12th October 2012 • Cambridgeshire County Council Cabinet Report 2nd October 2012 • Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee Report 4th October 2012

26.0 APPENDICES

Ref Title A Planning Policy List B External Consultation Response Summary C Internal Consultation Responses Summary D Neighbour Representations Summary E Indicative Masterplan F Parameter Plan 1a (Land use, open space &

landscape) G Parameter Plan 1b (Core Area Attenuation

Ponds) H Parameter Plan 2 (Movement and Access) I Parameter Plan 3 (Building Heights) J Parameter Plan 4 (Density) K S106 Heads of Terms Schedule L Exemplar List Table M Transport Technical Note

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Appendix A - Planning Policy

The list below details all the planning policy documents and specific policies within them which are relevant to the assessment of the phase 1 outline planning application submission: Communities and Local Government National Planning Policy Framework, March 2012 Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Plan, July 2011 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Partnership (RECAP): Waste Management Design Guide, Supplementary Planning Document, 2010 South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework Northstowe Area Action Plan DPD, July 2007: NS/1 The Vision for Northstowe NS/2 Development Principles NS/3 The Site for Northstowe NS/4 Green Separation from Longstanton and Oakington NS/5 The Town Centre NS/6 Local Centres NS/7 Northstowe Housing NS/8 Northstowe Employment NS/9 Community Services, Facilities, Leisure, Arts and Culture NS/10 Road Infrastructure NS/11 Alternative Modes NS/12 Landscape Principles NS/13 Landscape Treatment of the Edges of Northstowe NS/14 Landscaping within Northstowe NS/15 Linking Northstowe to its Surroundings NS/16 Existing Biodiversity Features NS/17 New Biodiversity Features NS/18 Use of Existing Buildings NS/19 Public Open Space and Sports Provision NS/20 Countryside Recreation NS/21 Land Drainage, Water Conservation, Foul Drainage and Sewage Disposal NS/22Telecommunications Infrastructure NS/23 An Exemplar in Sustainability NS/24 Construction Strategy NS/25 Strategic Landscaping NS/26 Making use of Existing Buildings / Resources on Site NS/27 Management of Services, Facilities, Landscape and Infrastructure NS/28 Timing / Order of Service Provision Core Strategy Development Plan Document, 2007: ST/2 Housing Provision ST/8 Employment Provision ST/9 Retail Hierarchy ST/10 Phasing of Housing Land

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Development Control Policies Development Plan Document, 2007: DP/1 Sustainable Development DP/2 Design of New Development DP/3 Development Criteria DP/4 Infrastructure and New Developments DP/6 Construction Methods HG/3 Affordable Housing ET/1 Limitations on the Occupancy of New Premises in South Cambridgeshire ET/2 Promotion of Clusters SF/6 Public Art and New Development SF/7 Underground Pipes, Wires, Fibres & Cables 60 SF/10 Outdoor Playspace, Informal Open Space, and New Developments 62 NE/1 Energy Efficiency NE/4 Landscape Character Areas NE/6 Biodiversity NE/8 Groundwater NE/9 Water and Drainage Infrastructure NE/10 Foul Drainage - Alternative Drainage Systems NE/11 Flood Risk NE/12 Water Conservation NE/13 Hazardous Installations NE/14 Lighting Proposals NE/15 Noise Pollution NE/16 Emissions NE/17 Protecting High Quality Agricultural Land CH/1 Historic Landscapes CH/2 Archaeological Sites CH/4 Listed Buildings CH/5 Conservation Areas TR/1 Planning for More Sustainable Travel TR/2 Car and Cycle Parking Standards TR/3 Mitigating Travel Impact TR/4 Non-Motorised Modes

Supplementary Planning Documents: Public Art, 2009 Trees & Development Sites, 2009 Affordable Housing, 2010 District Design Guide, 2010 Biodiversity, 2009 Landscape in New Developments, 2010 Open Space in New Developments, January Listed Buildings: Works to or affecting the setting of, 2009 Development affecting Conservation Areas, 2009 Other Guidance Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth The Manual for Streets 2, 2010

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Appendix B - External Consultations

Parish Councils

Longstanton Parish Council – Makes no recommendation commenting on the following: • Phase 1 will not create a sustainable community as it will rely on the use of

existing services within Longstanton and Willingham, such as health, burial facilities, schooling and potentially governance;

• There is insufficient highway capacity on the A14 and the A14 should be significantly improved before the development commences, as required by NAAP policy NS/10;

• No evidence has been provided to demonstrate ‘nil detriment’ to the roads as required by the Highways Agency;

• Provision for improvements to the B1050 and how it will cope with the additional traffic, construction work, the additional traffic lights and pedestrian crossings has not been provided in accordance with NAP policy NS/3;

• The proposed 80 homes west of the B1050 represents unsustainable satellite development with access directly onto the B1050 and would impact severely to local traffic congestion;

• There is no clear plan for parking within the local centre and recycling centre, which would further impact upon congestion upon the B1050;

• The proposals necessitate the need for a Willingham By-pass, improvements to the B1050 and Hattons Road to the A14 and Bar Hill including a footpath/cycleway;

• Cycle and pedestrian paths should connect Northstowe with the village of Longstanton, Bar Hill, the A14 and the Longstanton Park and Ride site;

• Longstanton Parish Council would like to be included in the planning of traffic calming measures in and around the village;

• There is insufficient information on the proposed traffic management measures that must be funded by the development to minimise traffic impact in Longstanton, such as the control over the use of the airfield road;

• The provision of community facilities in Longstanton to mitigate the loss of the Golf Course and driving range should be considered;

• The golf site should provide open space for tree planting to provide a landscape screen and adequate separation between Longstanton and Northstowe;

• Longstanton requires improvements to its community facilities in order to cater for early occupants of Northstowe and its construction work force;

• It is essential that phase1 supports the provision of a Secondary School and provides for the planning of pre-school child care;

• The local centre should provide dental, medical and policing facilities as well as shops;

• Houses should be oriented southward to facilitate solar gain and the provision of wind power should not be sought within or near Longstanton;

• Longstanton Parish Council would like to be party to the S106 negotiations with regard to a management strategy;

• There is concern with regard to the potential impact of noise and light pollution from the use of the sports hub upon residents of Longstanton;

• A clear statement on sewage and water attenuation issues must be provided; • The Town Centre was intended to be part of the initial phase of Northstowe

and without it, Phase has the potential to stand alone as an extension of Longstanton;

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• Construction traffic must be expressly forbidden from travelling through any road in Longstanton except by agreed routes.

Oakington Parish Council – Recommends refusal commenting on the following: • The phase 1 application does not represent an exemplar development; • There are no arrangements in place for telecommunications; • Without the provision of wind power the development will not exceed 10%

energy production through renewable sources; • Confirmation must be provided that discharge of waters will not adversely

affect surrounding settlements; • Full detail on remaining ordinance must be made public prior to arriving at a

decision; • No development that would adversely affect the A14 should be allowed until

improvement works for increased capacity have been undertaken that demonstrate nil detriment.

• Code for sustainable homes level 4 should be improved to levels 4 or 5; • A greater carbon reduction percentage in excess of 25% should be sought; • BREEAM codes of ‘very good’ for non-residential buildings should be

exceeded; • It is not clear as to how and when district heating will become viable and

serve the wider town; • There is no evidence of exemplar projects that would promote the sub-region

as a leader in technological innovation; • A cemetery should be provided within the town of Northstowe; • To be considered exemplar the initial phase should provide 40% green space; • It is unclear if the medical needs of the initial phase will be catered for by

existing services and whether this is acceptable. Bar Hill Parish Council – Recommend refusal commenting on the following: • There is no provision for road improvement works; • There is insufficient retail provision proposed and as a consequence residents

travelling to Bar Hill would add to existing road congestion; • There is no provision for a much needed cycleway connecting Bar Hill to

Northstowe. Cottenham Parish Council – Make no recommendation commenting on the following: • The commitment of the government to £20 million to enhance/improve A14

junctions is unlikely to meet with the increased transport need of Northstowe residents;

• No indication of early shops or employment could lead to potentially 1500 additional householders on the road to schools, employment, facilities;

• No firm promises of any large-scale infrastructure works on the A14 to mitigate additional traffic and journeys to surrounding settlements;

• The potential increase to the already high-level of local traffic may increase rat-running, the inability of the A14 infrastructure to cope with accidents/traffic events;

• Junction improvements at the A14/B1049 roundabout to give priority to local traffic onto the B1050 when the A14 is congested would mitigate the impact upon local settlements;

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• The provision of A14 journey time signs, variable speed limits and prior notice to congestion were provided this would mitigate the impact upon the local roads;

• The provision of traffic calming measures/restrictions to make routes such as the airfield road less desirable to road users would mitigate the impact upon local traffic;

• Due to the limited direct access to Northstowe from Cottenham potential mitigation could involve the improvement to existing cycle routes within the village to improve access to the CGB stop in Histon;

• Whilst the earliest possible delivery of employment land would be positive for early residents, Cottenham residents are unlikely to benefit until facilities such as a cinema, swimming pool are provided;

• There are concerns about the effectiveness of the balancing ponds under significant ‘flash flood’ events and that water may be released to protect local villages, moving problems downstream.

• There are concerns about the ability of the sewage treatment works at Uttons Drove to handle foul water;

• Concerns about the functionality of proposed balancing ponds and query the number and location of telemetry units used to monitor Cottenham Lode and the maintenance of the on-site water features and SUDS in perpetuity.

Rampton Parish Council – Recommends approval commenting on the following: • The proposed documentation is impressive and should be maintained through

the project. • Reassurance is sought that the pump maintenance and drainage are

established. • Concerns are raised over adequacy of culverts under the CGB. • S106 obligations to secure traffic calming measures in Rampton prior to

development commencing to prevent a rat run through the village along with upgrade of the drift to CGB standards for cyclists and pedestrians would be welcomed.

• Affordable housing should be in-line with NAAP with facilities & amenities implemented at same time.

• Concerns are also raised about the sites drainage capacity and air pollution during construction, this should be monitored.

Swavesey Parish Council – Recommends refusal commenting on the following:

• Primary concerns centre on the drainage proposals, which have not been approved by the IDB.

• The recent land drainage agreement for Uttons Drove to facilitate Cambourne 950 does not take into consideration the capacity required for Northstowe.

• Phase 1 does not include a pumping station at Webbs Hole, which was a pre-requisite of the EA.

• There is a concern as to why the development is being built upon the golf course and is not being built from the core centre upon brownfield land.

• The affordable housing provision of 35% makes overall affordable housing provision across the site unclear.

• No doctor, dentist or health centres are proposed in phase 1; residents will therefore rely on existing services in nearby villages, which have little capacity.

• The impact of phase 1 upon the Swavesy village college is of concern. The primary school should be up and running prior to occupation of phase 1.

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• The B1050 is a busy road and will need improvement works otherwise traffic will use local villages, what measures are proposed to overcome this. The CGB is already at capacity during rush hour and will need improvement to feed Northstowe commuters as will other means of local transport. Housing density appears high for a rural area and house types should reflect local character of nearby villages. Employment should allow people to work close to home. The recent drought casts doubts over adequate water supply.

Histon & Impington Parish Council – Recommends refusal commenting on the following:

• The current applications are disappointing and urge the detail of conditions on this application to ensure delivery of promises.

• The B1049 at Histon & Impington is currently theoretically at saturation during peak periods but has not been included in the modelling scenarios.

• Rigorous agreements need to be in place before development starts limiting commercial operator’s ability to deviate from agreed plans.

• The promoters include in their plans a radial bus service from bar Hill but are they are in position to guarantee that this is provided.

• The development relies on the CGB yet the average distance for residents to travel to reach it is 600 metres. As cycle use falls off under dark, cold, windy and rainy conditions, as does the inclination to walk, the travel plan target seems extraordinarily high, given that it is an annual average.

• Future retail in later phases offering (including new bank branches) might result in our settlement losing its retail infrastructure and there are therefore concerns over employment competition.

• Suitable conditions should be imposed to ensure of safe bomb clearance. • Concerns with regard to delivery of sports provision and the burden lay upon

the facilities of existing villages. • A planning condition that half the affordable homes for the first ten years (of

each phase) are only offered to people in the SCDC should be proposed. • Impington Village College may be adversely affected by over-crowding and/or

pupil reduction. • The immigration centre should be used for the housing of construction

workers and a centre for learning building trade. • The adoption of grey water and rain water recycling systems in all

developments of over 50 houses. • The master developer should be required to produce a Design Guide, in

consultation with the Council, before the first planning applications are made; this should be formally adopted and then enforced when evaluating applications.

• The Design Guide should set out an agreed programme for phasing the development, ensuring that whole sections are completed before moving to the next phase.

• Governance arrangements for new developments should be settled as early as possible to enable early community facilities to be properly managed and to provide residents with a sense of a cohesive community.

Lolworth Parish Council – Recommends refusal commenting on the following:

• The future of the A14 needs to be resolved and its upgrade completed BEFORE building commences while Hatton Road should become a dual carriageway.

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• Additionally there should be provision of cycle and footpaths from the A14 to the new settlement. This infrastructure needs to be delivered in a timely manner rather than just planned.

• There appears to be a lack of ambition in the design and proposed construction given this settlement is supposed to be an exemplar of modern living and a carbon neutral development.

• It is vital that education and health facilities are completed at an early stage. Willingham Parish Council – Recommend refusal commenting on the following: • No consideration has been given to the impact that the development will have

on the currently overloaded and dilapidated B1050; the villages it runs through; and the impact on satellite villages such as Over and Longstanton. These will all be impacted by traffic trying to avoid the Northstowe traffic funnel.

• The B1050 is not fit for its current usage. When you start adding in construction and residential traffic for Northstowe, you are building a traffic time bomb.

• The plan shows that all traffic from Phase 1 of the development will enter and exit Northstowe on to the B1050. The impact on the surrounding villages will be immeasurable and this issue should not be brushed under the table with poorly collated County Council traffic surveys.

• Willingham was to be bypassed when the building started on the current Golf Course end of the development. District and County Council should as a result and as a matter of urgency start planning to bypass the village of Willingham at Earith Bridge Now, as per the original plan alongside the Golf Course Development.

• Concerns over the Bar Hill A14 junction. There will be an undisputable escalation in overall traffic - initially a massive increase in construction traffic followed by the resulting residential traffic. Not all residents of Northstowe will not use public transport and work in the development.

• The development of Northstowe was proposed to be started in the Airfield site with all facilities being put in place to enable a self-sustaining development.

• We are extremely concerned on the impact of this development on the services and infrastructure of the village of Willingham.

• We feel that any development at Northstowe will be detrimental to the village life of Willingham until Northstowe is self-sustaining.

• Consideration should be within the development plan for the improvement of the facilities of Willingham and other surrounding villages to ensure that those from Northstowe choosing to use their facilities have a positive experience.

Over Parish Council – Recommends refusal commenting on the following: • Housing northwest of B1050 should not be included in phase 1 due to

segregation and traffic implications. • The B1050 should be rerouted around the proposed Northstowe development

from the outset. Girton Parish Council – Recommend refusal commenting on the following: • Only one route is shown to the site for contractors vehicles, should the A14

been blocked then an alternative route should be provided. • The airfield road will become a rat run for traffic and needs addressing as part

of the application, a levy for policing is a viable option.

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• The Oakington Road bridge should be upgraded to accept greater flows before any major development can be accepted.

• Despite the developer’s assurances, Old West Internal Drainage Board expects to receive a commuted sum for additional land drainage pumping costs in perpetuity to deal with extra flows in Cottenham Lode.

• It appears that the Northstowe developer plans to invest in flood mitigation measures for Longstanton and Oakington, but not for Girton.

• As part of the planning application for the 9500 dwelling scheme, WSP carried out a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) on behalf of the Developer in December 2007. A revised FRA will now be required for the modified scheme.

• There are concerns in the event that the flood risk mitigation measures did not perform in accordance with the design.

• Uttons Drove Sewage Treatment Works discharges treated effluent to Longstanton Brook and this STW has been chosen to accept sewage flows both from Northstowe and Cambourne. If the hydraulic capacity of the Swavesey Drain system is used up by these flows, then there may be a risk that surplus surface water flows from Northstowe might be diverted to Cottenham Lode causing the Beck Brook to back up thus increasing the flood risk to Girton.

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Statutory Consultations Highways Agency – Offers no objection to the development proposal subject to the conditions to be imposed by Cambridgeshire County Council. The Agency has undertaken extensive discussions with the developers and are happy to confirm that the sufficient technical assessment has been undertaken to demonstrate that the Phase 1 development will not require any physical works to the A14. Notwithstanding this, the safe and efficient operation of the A14 will be dependent upon works to the local highway network upon the northern roundabout of the A14 junction with the B1050 at Bar Hill. The scope and timescales of which will form part of the conditions/S106 negotiations undertaken by Cambridgeshire County Council to be secured as part of the planning permission. In addition to this, there is also a need to introduce traffic management techniques in order to make best use of the capacity to cope with modest increase in traffic on the A14. The developer has agreed to contribute toward the running costs in principle under a funding agreement covering off site works. Cambridgeshire County Council - Comments on various aspects of the application. Issues raised include: Education A fully serviced 3ha unencumbered site is required for the primary school in time for the first residents, this needs to be a priority given that bearing it takes 2 years to design and build a school. This will be also serve as the first community hub allowing early years provision, co-location of community facilities as well as providing for secondary school pupils (years 7-9) for the initial years. A dedicated secondary school site (12.2ha) is required, which is fully accessible and serviced in order to ensure that the school is available for occupation in year 4 of the development, a mechanism is required to secure this at this stage. Post 16 provisions will need an additional 1.88ha; the aim is to provide an integrated 11-19 education facility on the secondary school. Comments are made in relation to design considerations and the layout shown on the illustrative master plan to inform future planning stages, and sustainability credentials of these buildings which will need to be discussed as part of S106 discussions. Given the likely demographic, there is also likely demand for full day care/nursery provision in Northstowe and as such it is recommended that appropriate sites are identified where private and/or voluntary sector providers can establish such provision. Libraries Ensuring early provision to help establish a vibrant community from the outset is crucial; the inclusion of a temporary facility (draft Head of Terms) is welcomed and will be the subject of more details S106 discussions. Community Development Community cohesion is crucial - places are for people and unnecessary and complicated problems will occur, to be addressed later, if provision of support to the community is not provided as early as possible as an integral part of the physical development process.The importance of early provision of that community facilities for all members of the community, is stressed and in particularly for associated support, including a Community Development & Youth Worker. The support should be in place before residents move in so they are not left to adjust without welcome and advice and support. It is particularly important to provide youth facilities as early

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as possible including interim physical provision for the teenage group who will be more likely to use public spaces at all hours. The local centre should be understood as providing and being accessible for everyone. This needs to include ‘young people’ who can often be ‘designed out'. In particular the application lacks information on the provision for older teens. Whilst shops and pubs are strongly influenced by the market, all opportunities and mechanisms should be sought to allow and encourage these important social and community facilities to be brought forward as soon as possible. Elderly Care Northstowe should provide a spectrum of accommodation to meet the needs of the entire community, including increased numbers of elderly people. Further discussion is needed with the County Council and the NHS who are developing a Strategy for Older Peoples services and assessing the type and capacity of provision needed in the future, which may not necessarily be for Residential Homes but may be more for Nursing Homes or Extra Care facilities. No mention is made here of Lifetime Homes.. Enabling people to stay in their homes as their physical needs increase will become increasingly important in the future. The provision of a suitable amount of Lifetime Homes along with appropriate and necessary nursing and care facilities will be critical to meeting the housing needs and care provision of older people in the future. The proportion of Lifetime Homes being provided should therefore reflect this need. Culture The suggested approach to the Public Art strategy (as set out in the Design and Access Statement) seems fine as way of a general overview. Sports The application encapsulates all the required elements of a good sports provision. The total land area for sports provision (in the form of sports hubs) seem correct although it would be useful to have some flexibility in size, the provision of a larger MUGA in phase one would certainly assist the early residents before larger facilities become available.The suggestion to create a strategy for formal sports provision in Northstowe is welcomed; this should include discussions with the local authority and local Parish Council as well as Sport England and Governing Bodies of Sport. Early laying out and planting of sports pitches is vital so phasing is key. Grass should be laid up to 18 months in advance of the first use to 'bed in'. If not early sports use will result in high levels of wear and tear leading to high replacement costs much sooner than envisaged. So a trigger point for the preparation of pitches at the first sports hub should coincide with occupation of the first houses. Details advice is also given about design and reference to Governing Body of Sport standards. The provision of a sports development officer at a reasonably early stage of building helps to create clubs, coaching courses, training courses and support early residents, linking them to neighbouring communities. Play A play strategy is requested for the site to be produced for the development of the open spaces. The intention behind the planning condition to develop a play policy and strategy for the development of Northstowe is that green spaces available for play should be developed creativity and with communities. They should be thoughtful in design rather than simply ‘off the peg’. Spaces that are developed in partnership

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with children and young people be more fit for purpose, exciting, inclusive and good value for money. They are also less likely to suffer from vandalism. Economic Development It is fundamental that employment opportunities are provided alongside housing to fully realise the economic growth potential of Northstowe. It supports the location of the 5 ha Employment area adjacent to the B1050 and the Guided Bus P&R site and the employment mix with a heavy emphasis on B1 and B2 uses. Concern is raised as to how the applicant will seek to encourage the provision of speculative units in order to encourage the widest interest from businesses who might want to locate in Northstowe (i.e. those who want to rent premises not just buy a plot to build their own facility) and the opportunity to provide for local employment at an early stage in the town's development, and request further work is done on this on partnership with the LEP, local authorities and businesses. Ecology Additional information is sought relating to open space management, mitigation of certain species and details of a future monitoring regime. Safeguarding conditions are recommended to address with a number of issues. Archaeology The previous investigations are acknowledged and mitigation proposals for excavation, recording, analysis and publication are supported. The innovative approach to using technology to broaden the community involvement and engagement with the historic environment is particularly welcome. Some concern is expressed over the proposal to bisect Site 19, and excavate the northern part which is within the application site at this stage, with the southern portion to be excavated under a future phase of the Northstowe development. However given the practicalities of the phased approach, an appropriate safeguarding conditions and mitigation is sought. Flood and Water Management Reference is made to SUDS and the new regime introduced by Flood and Water Management Act 2010 including the introduction of SUDS Approving Body (SAB) duties which require SUDS approval for all new developments in addition to any planning permission. The strategy proposes a number of surface water sewers across the development site. However we would like to see that the strategy promotes surface SUDS as much as practicable and reduce the provision of surface water sewers. The surface SUDS (e.g. swales) can be effectively integrated into the rest of the development and easily maintained as part of landscape maintenance regime. Greater emphasis on source control SUDS measures is required. Minerals and waste The Household recycling centre is welcomed’ early discussions ahead of design work is requested. The opportunities for re-use is encouraged which could involve third sector or social partnerships. Further advice is given in respect of the Construction Management Strategy, including routing for construction and delivery vehicles on both local and strategic roads and clarification is sought on certain aspects including the amount of waste arising and also relating to traffic movements. Safeguarding conditions are recommended.

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Transport - Comments on this aspect were considered by County‘s Cabinet on 2nd October 2012 and are set out in full below: A14 and Wider Transport Issues: On 18th July 2012, Government announced that the A14 improvement scheme was being added to the national roads programme and work would commence on the design process with a view to a potential construction start in 2018, subject to completion of statutory processes and agreement of the funding package. Funding is anticipated to come from a mix of private (tolling) and public sector sources. If this indicative timetable is adhered to, then construction could start midway through the proposed Phase One development programme. The elements of the scheme are:

• Huntingdon Southern Bypass. • On-line improvement of the A14 between Fenstanton and Milton

Interchanges. • Local Access Roads between Fenstanton and Girton, enabling

consolidation of local junctions on the A14. • Improvement of Girton Interchange (A14 / M11 / A428).

In addition, Government has also identified £20 million of investment to deliver an interim package of measures designed to provide increased capacity on the A14 prior to the full scheme being implemented. These measures include:

• Junction improvements at the Girton and Spittals Interchanges (largely

signing and lining improvements). • Installation of improved driver information systems (Variable Message

Signs) on the A14 and on some local approach roads. • Expansion of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB) Park and

Ride car park at St Ives. It is expected that these measures will be in place by 2013/14, before the projected start of building on the Phase One development. This will mean that the capacity of the A14 will be slightly enhanced, helping to accommodate the projected 2% increase in traffic on the A14 resulting from the Phase One development. Accordingly, it is accepted that the 1,500 homes proposed within Phase One at Northstowe could proceed in advance of the major improvements to the A14.

Local Transport Issues The Phase One application is generally compliant with the transport policies contained within the Northstowe Area Action Plan and the Cambridgeshire Local Transport Plan, but, as reported to Cabinet on 22nd May, there were a number of concerns over the site transport strategy that is set out within the Transport Assessment (TA). Much work has been carried out to address these issues and, subject to the application of appropriate Planning Conditions and agreement of Planning Obligations in the S106 Agreement, it is now considered that the transport strategy for the site is acceptable. A14 / B1050 Bar Hill Interchange

The impact of the development upon this junction has been assessed within the TA, and problems with queuing traffic on the B1050 approach from Longstanton in the

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morning peak, and from Bar Hill in the evening peak, have been identified. The layout of the Bar Hill North roundabout is sub-optimal, with the left turn-slip roads for the movements to and from the B1050 North being generally unused. An alternative junction layout based on a conventional roundabout (i.e. without the slip roads) has been designed by the developer and assessed as substantially mitigating the impact of Phase One development traffic upon the junction. This layout is acceptable, subject to detailed design (including safety audit) being satisfactorily completed, to both the County Council and the Highways Agency. Once greater clarity is cast upon the delivery programme for both the A14 improvement scheme and the Phase One development (should it gain planning approval), then a decision will be made on whether the developer will be required to construct the roundabout, or to make a contribution (based on the value of the works) towards the local element of the A14 funding package. This approach will be set out in the form of an appropriate Planning Condition or Planning Obligation.

Cambridgeshire Guided Busway (CGB)

The CGB provides the strategic public transport link to the Phase One site, which is well located in relation to the Park and Ride facility at Longstanton. The CGB will provide access for Phase One residents to a wide range of services including employment, education and health facilities in Cambridge, Huntingdon and St. Ives. CGB issues for consideration include;

• The requirement for a financial contribution to CGB construction and operational costs, as without the investment in CGB the site would clearly be unsustainable.

• The section of Busway proposed within the Phase One site should be brought into use by the planned bus service, rather than simply safeguarded. This would establish usage of the route by buses, and avoid future problems arising from Phase One residents getting used to the safeguarded route being a green space.

• Ensuring safe and direct walking and cycling routes between all elements of the Phase One development and the Park and Ride site to promote easy access to the CGB services.

These issues can be controlled through the application of appropriate Planning Conditions and Planning Obligations, and have been accepted in principle by the developer. Walking and Cycling

Priority will be given within the site to walking, cycling and bus services, and high quality walking and cycle routes are proposed linking the Phase One development to the CGB Park and Ride site and to Longstanton village. Following concerns expressed both by the County Council and the local community, it has also been agreed, in principle, that a developer contribution will be made to enable the construction of a shared use walking and cycling route alongside the B1050 between Longstanton and Bar Hill. This will enable residents of the Phase One development to access the retail, employment and health facilities at Bar Hill by sustainable modes of travel, as well as benefiting the local communities at Longstanton and Bar Hill. This contribution will be secured by way of Planning Obligation.

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Improvements to Public Rights of Way within the site and connecting the site to neighbouring communities will also be sought and secured by way of appropriate Planning Conditions and Planning Obligations. Traffic Monitoring and Management Strategy

The Phase One development will generate significant additional traffic on the local road network, including the B1050 and other local routes in the vicinity of the site. To mitigate this impact, a Traffic Monitoring and Management Strategy will be developed in partnership with the developer and the local community, with the monitoring work and management measures funded by the developer. This approach, which has been agreed in principle with the developer and will be secured through Planning Condition and Obligation, will enable the funding to be targeted on the parts of the local network where the local community collectively has the greatest concern, and will ensure the most effective use of available resources. Monitoring will commence prior to the start of construction works to ensure that a robust baseline for traffic flows is established. The site access proposals submitted alongside the Phase One application comprise four new junctions on the section of the B1050 between the Longstanton Bypass and the Park and Ride access. This proposal was considered to be unsatisfactory, and in response to the County Council’s concerns the developer has submitted further information, including traffic modelling work, relating to the collective performance of these junctions and to the design ethos which has resulted in this proposed layout. The County Council still has concerns about the proposed layout, and the inclusion of a pocket of the Phase One development to the West of the B1050. This will still lead to unnecessary severance for residents occupying these houses. However, it is recognised that the developers are aiming to establish a specific local centre in this part of the development, and the proposed junction layout on the B1050 is intended to support this. Recognising that this is an outline planning application, and that detailed design work still needs to be carried out on both the local centre and the site access arrangements, it is considered that the principle of the Phase One development taking its road access from the B1050 is acceptable, and is in accordance with the Northstowe Area Action Plan and the DFD. It is also considered that sufficient capacity exists on this section of the B1050 to accommodate a junction or junctions providing access to the development. Therefore, it is considered appropriate that, subject to suitable Planning Condition being placed requiring the detailed design of the site access junctions to be subject to the usual safety and quality audits, the principle of accessing the Phase One development from the B1050 be accepted. In relation to the proposed pocket of development to the west of the B1050, it is recommended that this be accepted in principle subject to a Planning Condition linking the phasing of this part of the development to the provision of a suitable access arrangement, and the review of potential alternative alignments for the B1050 associated with the northern part of the wider Northstowe development site.

To the North of the site, the B1050 passes through Willingham. Whilst the Phase One development would not generate sufficient high volumes of traffic to significantly impact upon the B1050 through the village, it is clear that the full Northstowe development, should it come forward as set out in the Development Framework Document, would have a major impact. Whilst that impact might be mitigated to the

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South of the site through the provision of new access roads linking the site to the A14, to the North it is likely that mitigation measures would include the construction of a Bypass for Willingham. Accordingly, it is considered reasonable that a proportionate contribution towards the costs of such a Bypass should be sought from the Phase One development, and therefore an appropriate contribution will be secured in the form of a Planning Obligation. Public and Community Transport Whilst the CGB provides the Phase One site with excellent public transport services to Cambridge, Huntingdon and St Ives, the Transport Assessment identifies a need to enhance local bus services through the extension of the Citi 5 service from Bar Hill to the site. Currently the Citi 5 operates every 20 minutes between Cambridge and Bar Hill, with an hourly service extending to Longstanton and through to St Ives. The proposed extension would provide a 20 minute frequency service between the Phase One site and Bar Hill / Cambridge, and this improvement is acceptable in principle. The funding would be secured by way of Planning Obligation. Some sectors of the community will, however, not be able to use the conventional bus services offered by the CGB and the Citi 5 extension. To cater for these people, a contribution will be sought to enhance local Community Transport services. This contribution will also be secured through an appropriate Planning Obligation. Construction Traffic The Construction Management Strategy (CMS) contains details of the access arrangements for vehicles, plant and personnel including the location of construction traffic routes, details of their signing, monitoring and enhancement measures. Mitigation measures to minimise the impact on surrounding villages are also to be secured. It is recognised that construction traffic is a temporary feature of a new development, and the trips generated will not have a permanent impact of the transport network. However, the CMS needs to take account of the movement of construction workers to and from the site as well as heavy goods vehicles. A Travel Plan for construction workers, identifying measures such as encouraging use of the CGB by workers to access the site and transporting workers by minibus from remote bases is therefore required as part of the CMS . Environment Agency – The draft response of the 4th October 2012 is intended to supersede the Agency’s Interim response following receipt of the Uttons Drove STW capacity review currently being carried out in conjunction with Anglian Water. This confirms that the information submitted is acceptable in principle and conditionally viable subject to the funding approval by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) regarding the issues involved with the foul drainage discharge from the Utton’s Drove Sewage Treatment Works (STW), namely a new pumping station at Webb’s Hole Sluice on the Swavesey Drain system. This is required in order to accommodate the additional treated discharge from Utton’s Drove STW. Subject to the above, detailed design will need to be agreed prior to commencement of the development for a number of matters to be secured through the provision of conditions. This response confirms that the proposed conditions limiting occupation until the necessary foul drainage works have been implemented is to be re-assessed to justify a head room figure to be confirmed for a limit on the amount of dwellings/floorspace that can be occupied prior to the implementation of said infrastructure.

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Anglian Water - Uttons Drove is the drainage catchment for the development, which has inadequate capacity for foul drainage flows. Foul sewage will lead to an unacceptable risk of flooding downstream and negotiation with the applicant over a drainage strategy with mitigation measures is underway. A condition requiring this strategy will be essential. Use of SUD’s is welcomed; however, this is for the EA and drainage boards to comment on. A Surface Water drainage Scheme will need to be conditioned. Commercial and employment uses propose to discharge trade effluent into the public sewer, which will require the consent of Anglian Water with suitable mitigation measures such as fat traps and inceptors being proposed. Proposed conditions for mains foul drainage and surface water flood risk strategy. Cambridge Water - No evidence of exemplar sustainable water use has been detailed to date. Treatment on site of waste water would be more sustainable than the transfer to Uttons Drove. Swavesey Internal Drainage Board (IDB) - Raises an objection as the strategic flood risk assessment (FRA) fails to address the Swavesey drain in any detail. Primary concerns relate to the proposed direction of sewage flows to the Uttons Drove STW and the discharge post treatment into the IDB catchment. This scheme is considered to perpetuate existing problems & flood risk. The foul drainage scheme is not exemplar and represents the cheapest solution. The proposal to upgrade the Uttons Drove STW is unnecessary and will only result in the effluent of other flows being treated there. This work should only be undertaken when flows from the development are not drained into the IDB catchment. This arrangement has not been agreed with the Board as stated within the application. Anglian Water should also be required to provide a FRA for STW flows. Old Western Internal Drainage Board (IDB) - No objection in principle with concerns that require additional information before the Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) can be accepted and the proposals be considered conditionally viable. An addendum to the technical information covering the points of clarification and deficiencies in information highlighted below, prior to determination is required. The FRA does not consider the provisions for operation and maintenance, in perpetuity, for the surface water infrastructure. The potential impacts of inundation on the District and downstream communities, which could arise from failure of the raised reservoir, are also not appraised in the application. An Operational Strategy for Drainage and Flood Mitigation Infrastructure be submitted and approved by all drainage authorities in the reserved matters application. The long term viability of the proposal requires information on the funding, ownership and responsibilities for operation and maintenance of the surface water infrastructure. A suitable adopting authority or trust should be identified, preferably with representation from the Board, and that appropriate funding is committed to maintain the surface water and flood mitigation infrastructure. The Board currently maintains water courses within the site boundary and the integration of the development into these will require the removal of the board’s interest and the transfer to the operational authority tasks with monitoring the site with the applicant bearing the brunt of all legal costs. To avoid increasing flood risk to the downstream catchment the inclusion of an appropriate planning condition is required to enforce that flood mitigation measures must be implemented prior to the commencement of building works or the construction of hard-standings, and that a strategy for the phasing of these elements be submitted prior to commencement on site. The current proposals do not comply with Policy NE/9 and endorse the concerns raised by the EA and Swavesey IDB. To protect the natural water environment, and to allow appropriate management of foul effluent in the future, the matter should be appropriately addressed to the satisfaction of the statutory consultee prior to determination. To avoid impact on downstream riparian and abstraction rights, a

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planning condition is required to ensure that the operational procedures make appropriate allowances for the retention of base flows throughout the year in accordance with the applicant’s riparian duties. Object to the introduction of foreign water arising from black-water recycling into the surface water environment without appropriate consideration of the associated environmental impacts being considered. An appropriate condition will be required to ensure that a detailed appraisal shall be submitted and agreed with the drainage authorities, prior to commencement, to ensure that the quality of the water environment is protected and the quantity of recycled water is restricted to the demand needs of the development only. Cambridge City Council - The master plan for both the Development Framework Document and Phase 1 are supported; both look like a robust base to take forward detailed design. There is concern that the development does not go far enough to address affordable housing need. A Design Code may provide an appropriate mechanism to inform design. The focus of the local centre on the existing B1050 and using the open space to provide a setback to the commercial uses is supported. Care needs to be taken over the detailing of the ‘highway’ (both proposed and existing) to ensure the quality of the space is not eroded. Employment uses are well located in relation to the local centre and existing CGB P&R site. Care will be needed to ensure that the interface between residential uses and the proposed employment areas is sensitively handled particularly those to the north-east of the local centre. It is disappointing that the indicative phasing and delivery (page 80 of the DAS) show the retail, community and, employment plots are within sub-phase 4, and the sports pitches are not full complete until the end of sub phase 3 leaving early residents without facilities for up to 5 years. The Section 106 must secure early provision of bus services to the site to establish habit, and the development must make maximum benefit from the adjacent Guided Bus. It is unfortunate that the link through the heart of the wider development cannot be fully established until all the phases come forward. The proposed application isn't ambitious enough in terms of carbon reduction or sustainable drainage. The application should be improved in this respect if it is to be considered exemplar. Simply aiming to meet current Building Regulations requirements is not indicative of an exemplar development, and falls short of the standards already being achieved on other major developments within the Cambridge fringes. While the application proposes the use of a sustainable drainage system (SUDS), it is not considered that the proposals go far enough. The use of onsite swales and balancing ponds help in terms of discharge rate and volume, however a good SUDS should look to deal with rainfall much closer to source, within dwelling plots, in parking areas and within the highway before entering the strategic swales. Cambridge Fire & Rescue - No objections subject to provision of fire hydrants. Risk Assessment required along with access and facilities also required. English Heritage - No comment due to remote location of site to heritage assets Interest Groups Bug Life – Originally raised an objection on the grounds of the inadequate invertebrate baseline surveys within the EIA ES. However, following re-evaluation of the site Bug Life withdrew their objection on the condition that a revised mitigation plan to incorporate brownfield habitat features is provided. Cambridge Fish - Insufficient detail provided in the application to the precise mitigation measures to avoid dewatering of the lake and the subsequent loss of habitat and loss of amenity to Cambridge Fish Preservation & Anglian Society

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(F.P.A.S) Ltd. Greater level of detail is required before development commences by a condition attached to any grant of permission. We also request that the developers propose incorporation of Andersons Lake (Nethergrove) within the overall drainage strategy to provide a more consistent water level and the fishery into the future, which is of amenity benefit and environmental benefit and is being considered as a Green Buffer. Cambridge F.P.A.S Ltd finally requests that this be a condition attached to any grant of permission. Cambridge Meridian Educational Trust - Lack of reference to future secondary school in phase 1 application is disappointing, as the provision of the secondary school at the earliest possible time is crucial. This school is of great marketing importance to the success of the town. The joint promoters should match the County’s funding commitment to enable the four form entry (phase 1) secondary school on day one of the development. This first phase of the secondary school should be present from the very start as a focal point for community sport and arts development reflecting and drawing upon existing excellent practice and expertise at Swavesey. The secondary school is not included in the red line boundary. This is a planning proposal and, if the secondary school is not in the red line, then it is not covered by the proposal. In the planning proposals and vision statement, there is only an explicit commitment to a single primary school in phase 1. Even with the transition model, a four form secondary school (on a site and to a design that can expand to the eventual 10 forms of entry) needs to be in place at the start of the fourth year of the development – without this guarantee we are not able to deliver the middle school transition arrangement. Cambridge Local Assess Forum - Pedestrian and cycle access along the CGB route through the development should be considered and a method for crossing the primary bus route is needed, i.e. raised/ramped foot bridge. Cambridge Police (Architectural Liaison Officer) - Prior to the commencement of development, a scheme detailing how the principles and practices of the ‘Secured by Design’ scheme are to be incorporated into the development shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Reason: In the interests of creating safer and sustainable communities in accordance with PPS1 and reducing the effects of crime and disorder as required by Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998). Cambridgeshire Ecumenical Council - It is the churches' intention to place a minister/church worker in Northstowe at the earliest possible opportunity, as we did in Cambourne. Facilities for this will need to be provided, possibly through the primary school? Campaign for the Protection of Rural England - Does not wish to comment on current proposals and reserve the right to do so upon future applications. Cyclists Touring Club - Strongly objects to the application on the grounds of inadequate cycling provision. There is a lack of any proposals for external cycle routes despite there being a clear need for improvements on some key routes. We also object to the poor proposed quality of the internal cycle routes. A shared use cycle/pedestrian route from the south end of the Longstanton Bypass to Bar Hill alongside the B.1050 should be provided. The development should provide improved external connections to the Busway cycle path at both ends of the Phase 1 development. The proposed internal cycle facilities appear to be inadequate for a new modern development. The outline proposals provide only limited details to meet

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minimum standards. Internal routes should not be shared but segregated. Traffic speeds throughout the development should be 20mph. The sustainable objective of this development requires a significant modal shift to cycling and walking. This shift will only be achieved if the cycling facilities in this new development are designed to a higher standard of provision. Cambridge Cycling Campaign - The following recommendations are made: 1. B1050 cycleway – segregated route along the B1050 from Northstowe to Bar Hill. This would join up with the proposed A14 NMU bridge at Bar Hill and provide residents with a safe route to the shopping and job opportunities at this large village just 3.5 km away. 2. Oakington Airfield Road – rising bollards should be installed. This route is currently designated for taxis, buses, pedestrians and cyclists only. Yet the traffic survey for the planning application discovered 265 vehicles per hour using this road in a morning peak. This road must be truly closed as part of this phase of development. 3. Ramper Road – this is the obvious route from Northstowe to Swavesey and the village college. This route is preferable because it is a mile shorter than going via the Busway. A parallel cycleway must be provided along this corridor to enable school children to safely travel to the college without having to interact with the 30% more vehicles along this route predicted in the traffic models. 4. Station Road to Willingham – a segregated route along the B1050 north to Willingham should be built. There is plenty of space along this corridor to build a segregated facility. The traffic volumes on this road must justify this. As this a major route from villages to the north, the traffic volumes in-crease by almost 600 vehicles a day, this will only get worse. 5. Northstowe to Science Park or Cambridge - the traffic assessment acknowledges that more confident cyclists will travel further than 5 miles by bike; in and around Cambridge, many already do. The Science Park will be an easy commute from Northstowe, and central Cambridge is not much further. From the centre of Phase 1, cyclists heading towards Cambridge will access the CGB Cycleway at the Rampton Road/Reynolds Drove junction. Currently, Rampton Road is a track for much of its length which can be muddy and the access to the cycleway involves lifting the bike over the concrete guide rails. At present, the only access to the cycleway mentioned in the documents is at Longstanton Park & Ride. Cyclists should not be expected to travel 800m or more in the wrong direction to get onto the cycleway. The grass/mud path needs to be upgraded to a bituminous surface, and the concrete rails at the junction need to be removed locally to enable a cyclist to ride across the Busway to the cycleway. Cambridge Right to Ride - Objects requesting the following provisions: 1. Provision of a cycle way beside the B1050 from the southern end of the Longstanton Bypass to Bar Hill. This is a vital link on a dangerous road. This is both a commuter and leisure route. This is our most important Objective. Photos attached. 2. A Cycle/Pedestrian track beside the B1050 from Ramper Road to the Station Road Roundabout, to enable access from Northstowe to the south west villages.

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3. Completion of a cycleway from the Park and Ride site along the B1050 to Willingham. 4. Consideration of a shared cycle/pedestrian path on Primary Roads in Northstowe. We generally object to share use paths as they always lead to conflict. 5. A 20 mph Speed limit on all roads with the possible exception of the main bus route. We believe this is in line with Government policy and is a way of promoting a safe environment. Homes Community Agency - As a joint promoter of the application the agency provides no recommendation. Longstanton District Heritage Society - No real commitment, noted within S/0390/12/MP, to a museum on the Northstowe site, even though a joint statement from both HCA and Gallagher was given to Longstanton Heritage Society in the late autumn of 2010 to work towards such. The master plan must contain provision for its own museum. Other surrounding towns quoted, all have their own museums. e.g. Huntingdon, St Ives, Ramsey, March and Ely. A museum is an integral way of defining the status of a town. This is wonderful public relations opportunity not to be missed as a powerful quality means selling Northstowe to potential residents and industrial manufacturers. The new public road directly linking Rampton and the Longstanton High Street would contravene the NAAP as it would merge Northstowe with other developments. No mention of re-use of old airfield buildings and the listed pill boxes are not afforded enough landscape treatment. Long Lane in particular should be downgraded to a bridleway to prevent its future use as a haul road and general ‘rat run’ in and out of Northstowe. The implementation of a local centre planned in phase 1 before the establishment of a bypass to Willingham is a nonsense. It will cause disruptions to the traffic patterns of the surrounding villages as well as blocking essential construction traffic for Phase Ministry of Defence ‘Defence Infrastructure Organisation’ (MOD) - The MOD has no safeguarding objections to this proposal in principle. However, it is note that there are three large water bodies proposed as part of the Phase 1 development at Northstowe. Large areas of open water have the potential to attract large and, or, flocking bird species considered ‘hazardous’ to air traffic. Therefore, the MOD requests that this office is consulted on the reserved matters application in order to provide advice which can be incorporated into the design of the water bodies and reduce the attractiveness to hazardous bird species. Natural England - There are no SSSI within 2k of the site and it is unlikely that these will face significant impact from the proposals. The provision of opportunities for informal recreational within the Northstowe development will play a significant role in determining how much visitor pressure increases at other nearby sites. The use of full and up to date background information to inform ecological impact assessment is supportive. However, data should be obtained within the last 2-3 years in order to provide an accurate and up to date picture of species known to be present at the site. A summary table of habitat gains and losses would be useful within the ES. Cumulative impacts need to be considered at an early stage rather than looking at the relatively smaller impacts to these species for each phase in isolation for the purposes of mitigation. Strong off site access links and enhancements are essential for the well-being of the new population. Soil resources from the site are used sustainably, particularly the topsoil. An appropriately experienced soil specialist should be instructed to advise on and supervise soil handling, including identifying when soils are dry enough to be handled and how to make the most sustainable use

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of the different soils on site, in particular in retaining the long term potential of agricultural soils on the site. National Health Service (NHS) - Concerns over highway safety and segregation of 80 homes west of phase 1 local centre. Use of fibre optic cables to homes is welcomed but should also relate to businesses. The use of the primary school in phase 1 for health will be required. Early delivery of the local centre is essential for early residents. Concerns are also raised over informal green space, links to external green space due wet land and CGB boundary. Homes should be built to a higher CFSH standard than level 4. More information is required on extra care facilities and the overlap of phasing between phases 1 and 2. Rampton Drift Residents Association - A route from Rampton Drift and phase 1 of Northstowe that does not involve travelling through Longstanton should be provided. The drift has a section of un-adopted road that requires residents to pay toward maintenance, this road would be used by a greater range of Northstowe residents and therefore it should be adopted as part of wider proposals. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) - Recommends conditions for an Ecology, Environment and habitat Management Plans to be submitted and approved prior to development commencing on site. Similarly a surface water drainage (SWD) and lighting scheme via condition. Sport England - The open space standards set out in the Northstowe Area Action Plan (NAAP) would require 6.17 ha of space for outdoor sport within Phase 1 (calculated at 1500 x 2.57= 3855 persons x 1.6); therefore the proposed provision meets the required level of provision. It is assumed that the playing fields provided as part of this development are not calculated to be part of the formal community outdoor sport provision. Footpaths crossing the community pitches should not adversely affect potential pitch provision on the site, and it may be necessary to re-consider the footpath layout as indicated on this plan. Phase 1 does not include any provision for indoor sport, despite significant demand being generated by a development of 1,500 residential units. The original master plan envisages the provision of an 8 court sports hall and a 25m x 12m swimming pool and a health and fitness facility as identified in the original sports facilities strategy. Phase 1 could be developed without any indoor provision, which would result in Northstowe lacking indoor sports facilities if subsequent phases did not come forward. S106 monies could be ring fenced to cover this eventuality. Sustrans - Network route 51 (soon to be renamed regional route 24) should be upgraded and increased. The full benefits of the grid layout will only be achieved if all streets within the town have a maximum speed of 20mph with priority given to cyclists and pedestrians at all junctions. Layout detail of cycle lanes is minimal and shared two way use should be considered. We would oppose any mixing of motor traffic on the Busway. It is worrying that the primary and secondary schools might have construction traffic passing their entrances – this would be unacceptable during their hours and terms of operation, and an alternative route seems essential. In Cambridge many residents store their cars out of the way for occasional trips, and keep their cycles near their front doors for daily use. This can be encouraged to happen in Northstowe, and without clutter, if a Sheffield stand or similar is provided by each front door. A cyclist will bring more activity, and personality, to the street than a parked or moving car! The length of the B1050 on Station Road between the existing roundabout and its crossing of the CGB, being within Northstowe must be treated as a shared-space area, not as currently proposed, a principal distributor road. Bicycles should be more easily accessible than their cars. Northstowe should

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be planned to an overall higher density than envisaged, for this reason, and the principle of low car use must be established from the outset. Placing a school’s grounds and a large public open space close or next to the “high street” lowers the density of housing around the dedicated Busway, and runs counter to high bus usage. A drop-off area and public parking for the school should be very small and should be on the side of the “civic square” away from the greenway and school. Bus stops should be more numerous, to help fulfil the Council’s policies on sustainable transport. It is important that a cycle route between the Phase1 primary school’s greenway and High Street, Longstanton should be open for use from first home occupancy. It’s important that from first occupancy of Phase 1 homes a bus service linking with the CGB and that from half-occupancy level, a frequent service, with some direct operations through to Cambridge and St Ives is guaranteed by the applicant, with subsidy if necessary. Some or all these services provided must operate along the Phase1 “high street” Busway, to establish its key role from the outset To ensure that walking, cycling and bus use in Northstowe will be far greater than private car use from the outset, it is important to build first the dwellings closest to the bus routes and main pedestrian and cycle routes, especially in the areas of highest density. We believe that design codes should be required of the applicant at this stage, to define the primacy of sustainable transport as a/the key characteristic of Northstowe as a whole, and to determine street, junction and crossing designs. Wildlife Trust - The Wildlife Trust does not have the time or resources to comment in detail on this application. Previous involvement has not brought about any better outcomes by way of the quality and amount of Green Infrastructure provided and it would not be a good use of limited resources to take a major interest in Northstowe. There are simply too many dwellings proposed for the area of land, the green infrastructure is too multifunctional, a result of there not being enough of it and not enough space for proper zoning, there is little by way of biodiversity enhancement, and the potentially best bits of existing habitat that could be enhanced, namely the golf course, will be the first to be developed.

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Appendix C - Internal Consultations

Urban Design - The Phase 1 planning application in parallel with the detail within the Development Framework Document provide an adequate amount of information to structure the development proposals an therefore provide an appropriate basis for development. Notwithstanding this, further detailed information will be required on various matters, which will be addressed as part of the work pursuant to the creation of a design code. The design code for Phase 1 and all subsequent phases will structure all future reserved matters applications along with other suitably worded conditions commensurate to each material consideration. The Design Code will be secured via a Condition, requiring the submission of details for approval prior to any development commencing onsite. Conservation – There is lack of a heritage strategy for the development, which incorporates the wider town. Notwithstanding this, a condition requiring a site wide strategy in relation to heritage assets as part of the design code for the phase 1 application could address this level of detail. The design code will cover historic character as a source of local identity and place-making. Landscape Design – A high level site wide landscape design framework and hierarchy has been set out within the Development Frame Document (DFD). The phase 1 outline planning application references this within the landscape strategy within the Design and Access Statement. On the premise that the phase 1 masterplan is illustrative and that a greater level of detail to support the strategy will be secured by the provision of a design code and subsequent landscape proposals to be submitted pursuant to reserved matters applications and secured by condition, the proposals are acceptable in principle. Ecology - The development proposal did not detail mitigation measures but relied on the extensive work already carried out for the site upon previous planning applications. Notwithstanding this, later work has refined general approaches relating to species/animals such as, common lizards, badgers, barn owl, breeding invertebrates, water voles, otters and kingfishers. As a consequence subject to the use of a condition requiring the submission of a comprehensive biodiversity strategy including appropriate measures for mitigation, enhancement and habitat creation there is no objection from an ecological perspective. Trees & Landscaping – The development proposals are in principle acceptable. However clarification will be required at the detailed stage, to ensure that trees to be retained have sufficient space so post development pressure is not an issue and the trees do not become a nuisance or be compromised such that their longevity is reduced. New tree planting e.g. street trees, landscaped open spaces and informal within green seems and hedgerows will mitigate proposed tree loss. A co-ordinated approach to establishment and maintenance of new tree planting and this should be an opportunity to have a new vision on how this can be achieved is needed. Environmental Health - The development proposal represents EIA development defined as “major urban development project”, under schedule 2 of EIA Regulations 2011. The development proposal has been considered in conjunction with the endorsed Development Framework Document and site wide master plan with the outline planning application representing the first phase of a series of phases for the delivery of the wider town. The conceptual vision and planning core strategy foundations for its future existence are indeed in place as reflected in the Northstowe Area Action Plan (NAAP). The application documents and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with associated Environment Statement (ES) / Appendices are considered to be technically complex and detailed in many respects. The ES and application approach are considered acceptable in

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principle. However, given the level of detail provided at the outline planning stage the imposition of conditions and planning obligations will be necessary to ensure that to ensure that the environmental effects of a proposed development and cumulative development are fully considered and mitigated where necessary for the consideration at the more detailed design stages. The EIA submitted with the application is generally acceptable in principle, subject to confirmation of the site wide approach toward cumulative development and the imposition of conditions to mitigate impact as detailed under the various topic headings, including sufficient S106 financial contributions to address environmental health related matters that are necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. Planning Policy – No 1-bedroom units are indicated within the indicative housing mix, which is contrary to housing mix policy HG/2. The NAAP seeks approximately 25-30% 1 and 2 bedroom properties subject to evidence. Public Art - The proposed art statement focuses on art in the built environment and it needs to include socially engaged work and arts facilities that enable new residents to create their own work. The public art plan should relate to a play strategy, landscape plan, community development and governance plan and how the applicant intends to consult with the local community initially and then to the growing population of new residents over the life of the development. There is a brief reference to the management plan but little on precisely how the public art plan will relate to the planned phasing of the development and, crucially, how different house builders will deliver public art across the site. Prior to the submission of the first reserved matters application the District Council needs a detailed delivery plan for the development under and consideration and clear plans for how this stage relates to the whole site, to be secured by S106 legal agreement. Sustainability Officer – The current constraints to the economy is a material consideration and must be recognised. As a consequence alternative routes to establishing Northstowe as an exemplar of sustainable living have been considered. In consideration of the applications viability, the inclusion of a fully resourced ‘sustainable living’ strategy and action plan should be considered in parallel with the exemplar items endorsed by the DFD. This would entail a promotion and engagement programme designed to ensure that all those living, working and visiting Northstowe are conscious of its identity as an exemplar ‘sustainable’ settlement and also are a part of it. This would ensure that the baseline sustainable built infrastructure was used to secure maximum energy and natural resource savings, alongside demonstrating how options for more sustainable living can become a reality. Such a strategy would actively involve all the development partners. It would not only help secure Northstowe’s identity but also provide an umbrella for the careful integration of the vital social aspects of a range of other plans and programmes already required by planning policies for the new settlement, such as: travel plans, community development, governance, public art, water conservation, renewable energy, biodiversity and green space. Sports – The provision of land as outlined within the indicative master plan is acceptable in principle in that it would provide adequate land commensurate to the number of houses proposed. The proposed hub would be very linear in nature and could not therefore provide cricket pitches without overlapping other sports pitches. As such an offsite contribution should be sought to facilitate this provision elsewhere. It is acknowledged that future planning stages will provide more detail with regard to pitch layouts and the building layout and these will be assessed at that time in accordance with Sport England requirements. No indication of an all-terrain pitch (ATP) has been provided and this will be a requirement. This pitch should be full-size, floodlit and finished with a 3rd Generation surface with careful consideration to its location ensure minimum light pollution to local residents and proximity to

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nearby trees. There is also a requirement to provide a multi-use game area (MUGA) to allow Netball and Tennis to develop. It is recommended that all facilities should be made available within the first year of development commencing onsite. There is a concern with regard to the lack of indoor facilities and this should be sought by S106 legal agreement. The proposals outline an acceptable amount of play areas for neighbourhood equipped areas of play (NEAP), local equipped areas of play (LEAP) and local areas of play (LAP). Affordable Housing Enabler – The proposed offer of 35% affordable housing provision does not accord with planning policy and would have to be reviewed as part of the viability work. The proposed housing mix appears to identify market housing only but does not stipulate this. In light of new funding mechanisms early discussions with regard to unit size and tenure breakdown would be welcomed with the Councils preferred affordable housing provider to ensure this information is fed into the viability work. The layout and distribution of the affordable housing as defined with the affordable housing SPD confirms that affordable housing should be distributed in small groups or clusters, but the appropriate cluster size will be determined having regard to the location within the development. Clusters in sizes of between 6 and 25 dwellings would be considered appropriate and in flatted schemes no more than 12 affordable dwellings should have access from a common stairwell or lift. This has not been illustrated within the outline application given the level of detail being considered for determination. All affordable housing should be provided to the HCA Design and Quality standards and as a matter of principle in visual appearance should not look indistinguishable from the market housing. The code for sustainable homes as offered by CPL is level 4 on all affordable homes.

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Appendix D - Representations The vast majority of the representations have been received via e-mail. The comment sheets handed out at the drop in events were well used with people either filling them in on the day or taking them home and then posting them in. The comments received identify a general recognition of the need for Northstowe though there are concerns about the phase 1 outline application development proposals. A number of the representations make references to specific polices of the Northstowe Area Action Plan 2007 (NAAP) as well as the National Planning Policy Framework, which was published midway through the consultation period. All representations received have been published upon the Councils Northstowe Webpage and this appendix summarises their content below: Transport The largest number of representations received related to issues of transport, with specific reference being made to the congestion at peak times on the A14 and B1050. Many people felt that no work should start on Northstowe until the A14 had been upgraded or until an upgrade was substantially in place. Concerns have also be been raised about construction traffic travelling through the surrounding villages and the need for a by-pass of Willingham. The proposed location of the local centre on the B1050 is a subject of concern as is the location of residential development northwest of the B1050 and the proposed signalised junctions to serve Phase 1. Other transport related concerns relate to rat running through Longstanton and other villages and the illegal use of the airfield road. Many people felt that the absence of the southern access roads proposed as part of the 2007 submissions should be built early to serve a first phase on the airfield land. There are a number of comments about a lack of provision of safe cycle routes outside the site, and in particular in the direction of Bar Hill. Concerns have also been raised about whether there is sufficient capacity on the Cambridgeshire Guided Bus to cater for Northstowe residents, as buses are often full at peak hours. Amenity and Phasing Concerns have been raised about the method of phasing, which would result in the loss of amenity space and green infrastructure before brownfield redundant land. In particular the loss of the golf course, and driving range, as an amenity space for use by golfers and walkers, has been raised by numerous members of the public, a large number of which are residents of Longstanton. Concerns have also been expressed about the loss of biodiversity as a result of the golf course and agricultural land being developed and in addition the accuracy of the ecological surveys that have been carried out. Green Separation Reference has been made to the figure of 200 metres for suitable green separation proposed when the NAAP was being considered. Many residents of Longstanton in particular feel that the green separation shown on the outline application is insufficient and their objections to the sport and recreational uses, that are proposed within it. Specific concerns have also been raised by nearby residents about potential noise and light pollution from the use of sports pitches. Furthermore, lack of detail about future maintenance and management of open space is a concern to residents.

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Water, Drainage and Flooding In light of media coverage about water shortages and actual hosepipe bans during the summer of 2012 many representations raise concerns about the ability to supply the phase 1 development with an adequate water supply and how this would impact upon supplies to surrounding settlements. In addition the need for robust water conservation and management of water usage within the development are also raised. Flood risk has been raised on two counts, the impact of additional surface water runoff from the site to surrounding settlements and drainage catchments and increased outflows from treated foul water at Uttons Drove sewage treatment works. In particular existing problems with sewage in Longstanton are highlighted questioning whether the existing infrastructure in place can accommodate the additional flows from up to 1,500 homes. Education and Health Facilities Concerns have been raised about the lack of provision of the secondary school as part of the phase 1 application. In addition concerns have also been raised that the primary school is planned to accommodate secondary students in the interim until the secondary school comes forward. It is also felt that there is a lack of detail with regard to pre-school facilities. Representations state that local facilities such as health (dentist/doctors etc.) are at capacity and that the addition of 1,500 homes would apply more pressure to the services and new facilities should be provided to cater for the phase 1 development. A lack of detail for care for the elderly is also highlighted. Energy and Sustainability Many representations question the ambition and clarity of the sustainability merits of the Phase 1 application stating that it would not represent ‘exemplar’ development as outlined within the NAAP. Notwithstanding this, representations from a number of people have raised concerns about potential proposals for wind turbines near to the new town and the impact that this would have upon surrounding settlements. Burial Ground Concern are raised that the Phase 1 application makes no provision for burials, as local burial grounds in nearby settlements are close to full capacity. Employment / Community Services There is a concern raised about the level and timing of delivery of the level employment for new residents and community facilities, such as shops, to reduce the impact of new residents relying on existing services and facilities in surrounding villages. Housing / Built Form Concerns regarding the extent of housing density and building heights especially at the local have been raised. In addition there are concerns regarding suitable parking for the local centre, schools and housing. The extent of affordable housing proposed has been queried as well as the dispersal through the phase 1 development. The layout of streets and housing as set out within the masterplan has been questioned in consideration of the ability to achieve effecting solar gain.

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APPENDIX EP

age 87

0 50 100 200m25

Feb 2012

Final

Parameters plan: Core area

Northstowe

1:5000@A3revision

drawn by

SWD

checked by

RB

Land use, open space & landscape

Gallagher

Key

Everdene House Deansleigh Road Bournemouth BH7 7DU telephone 01202 421142 facsimile 01202 430055 email [email protected]

© Terence O’Rourke

Balancing lakes& ditches/swales

Planning application boundary

Residential

Mixed use/Local centre

Employment (including household recycling centre & foul water pumping station)

Primary school/community use

Formal recreation/sports pitches

Allotments/community gardens(incudes potential retained trees)

Informal open space, landscape& habitats

Primary street

CGB route

Tree groups to be retained(including canopy extent)

Water bodies

Structural planting

Equipped areas of play(Neaps and Leaps)

Proposed

Existing

Surface water pumping station

Sports pavilion and associatedparking

Plan 1a

APPENDIX F

Page 89

Feb 2012

Final

Parameters plan: Attenuation ponds

Northstowe

1:5000@A3revision

drawn by

SWD

checked by

RB

Land use, open space & landscape

Gallagher

Key



0 50 100 200m25

Permanent waterDitchdiversion

Ditchdiversion

Permanent water

Potential temporary topsoil storage

Plan 1b

Attenuation ponds

Species rich grassland

Marshy grassland

Structural planting

Attenuation area

Emergent vegetation

Areas of scrub

Management access


Mounding

Overhead cables

APPENDIX G

Page 91

Feb 2012

Final

Parameters plan

Northstowe

1:5000@A3revision

drawn by

SWD

checked by

RB

Movement and access

Gallagher

Key



0 50 100 200m25

Link to Longstanton

Link to Longstanton

Link toRampton

No vehicular connection to Rampton Road

Longstanton CGB station & park & ride

Existing byway open to traff ic

Proposed new dedicatedbusway

Proposed primary street

Public rights of way(amended route and subjectto diversion)

Proposed principal cycle/pedestrian routes(on and off road)

Existing off road cycle route

Existing CGB route

Proposed realigned sectionof B1050


Development blocks

Open space

Proposed dedicated cycleway along new busway

Proposed road junction

Dedicated road junction offB1050 serving constructiontraff ic & employment land

Plan 2

APPENDIX H

Page 93

Feb 2012

Final

Parameters plan

Northstowe

1:5000@A3revision

drawn by

SWD

checked by

RB

Building heights plan

Gallagher

Key



0 50 100 200m25


Residential up to 14.5 m(up to 4 storeys)

Residential up to 11 m(up to 3 storeys)

Residential up to 9 m (up to 2 storeys)

Local centre up to 14.5 m(up to 4 storeys)

Employment & recycling centreup to 13 m (up to 3 storeys)

School up to 9 m(up to 2 storeys)

Potential location for a landmarkbuilding or structure (up to 25 m)

Notes:

i) Building heights above proposed ground level.

ii) The minimum storey height is single storey.

Sports building up to 8 m(up to 2 storey)

Plan 3

APPENDIX I

Page 95

Feb 2012

Final

Parameters plan

Northstowe

1:5000@A3revision

drawn by

SWD

checked by

RB

Density plan

Gallagher

Key



0 50 100 200m25


38 - 42 Dwellings per hectare



Plan 4

APPENDIX J

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Appendix K – S106 Heads of Term

S106 Heads of Term: Item Obligation Trigger Comments Community Civic Hub to include health centre, library, town centre manager, police, arts provision and town council.

£4.5m To be linked to the development of the town centre in Phase 2

Specification and costs to be confirmed. Additional estimated cost in later phase of £25.5m

Community Centre to include meeting space, play group area, function rooms, touch down for emergency services

£2,362,500

£75,000 revenue

To be linked to provision of local centre in Phase 1, phasing details to be agreed

Phase 1 community centre will be located in proposed local centre. Specification to be agreed. Revenue allowance of £25,000 over three years.

Allotments £30,000 To be linked to provision of community orchard and green infrastructure separating Longstanton and Northstowe in Phase 1.

Land allocation of 1ha including community orchard

Burial ground (in addition to woodland burial)

£54,000 Yet to be agreed in relation to phasing of housing development in Phase 2

Land allocation of 3.9ha. Additional contribution over subsequent phases of £306,000

Emergency Services Touchdown in Phase 1 included in Community centre. Joint emergency facility in town centre

£397,500 To coincide with the timing of the community centre.

Phase 1 contribution. Additional £2,252,500 for later phases on 0.75ha. Ambulance and police each require 20sqm touchdown space in joint facility.

Environment Air quality monitoring equipment

£27,250

£83,175 revenue

Six months prior to commencement of development

Real time monitoring equipment and database web site

Noise and vibration monitoring equipment

£40,000

£5,625 revenue

On commencement of development

Additional funding in future years. One monitoring system to be located in vicinity of Rampton Drift and the other co-located with traffic monitoring for existing homes.

Contaminated land – consultant to review site investigation and

£150,000 revenue Prior to commencement of investigation of

Five year consultancy

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remediation reports land requiring remediation to enable development.

Land contamination presentation of data as GIS layer

£30,000 On approval of relevant phase of development

Commuted sum. Relates only to areas requiring investigation.

Award Drains upgrade and maintenance along Council drains

£14,400 Prior to commencement of development

Commuted sum

Uttons Drove repair and maintenance


Commuted sum

Award drains access for maintenance to sections of Longstanton Award drain


Balancing ponds access for maintenance

£31,500 Prior to commencement of balancing ponds

Commuted sum

Technical assistance regarding design calculations for flows along Longstanton watercourses


Governance Community endowment for public realm maintenance

£3,000,000 Trigger to be agreed.

Based on £2,000/home

Town Council establishment

£11,250 On commencement of development

Later phases to provide £63,750

Electoral support £11,250 On commencement of development

Later phases to provide £63,750

Town Sign and boards £7,500 On commencement of Phase 1 development

Community support and development

Officers including community development, children and family support, ecological clerk of works, sports development, youth, community energy, town centre manager

£750,000 revenue On first occupation of housing

Job descriptions and hours of working to be agreed. Funding for five years

Sports Sports hub £1,722,000

£60,000 revenue

On commencement of Phase 1 development

Specification and costs to be confirmed. Land are 6.17ha

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Multi-use games area adjacent to community centre

£400,000

£60,000 revenue

On commencement of Phase 1 development

Specification and costs to be confirmed

Dual use sports facility in secondary school

£525,000 revenue On completion of secondary school

Over five years to support early use of sports facilities in secondary school by community

Sustainability Community Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fund

£3,750,000

Waste Collection Site Clearance of Temporary and Permanent Recycling Facilities

£10,000 revenue On completion of Phase 1

Maintenance cost of £2,000 over five years

Provision of waste and recycling containers

£144,500 From first occupation Based on £69.50/property and £150/flat

Education 3FE Primary School Serviced site (of 3ha)

to be provided within Phase One development.

Capital contribution (of £11,170,201) towards construction cost.

School to be available for use prior to first occupation of Phase One residential development.

Primary School will also include other community facilities such as Early Years provision, Children’s Centre services, and child and health workers office space, as well as temporary Secondary School capacity.

Construction costs reflects school being built to BREEAM very good standards.

4FE Secondary School Capital contribution (total cost = £25,796,240) towards construction cost.

Revenue contribution towards costs of Community Sports facilities.

School to be available for use prior to 4 years following the first occupation.

School site is within Phase Two of Northstowe on HCA land.

Total cost of 4FE secondary school is £31,842,695, of which CCC will fund 2FE (£6,046,455).

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Land take is 14.1ha (12.22ha for 11-16 secondary school element plus 1.88ha for post-16 facility), which allows secondary school to eventually be built to 12FE for entire 10,000 dwelling site.

Construction costs reflects school being built to BREEAM very good standards.

Archaeology Storage facilities Revenue contribution

(of £10,000) towards costs associated with the future storage of archaeological material from Northstowe excavations.

On agreement to take archive into store

Public Archaeology Programme

Revenue costs (of £25,000) towards the delivery of interpretation, public events, and displays.

75% occupancy of Phase 1.

Management of Monuments

Capital (£10,000) and revenue (£1,500) contribution towards the future management of archaeological sites within the Phase One development.

On completion of Phase 1

Waste Management Household Recycling Centre (HRC)

1.25ha Site to be provided within Phase One development.

Trigger for provision of serviced site at nil cost is in Phase One.

Site currently identified within the employment area near to the Park and Ride site.

Capital contribution towards the cost of constructing the HRC (£190,395 from 1,500 dwellings).

End of Phase One

Total capital cost required from Northstowe Joint Promoters is £1,269,300 (total cost

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of HRC is £5m, which does not include cost of land).

No revenue contribution required.

Libraries and lifelong learning

Permanent Level 3 Library

Capital (£678,930) and Revenue (£329,400) contributions from Phase One towards the cost of constructing a permanent library to serve Northstowe.

Phase One contribution required at the end of Phase One (library accommodation to be operational when the population reaches 14,000 = 5,578 dwellings)

Permanent Level 3 Library will be provided in the town centre as part of future phases of Northstowe.

Contributions (Capital £678,930, and revenue £329,400) are 15% of total cost Capital = £4,526,200, Revenue = £2,196,000)

Interim Level 1 Library facilities

Capital (£279,331) and Revenue (£276,000) contributions towards the provision and operation of interim library facilities within community buildings in Phase One.

Interim library accommodation to be operational when the population reaches 3,000 (= 1,195 dwellings).

Capital contribution upon commencement.

Revenue contributions phased throughout development programme.

Preference is for interim library to be located within community hub.

Transport Cambridgeshire Guided Busway

Capital contribution (£14 million) towards CGB construction costs.

Upon commencement, and then phased throughout development programme.

To allow re-payment of CCC costs related to CGB construction.

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Revenue contribution (£535,000) towards operating costs of CGB services.

Prior to first occupation, and then throughout development programme.

To reflect additional demand for CGB services and pressures this will bring for existing services.

Public Transport Services

Revenue contribution (£2.1 million) to meet the additional costs associated with local bus service provision such as the extension of the Citi 5 service from Bar Hill.

Upon commencement, with phased payments throughout development programme.

Traffic Monitoring and Management Strategy

Capital (£60,000) and revenue contributions (£70,000) towards the monitoring of traffic flows upon the local network.

Capital contribution (£750,000) towards the implementation of traffic management measures at identified locations on the local network.

Capital contribution (to be determined) towards the construction of Willingham Bypass

Prior to commencement to allow for installation of monitoring equipment, and then phased throughout the development programme.

At Phased intervals throughout the development programme.

Prior to final occupation of the development.

To be managed by a Working Group comprising CCC / SCDC / Parish representatives.

Travel Plans Revenue contributions (£294,000 plus measures) towards the implementation and monitoring of

Prior to commencement and then phased throughout the development programme.

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Travel Plan measures.

Off-site Walk / Cycle Links

Capital contribution (£900,000) towards the construction of off-site walking and cycling schemes including the shared use path along the B1050 to Bar Hill.

Upon commencement.

Off-site Public Rights of Way

Capital contribution (£132,000) towards PROW improvements.

Phased during the development programme?

Public Transport Infrastructure

Capital contribution (£60,000) towards the installation of bus stops and shelters.

By first occupation.

Parking Management / Traffic Regulation Orders

Capital contribution (£25,000) to meet the costs associated with the making and implementation of required Traffic Regulation Orders

Upon commencement.

Covers parking restrictions, speed limit changes, Bus-only routes, and Cycle routes.

A14 / B1050 Bar Hill Interchange

Capital contribution (Value of works to be determined) towards the A14 Improvement Scheme or the implementation of the Bar Hill North Roundabout scheme.

By 750th occupation? Trigger to be agreed with the Highways Agency.

Construction Management Strategy

Revenue contribution (£294,000) to meet monitoring costs associated with construction activity.

Prior to commencement.

Community Transport Capital and Revenue contribution (£1,050,000) towards the costs of providing community transport services for the Phase One community.

Upon first occupation and then phased throughout the development programme.

Commuted sums for maintenance

Revenue contributions (to be determined) to meet future maintenance costs arising from specific transport measures such as

Prior to adoption of the specific piece of infrastructure.

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new signals or bus stops.

Other Provisions: Monitoring of HIA Unexploded Ordnance Remediation Strategy

Waste & Recycling Management Strategy (Replacement Costs/Monitoring)

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Appendix L – Exemplar List Development Framework Document (DFD) Exemplar List:

Phase 1 Outline Planning Application

Environment: Environment: 1

Building adaptation to the impacts of climate change – building design and construction, block layouts, landscaping, water management.

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at objective 2h). To be established and secured by the Design Code Condition including a strategic side wide strategy.

2

Efficient use of water resources including rain water conservation and potential waste water re-use, utilising new technologies where appropriate, aiming for grey water recycling as far as possible and in all non-domestic buildings, and aiming for domestic consumption of 80- litres/day. This means planning for large-scale infrastructure from the beginning to improve on a 33-50% reduction on mains water use compared with conventional housing where this is technically and financially practicable.

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at Objective 2d): Target of 99 litres/per/day to be met, representing a 33% improvement upon typical national water use figures. 33% to 50% reduction in water demand for commercial buildings over typical industry baseline figures.

Final target to be secured through the provision of a water conservation management strategy by way of condition. Furthermore, a water and energy strategy will be undertaken in parallel to the S106 and viability negotiations to inform the final target.

3

The provision of exemplar buildings in relation to renewable resources, energy efficiency and sustainable construction products and methods. This would include Life Time Homes, achieving Code for Sustainable Homes at Levels 4 to 6, or Passivhaus and increased sustainability across the development using a ‘fabric first’ approach with an exemplar level of

All residential buildings to be to minimum of code for sustainable homes (CFSH) level 4. All non-residential buildings to be built to minimum of BREEAM ‘Very Good’.

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passive standards and heat loss reduction through the improvement on U Values set out in Part L of the Building Regulations 2012. Provision for Co-housing and Self-Build dwellings should be made. Residents and landlords should be able to purchase a range of sustainable energy products to complement the home at the point of purchase, demonstrated in a show home with energy advisors available at each phase of the development. Community non-residential buildings (schools, sports hubs, waste centre) to achieve a minimum BREEAM standard of ‘Excellent’, all others (employment/retail) to achieve ‘Very Good’ with at least one achieving the ‘Outstanding’ standard post-2016. The development should achieve excellence in approach to the use of renewable energy by including pipe runs and considering heat loads from the outset where this is technically and financially practicable and viable.

Increased measures of the above standard to be explored in pockets subject to viability. Negotiations to take place as part of the on-going viability work to establish a site wide ‘fabric first’ approach to increase U-Values to all buildings beyond the current Part L Building Regulations to improve passive standards for thermal insulation. All affordable homes to be built to Life Time Homes standard with negation to take place with regard to market housing.

4

On and/or offsite renewable energy or very low carbon technologies (solar, biomass and wind) that exceeds the standard 10% on-site creation aiming for the target of 20%.

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at objective 2b). Based on the submitted Energy Statement, Phase 1 is predicted to generate up to about 15% of all its energy from low carbon/ renewable energy resources. Minimum of 10% on site energy generation from renewable energy to be secured by condition. In parallel with water and energy strategy methods for increasing generation through alternative off-site energy generation will be explored to be secured through a separate planning application(s).

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5 A reduction of carbon emissions aiming to exceed the planning policy requirement of a minimum of 10% below building regulation standards (NAAP 2007).

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at objective 2b). Phase 1 proposes a 31% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the standard referred to in Policy NE/3 To be secured by way of condition for a scheme to identify carbon reduction target.

6

Activating a sustainable construction methodology through the use of verifiably sustainable, potentially locally sourced materials, including recycled materials, and a Travel Plan for construction labour all contribute towards exemplar projects. The Construction Method statement process will include skills and training opportunities in a variety of techniques and trades, including in the building refurbishment and sustainable energy field, employing a local recruitment and apprenticeship policy. The developer should operate a ‘considerate contractor" scheme to achieve excellence in approach and employ the ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ model.

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at Objective 2g). The implementation of much of this criterion will be by house builders and other developers as well as by the provision of CFSH level 4 buildings. To be established as part of the Design Code and construction and waste management strategies to be secured by condition. In parallel with the planning process, workshops and strategies (Education & Economic Development)will be undertaken to identify sustainable construction methods and employment and educational opportunities.

7

Innovative design, provision and delivery of waste and recycling management, including the segregation, storage and collection of domestic and commercial waste and recycling materials, integrated into the street scene. On-site recycling and re-use facilities encouraging a sustainable lifestyle.

The provision of a Household Recycling Centre (HRC) integrated into the fabric of a new town and will help to ensure the high level of recycling in South Cambridgeshire is maintained, dealt with at source and will help to reduce vehicle movements outside of the town.

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To be secured by way of condition for suitable schemes to be delivered. The Design Code will establish principles in parallel with the proposed provision of a sustainable living engagement programme.

8

Site wide Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDs) to manage surface water drainage flow to mitigate flood risk and integration for irrigation and amenity where achievable.

Principles set out within application submission and endorsed by the Environment Agency with details to be agreed through the provision of surface water drainage scheme by way of condition.

9

The development of a low emission strategy (LES) relating primarily to a package of measures to help mitigate transport impact on local air quality and public health that applies both through the construction and occupation stages together with air quality monitoring in and around the development. Promote technology and/or infrastructure to mitigate impacts on local air quality, reduce carbon emissions by encouraging low emission / non-fossil fuelled transport and promote a modal shift away from car travel. The LES would complement other design and mitigation options such as travel planning and provision of public transport infrastructure.

Principles established within application submission to be established and secured by way of condition.

10

The provision of a public realm and block structure that provides walkable and convenient cycle access for all residents to local facilities, services and employment areas creating an environment for healthy living, and encouraging easy movement to facilities and services in surrounding villages.

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at Objective 3c) through provision of sports hub and Health Impact Assessment. Principles established within application submission as

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outlined within illustrative masterplan and Design and Access Statement and to be secured within the Design Code by way of condition.

11

Integration of CGB through the provision of a dedicated Busway serving as the primary public transport spine with early provision of local bus services to optimise access to employment and recreation uses offered by Cambridge and beyond.

Principles established through application document submission and to be secured through use of conditions.

12

Strong landscape and accessible green infrastructure that integrates amenity, recreation, drainage, biodiversity and food production through allotments, community orchards and gardens, and smallholder food growing, creating an environment for healthy living, and provided early in the development.

Principles established through application document submission (masterplan, design and access statement and supporting planning statement) and to be secured by the Design Code and landscape proposals for each Reserved Matters Application.

13

Northstowe will be an exemplar in its demonstrable use of latest technologies and where appropriate, emerging technologies. These include broadband cabling, eco-housing to minimise net energy consumption and space saving technologies. Travel time information will be provided in employment, community and public areas.

Commitment is given to ‘fibre to the home’ within the Strategic Utility Report. To be discussed and negotiated as part of the on-going viability and S106 negotiations in parallel with an economic development strategy.

Economic Economic: 14

An economic development strategy that identifies the Unique Selling Point (USP) and markets a clear enterprising and economic role for Northstowe, complementing regional initiatives, capitalising on its locational advantages and addressing the need for business support, local

Identified in the assessment of Objectives within the Sustainability Statement sets outs positive contributes to providing local employment opportunities.

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employment opportunities and skills training. Consideration will be given to the provision of an exemplar shared commercial space that can accommodate a range of business needs: accommodation, shared support services, training, advice, and sets a precedent in terms of the highest environmental standards.

To be established in parallel with an economic development strategy and workshops and secured through the use of conditions.

15

The facilitation of ultra-fast fibre cable to the home and business.

Commitment is given to ‘fibre to the home’ within the Strategic Utility Report. To be discussed and negotiated as part of the on-going viability and S106 negotiations in parallel with an economic development strategy.

Social Social: 16

Innovative approach to the architectural design and delivery of affordable homes and the private rental market, including a range of flexible house styles, tenure-types, live-work and self-build. Consideration will be given to selected plots being made available to independent developers to allow visual diversity to develop within an agreed Design Code to promote architectural identity. Quality is the mantra – whether that is design, building standards or environmental standards.

In parallel to planning process a housing strategy will be established in conjunction with workshops with parish forum. Design Code will establish place making through architectural design, building flexibility and adaptability including visual diversity.

17

The early delivery of essential community and social infrastructure e.g. schools, community centres, retail, health, road adoption, access to public transport, local centres and a ‘town centre’ in parallel with house building to promote social inclusiveness and create a sense of place with a multi-use High Street which is 24/7 in its vitality. Specialist and high achieving secondary education provision with community access to sports, arts and other facilities.

Community & Economic Development strategy to be established in parallel with planning process, including employment of a community development officer in addition to S106 and viability negotiation with regard to planning obligations toward community provisions.

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18

Excellence in our approach to the creation of high quality and healthy living environments for housing and residential layouts that are designed with the utmost regard for occupants’ comfort, health and wellbeing, function, resource consumption, easy storage for cycles and waste, play and good architecture - designing for flexible use and lifetime homes standard. Streets may aim to accommodate shared space where practicable. Building styles need to be distinctive and depict a character that will be defined by careful attention to the production of Design Codes.

To be established by the Design Code in parallel with input from workshops.

19

Community-based management and governance, established from early on to help foster a sense of ownership by the proposed new Town Council, and defining the boundaries of Northstowe to give it identity in its own right and as a neighbourly asset, by offering an attractive leisure, education, employment and shopping environment.

Identified within the submitted Sustainability Statement at objective 5h). Policy NS/27 of the NAAP requires management strategies to be submitted to SCDC for adoption prior to the grant of outline planning permission. To be established as part of community work through parallel community strategies and employment of community development officer.

20

Our approach to conceiving and building the new town will achieve excellence in generating a shared Vision, setting high aspirations, which it will meet or exceed. The Vision will underpin the ‘character’ of the place, its unique qualities and shared aspirations that will give Northstowe its individual and confident identity – well before the first approvals are issued or work gets underway. Exemplar status will as much be defined by the way that Northstowe is developed with a cohesive and practical phasing plan, embedded in the involvement of the local communities as community, public and private sectors together create the whole exemplar

To be established by the Design Code.

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town.

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\\ser01bas1uk.uk.wspgroup.com\Development\Northstowe, Phase 1, planning application\TEXT\REPORTS\Transport Reports\Post-Application\Tech Note 8

B1050 Access Design Principles\120813 Tech Note 8 B1050 Access Design Principles.docx Page 1

Northstowe, Phase 1

Technical Note 8 – B1050 Access Design Principles

Job Title Northstowe Phase 1Client Gallagher / HCA Project Number 11012988 Date 13 August 2012 Version Version 2 Author Neil Findlay - WSP UK Checked Kruti Desai – Terence O’Rourke Authorised Alan Joyner - Gallagher

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.1.1 Following submission of the Phase 1 planning application and associated Transport Assessment (TA) the consultation responses have included comments about the design of the access junctions and the performance of the B1050, particularly between the B1050 CGB crossing at Longstanton and the Station Road roundabout at the east end of the Longstanton Bypass.

1.1.2 The most notable concerns have been expressed by Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) and local council members, as well as other interested parties.

1.1.3 CCC have particularly commented on the detail of the layout and their comments are contained in Appendix A, which is an extract of their Transportation Comments – Final Version, dated 11 June 2012. In summary, their concerns relate to; the flow of traffic when Phase 1 is complete, the number of junctions, the links to the 80 units on the west side of the B1050 and highway design standards.

1.1.4 This Technical Note outlines the evolution of the access strategy and confirms the design principles used in the application.

1.2 EXISTING SITUATION AND DFD PRINCIPLES

1.2.1 The Northstowe Area Action Plan clearly establishes the principles of Northstowe and in particular the extension to the west of the B1050. This means that any design for the whole of Northstowe and, obviously, the first phase should acknowledge the final extent of the town. It is therefore seen as critical that any development in this area should be designed to embrace the whole area so that any later development to the west does not become a disjointed appendix to the town.

1.2.2 The submitted Development Framework Document (DFD) recognises these points and seeks to show the comprehensive development principles for Northstowe. The DFD has been endorsed by the Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee as a material consideration for all subsequent planning applications, subject to a number of revisions and consideration of other matters to be secured through the planning process or other delivery mechanisms. Confirmation is required of the proposed function and capacity of the B1050 in relation to future phases and for the potential diversion of the B1050 to accommodate the reserve land including a construction management strategy and site-wide cycle way links. However, the basis for the Phase 1 design of the B1050 accesses in accordance with the urban design proposals of the Framework Master Plan (DFD) and the Phase 1 illustrative master plan remains unchanged.

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1.2.3 The B1050 in the area of Phase 1 was originally a rural B road connecting separate communities. Over time there has been some development along the road frontage such that the road now has a semi-rural character. Recently the CGB crossing has been constructed along with the Park and Ride (P&R) associated with the Longstanton stop and there is a 40mph speed limit.

1.2.4 The somewhat fragmented changes along this length of road have resulted in a road of varying character. The carriageway has a rural appearance in places yet there are two sets of traffic signals. At the same time, although the speed limit is 40mph the semi-rural nature of the road does lead to some faster traffic.

1.2.5 The development of Northstowe provides the opportunity to address these issues whilst maintaining the status of the B1050 and providing access to Northstowe.

1.3 PHASE 1 PRINCIPLES

1.3.1 Given the need to ensure that the western extension area is an integral part of Northstowe it is essential that Phase 1 is constructed so that it can seamlessly extend west in the future. This means that the B1050 corridor has to be designed in a suitable manner from the commencement of Northstowe. Furthermore, in order to establish this principle there should be some early development to the west or this complementary approach will not be established.

1.3.2 An essential element to Phase 1 is the early provision of a viable local centre. Historically it has been shown that if these are located in the centre of new development areas, which admittedly is a reasonable approach for a fully developed scheme, they can remain isolated and unviable for many years. Indeed the lack of any facilities can result in a poor perception particularly in the early years when sales, occupation and growth are essential. The best way to immediately make a local centre attractive is to provide it with passing trade. This means that a local shop can commence and other facilities might follow on shortly afterwards.

1.3.3 For these reasons it was decided to locate the first Northstowe local centre near the B1050 and for it to be visible. With this location one can expect a little more activity from passing vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. The urban design principles for this area are shown on page 47 of the Design and Access Statement which is attached as Appendix B. This shows that the local centre is set back from the B1050 around a square which makes it visible from the B1050. At the same time there is building frontage along the west side of the B1050 which encloses the square and ensures that there is activity along the road, although there would be no direct vehicle access to these properties which could compromise traffic flow along the B1050.

1.3.4 It follows that the associated road and transport facilities should accommodate these requirements. Indeed the provision of good facilities for non motorised users (NMU) is considered essential so that alternative travel modes are used and encouraged wherever possible. For example this could be adults and children walking to the local centre or people walking between the local centre and the CGB stop.

1.3.5 All these uses, including integration with the west side of the B1050, means that the design of accesses and NMU routes around the B1050 should be a more urban character. Indeed, as the design of the internal roads for Northstowe will follow Manual for Streets (MfS) principles and CCC’s Design Guide, the design of the B1050 is exactly the sort of road anticipated by Manual for Streets 2 (MfS2). It will remain an important through route for vehicles but should also become a road which can be shared by other users. It follows that any design should adopt the principles of MfS2.

1.4 EVOLUTION OF ACCESS DESIGN

1.4.1 Having established the above principles the means of access and form of junctions was considered in detail with the urban designers. It was first established that the use of roundabouts was

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inappropriate for a design which sought to be more urban, encourage NMU activity and ensure that there are good early and long term connections to the west. Indeed the recent changes to the B1050 reinforce these design principles. The Longstanton Western Bypass is a new derestricted rural single carriageway. It commences in the south with a rural roundabout, has an intermediate roundabout along the derestricted length and then terminates at a roundabout which has a 40mph speed limit.

1.4.2 At this point the B1050 passes through the area of interest described above and notably there are two existing sets of traffic signals (at the P&R and CGB crossing). This means that the B1050 already has the firmly established principles of a faster rural road with roundabouts and a slower road with signal junctions. It naturally follows that any design along this slower road should continue this developing principle, with appropriate land uses along the road frontage and more urban junction designs.

1.4.3 According to MfS2, junctions should begin to be designed to accommodate the necessary mix of road users. These could be with the use of priority junctions, shared surfaces and formal or informal pedestrian and cycle facilities. The use of traffic signals is also considered appropriate where higher volumes of road traffic need to be accommodated with a mix of NMUs.

1.5 FINAL DESIGN

1.5.1 The design process can be summarised by moving along the B1050 from the south, at the end of the Longstanton Bypass, to the north at the P&R access. The attached drawing 2951/SK017A shows the main highway features. These will be reinforced by suitable urban design features which are not shown on the attached drawing as they can obscure the key highway points.

1.5.2 As described above, the Bypass terminates at a roundabout which has a 40mph speed limit. The B1050 then turns sharply to the left at Crabtree Corner. The exit from the roundabout affords a perfect opportunity as a start to Northstowe and the Phase 1 development. As vehicle speeds have been slowed already, the 30mph speed limit can be introduced and this can be reinforced with a Northstowe gateway feature.

1.5.3 Having taken the opportunity to announce Northstowe it is reasonable to expect development to occur on both sides of the road. This means that development on the west side of the B1050 is not alien to this area. At this stage the Phase 1 proposal is only for 80 units and so access can be achieved with the simplest form of junction, namely a simple priority junction. The performance of this junction has been tested in the TA and has been shown to operate with no delays to the B1050, although there will be an occasional obstruction to southbound traffic when a southbound car wishes to enter the site and is momentarily delayed by an opposing vehicle.

1.5.4 There is then the first of three NMU crossings of the B1050. This first crossing is in the form of a standalone toucan crossing. It lies directly on a main NMU corridor which passes through the southeast part of Phase 1 and into the site on the west side of the B1050.

1.5.5 The next key features are the main accesses to the eastern site. These are in the form of two relatively simple traffic signal junctions which use the local centre square to distribute traffic. Initially this junction was designed as a conventional single traffic signal junction. As a result of the traffic demand and the need to accommodate all turning movements and provide suitable NMU crossing points this junction became larger requiring central islands and multiple lanes. The NMU crossings were then best accommodated by splitting the crossings into two halves meaning that people would need to wait in the centre of the road. This in term led to junctions with high cycle times meaning that pedestrians had to wait for lengthy periods to cross each section of the road. In addition there would need to be a large amount of street furniture and road markings to control all these features.

1.5.6 Splitting the junction into two smaller junctions, which would operate in a linked manner, resulted in much simpler junctions. Generally only single lanes were needed, pedestrians could cross in one movement and the cycle times were significantly reduced, meaning that delays for NMUs and vehicles

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were all reduced. Two separate NMU crossings can then be provided at each side of the local centre square and the need for complex signing and wide central islands was reduced. The result was a much more compact and user friendly junction where all traffic generally moves forward in single lanes. It also enables the junction to be designed integrally with the local centre resulting in a complete urban square for the local centre, which has a busy single side to it but not a design which dominates the whole area.

1.5.7 It is acknowledged that the form of junction does involve some banned turns, however this is not considered a problem for the following reasons. First the signing would be clear and indicate the routes into and out of the development. Second the junctions can almost be considered as one junction, similar to more urban situations and so the scope for any confusion is reduced. As an extreme situation, if people do initially miss the appropriate access then it is possible for this to be corrected easily. If travelling northbound the later access to the employment area can be used as it will be signed to Northstowe. For southbound there is an easy U turn manoeuvre at the Bypass roundabout.

1.5.8 Moving north from the local centre there is a final junction which serves the employment area, including the waste recycling facility. This area will have more frequent larger vehicles, including waste vehicles. These are clearly less attractive and can be kept separate from the local centre which needs to develop early as an attractive destination. In order to accommodate the predicted number of vehicles and the larger sizes this junction is in the form of a ghost island priority junction. As demonstrated in the TA this form of junction can accommodate the design flows and the ghost island avoids any delays to northbound traffic of the B1050.

1.5.9 This is the last access to Northstowe and the P&R access is approximately 100m further north.

1.5.10 As indicated above the design of the corridor should follow the principles of MfS2, although the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) does still provide some supporting guidance. The current layout drawing, as shown on drawing 2951/SK017A, is not a detailed design at this stage although it does set out the basic standards to be achieved. MfS and MfS2 provide guidance on visibility requirements, suggesting that for 30mph speed limits the 85%ile speed can be 37mph which would require 59m visibility distances. These visibilities are shown on drawing2951/SK017A and it can be seen that all visibilities can be achieved throughout the design.

1.5.11 Comments have been made that improved pedestrian and cycle facilities should be provided along the B1050, particularly between Longstanton and the P&R. These have been allowed for in the Phase 1 design but were not specifically shown in the planning submission. The attached drawing 2951/SK017A shows that these can be provided along the whole site frontage. They can also be extended in the public highway by CCC beyond the site, possibly with a s106 contribution.

1.5.12 It is recognised that there is a general perception that this access strategy would result in delays along the B1050. The TA analysis shows that this would not be the case. It should also be recognised that the B1050 is generally only subject to peak flows for about an hour in the morning and evening. At other times of the day the flows are relatively low compared to the peak hour spikes. The analysis in the TA is not straight forward for non-specialists to understand, particularly given the linked nature of the proposals along the B1050. As a result a microsimulation model has been produced and this provides a visual demonstration of the performance of the B1050.

1.6 CCC ISSUES

1.6.1 Appendix A contains a summary of CCC’s concerns and these are addressed as follows.

1.6.2 CCC consider that four junctions are unnecessary, creating safety and congestion problems. It is agreed that the number of junctions could be reduced if the layout and urban design principles for Northstowe are ignored. However, it is inappropriate to consider junction design in isolation from the sense of place which is trying to be created.

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1.6.3 As a very general rule of thumb more junctions can mean more accidents but this does not necessarily apply if junctions are designed as part of a comprehensive scheme. For example isolated inappropriate junctions which respond to the vehicle conditions but ignore the overall design principles can be more of a problem as two competing design features are placed next to each other. A comprehensive design which incorporates urban design principles as well as traffic requirements can provide a safer overall design as motorists and NMUs can expect the same conditions throughout a length of design.

1.6.4 Specifically CCC suggest removing the southern junction into the west development area. This can be done by either removing the development altogether or incorporating it into a single junction with the east side. As outlined above, the proposed design has sought to be as inclusive as possible and to clearly establish this length of the B1050 as part of the first phase of Northstowe. This is best achieved by creating the more urban gateway at the south which is reinforced by development on both sides of the road.

1.6.5 From the TA analysis it has been established that there should be no capacity problems at the junction and any obstruction by southbound right turning traffic will be very short. It has also been demonstrated that visibility is suitable for this design of road and hence there should be no safety problems. Indeed if the design strategy was to be amended, as suggested by CCC, then this could give rise to some problems. A reduced number of junctions combined with an initial phase to one side of the road would only prolong the semi-rural nature of the road and possibly higher speeds.

1.6.6 CCC suggest that the east and west development areas can be served by a single roundabout with a ‘landmark’ feature. This form of junction could almost certainly be able to accommodate the forecast traffic flows and is a suitable highway capacity design solution. However, as explained, this area does need to establish immediately the aspirations and design features for the whole of Northstowe. Any junction solution needs to respond to these requirements and be able to be incorporated in both the immediate layout and the eventual arrangements for Northstowe.

1.6.7 Although effective as traffic control features roundabouts cover a significant area of land and the circular nature of the junction means that any urban design alongside becomes more difficult to incorporate into the overall fabric of the site. There are also a number of signs and markings which need to be accommodated. Essentially there is a large sterilised circle within the development. It is also notoriously difficult to incorporate pedestrian and cycle facilities into roundabouts. By omitting the early development on the west side of the B1050 presumably CCC seek to remove this early conflict. However, there is still a desire to provide a pedestrian / cycleway alongside the B1050 between Longstanton and the P&R and this will need to cross the busy single access into the site. Conventionally this might be achieved by either signalising the whole roundabout or diverting the pedestrian route away from the roundabout and then providing a signalised crossing off the desire line. The former approach would result in a traffic signal junction which CCC are seeking to avoid and the latter design tends not to be very efficient. Pedestrians and cyclists are reluctant to divert from the desire line and are tempted to cross at the roundabout and an independent pelican or toucan crossing can have an adverse impact on capacity.

1.6.8 It is also very difficult to come back later and change the form of a roundabout junction, particularly with its relationship to the adjoining development. It is therefore considered that a roundabout solution only provides a traffic solution to the entrance design. It does not provide the excellent NMU facilities which are being sought, it uses a large and difficult space to design around and is inflexible with regard to any future changes.

1.6.9 It is noted that CCC accept the provision of the secondary employment access to the main east site.

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1.7 CONCLUSIONS

1.7.1 The access strategy for the B1050 has evolved over some time and has been designed to have the following attributes:

! Accommodate the forecast traffic flows,

! Be an integral part of both the Phase 1 and final design for Northstowe,

! Provide excellent NMU facilities both along and across the B1050,

! Ensure the early viability of Northstowe and the first local centre,

! Require the minimum of extraneous traffic equipment and unsightly clutter,

! Be flexible to accommodate change as the site develops both to the east and west.

1.7.2 It is possible to provide a different design solution which addresses just the initial local traffic demands but this would then be inflexible and inhibit the evolution of Northstowe as an attractive and sustainable new development.

1.7.3 The performance of the B1050 access strategy has been demonstrated in the TA. The operation of the B1050 can also be seen in a microsimulation model produced by WSP.

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Drawing No. 2951/SK/017

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WSP Group plcc

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Appendix A Extract from CCC Transportation Comments, 11 June 2012.

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Extract from Page 17 to 19

Vehicular access to the Phase One development is proposed only from the B1050. This section of the B1050 is relatively narrow, contains a sharp bend (with a number of accidents having been recorded at this site), and has a number of minor accesses to private properties. It carries a high traffic flow for a rural B Class road, connecting Willingham, Earith and a number of smaller communities to the North with the A14.

The objective for Phase One is to provide a safe access to the development that does not compromise the role of the B1050 as a distributor road serving a wide rural area.

The Phase One transport strategy proposes that:

! Minor realignment of the B1050 will be undertaken, but it will remain broadly on the existing alignment.

! Four junctions will be built to provide access to the Phase One site.

! The speed limit on the B1050 will be reduced to 30 mph.

! A shared use footway / cycleway will be provided along this section of the B1050.

Given the need to access the site from this section of the B1050, it is inevitable that the existing road will need to be re-aligned to some extent. It is also logical, given the intensification of use and a likely increase in pedestrian and cycle activity, that the speed limit is reduced to 30 mph, and pedestrian and cycle facilities be improved. These elements of the proposed access strategy are supported.

However, it is considered that the provision of four new junctions on this section of the B1050 is unnecessary, and will potentially create safety and congestion problems. The four junctions that are proposed are summarised in the following table, along with comments and recommendations from the County Council:

NORTHSTOWE PHASE ONE PLANNING APPLICATION

TRANSPORTATION COMMENTS – FINAL VERSION

PREPARED BY: CCC GROWTH, TRANSPORT & ECONOMY TEAM

AUTHOR: JOHN SEDDON

DATE: 11TH JUNE 2012

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Junction Comments Recommendations

One – priority junction (no right turn lane) to provide access to the 80 dwellings proposed to the West of the B1050

This junction is very close (around 25 metres) to the Roundabout at the Northern end of the Longstanton Bypass. Traffic from B1050 North turning into the site would block traffic on the main road, potentially causing queuing back through the main site access junction. Limited visibility for traffic exiting the minor arm of the junction would cause potential safety problem – insufficient time to react to traffic emerging from the roundabout or from the site access.

Delete this junction proposal.

Either drop development on this side of the B1050 (until a future phase of the Northstowe Development) or incorporate access with the main site access (Junction Two).

Two – signalised junction providing access to the Phase One site (restricted to traffic coming to / from the B1050 South).

The location of signals on a bend can cause problems with forward visibility and result in shunting accidents as traffic reaches the end of the queue. Careful design would be required to mitigate these risks. Split junctions (traffic from north using one, traffic from south using another) can cause unnecessary mileage (people miss the right junction so have to go the “wrong” way and U-turn at another junction) and safety problems (people try and complete the banned turn once they realise their mistake).

Replace this proposed layout with a roundabout (which could replace Junctions One and Three as well) providing the main access to the site, giving greater opportunity for a “landmark” entry (artwork on roundabout etc.), and minimising street furniture (one set of signs, no signal poles instead of two sets etc.).

Roundabout also removes the safety problems of vehicles failing to negotiate the bend – signals would not totally obviate this.

Three – signalised junction providing access to the Phase

Same comments over split junctions as above.

Delete this junction and merge with the proposed roundabout

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One site (restricted to traffic coming to / from the B1050 North).

Gives two sets of signals for B1050 straight through traffic to negotiate – more scope for slower journeys.

at Junction Two.

Four – priority junction with right turn lane at North end of site. Provides access to employment site and HRC.

There is scope for one junction between the main site access at the bend and the Park and Ride site. Ideally, design to fit with the access to the industrial site opposite.

Retain this as the secondary access to the site, and the primary access to the employment and for service vehicles for the local centre. With appropriate treatment, could permit access to the main site beyond the employment to give an alternative to the main access.

The provision of four site access points on the B1050 for the Phase One development is not favoured for traffic management and safety reasons. A maximum of two site access junctions should be permitted – one at the existing bend, and one between this bend and the Park and Ride signals. Preferred junction layouts are discussed in the table above.

In transport terms, there is no logic to the proposal to construct 80 dwellings on the opposite side of the B1050 from the main development. Whilst there may be other reasons for promoting this aspect of the development, in transport terms it simply creates a small pocket of development with significant severance problems from the main development – needing to cross a busy road to reach the local centre, the primary school and the recreation areas. As future phases of the Northstowe development propose a much larger development to the West of the B1050, it is recommended that the 80 dwellings be dropped from Phase One and incorporated into that future Phase, thereby eliminating severance issues and providing the opportunity to properly consider the layout of this phase, including the alignment of the B1050.

It is recommended that the proposed 80 dwellings to the west of the B1050 be dropped from Phase One to avoid the creation of significant severance issue for the residents.

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Appendix B Page 47 of Design and Access Statement

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