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All councils in the UK must produce local plans for new homes in their area to identify and keep up-to-date a deliverable five year housing land supply. This is conducted under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
In its Local Plan, South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) has identified Bourn Airfield (along with West Cambourne, Waterbeach and Northstowe) as a strategic development area. It has proposed the site for the development of 3,500 new homes. The Bourn Airfield Development (BAD) is strongly opposed by local residents from Bourn, Caldecote and the other surrounding villages. This is not a case of "Not In My Back Yard". We have significant concerns about the sustainability of the site which are outlined below. Put simply, this development is in the wrong place. |
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The following summaries outline the key objections and provide links to the full analyses. To download our full submission see below.
| stopbad_submission_final_11th_october_2013b_copy.pdf |
The objections
Employment
There is currently insufficient local employment for the majority of Cambourne residents to work nearby and this shortage would persist were the proposed Bourn Airfield development to proceed. The major centres of employment are located in Cambridge City itself and to its north and south, and are forecast to remain so to 2031. The majority of Bourn Airfield residents would therefore need to commute to Cambridge and beyond.
See here for the full submission on Employment matters.
See here for the full submission on Employment matters.
Transport
The area around Bourn has limited public transport links. This results in 75% of residents at present relying on the private car for commuting. Local car traffic has increased substantially over the last 10 years resulting in a road infrastructure that is already at capacity. The Highways Agency estimates that a new development of 3,500 houses at Bourn Airfield could result in an additional 29,750 daily trips using SCATP trip rates.13 The West Cambourne development would add a further 19,125 trips based on the same SCATP rates. With limited scope to increase the capacity of the local road network a new development of this size in the area is unsustainable.
See here for the full submission on Transport matters.
See here for the full submission on Transport matters.
Site Capacity
The Local Plan proposes 3,500 houses to be built on Bourn Airfield, a figure originally proposed by the developer. The site is too small to accommodate this many houses at a density that is compatible with the council's own policies on housing density for new
developments in rural areas. The council appear to have made significant mistakes in their calculation of the site’s capacity.
See here for the full submission on Site Capacity matters.
developments in rural areas. The council appear to have made significant mistakes in their calculation of the site’s capacity.
See here for the full submission on Site Capacity matters.
Rural Character
The Bourn Airfield and West Cambourne developments would, in combination with the existing settlements of Cambourne, Caldecote, Bourn and Hardwick, result in a swathe of urban development stretching for almost 5 miles alongside the A428. Distance between these settlements is insufficient to prevent coalescence of the new development with existing settlements, and, combined with the large growth in population that will result, this would irrevocably harm the rural character of the area.
See here for the full submission on Rural Character matters.
See here for the full submission on Rural Character matters.
Failure to Comply with Planning Guidance
The preparation of the Local Plan deviated in important ways from the Government’s Practice Guidance for the production of the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment. The District Council was not proactive in identifying sites, and took a passive role in estimating site capacities. Furthermore, the means by which site capacities were calculated for larger sites were not made publicly available, undermining the transparency of the planning process. The Duty to Cooperate with other public bodies has not taken place with local authorities in Hertfordshire and Essex, or with the Highways Agency.
See here for the full submission on Failure to Comply with Planning Guidance matters.
See here for the full submission on Failure to Comply with Planning Guidance matters.
Consideration of Alternative Sites
The proposed development at Bourn Airfield should be withdrawn from the local plan. Alternatives include the new settlement at Waterbeach, which offers a more sustainable development with HQPT links to the major employment centres, or several sites around the southern edge of Cambridge City itself, whose location is more closely aligned with that of the new employment growth in the county.
See here for the full submission on Alternative Sites matters.
See here for the full submission on Alternative Sites matters.