In summer 2012 South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) held the first consultation on its proposals for the Local Development Plan, which will set out how land in South Cambridgeshire is to be developed from now to 2031. SCDC has now unveiled more house building plans which is to be open to public consultation starting on 7 January 2013 through to 18th February 2013.
The response to the SCDC Issues and Options consultation that took place over the summer was phenomenal with a total of 20,100 comments received. The turnout by Caldecote residents at the exhibition that took place at the Pavilion, was impressive, and was the best turnout of all the exhibitions. Some of the findings and results from that consultation are now being looked at in this second round of consultations, called Issues and Options 2, which will be carried out much in the same manner as the summer consultation.
The Issues & Options 2 consultation is split into two parts:
Part 1 – Joint consultation with Cambridge City Council
This considers options for the most appropriate development strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, site options for housing and employment on land on the edge of Cambridge currently in the Green Belt, and options for sub-regional sporting, cultural and community facilities including site options for a community stadium.
Part 2 – South Cambridgeshire Further Site Options
This considers additional new site options for development and possible changes to village frameworks and designations to protect village character. It also includes proposals put forward by parish councils that we are testing for them.
What does this mean for Caldecote Ward?
It is widely acknowledged that a lot of the employment opportunities are in or immediately adjacent to Cambridge City, which is why both SCDC and the City Council are carrying out a joint consultation to look at development opportunities on the edge of Cambridge. You can read more about this in the Issues and Options 2 Report- Part 1.
However, Part 2 of the consultation is more pertinent to our villages, for the following reasons:
- a set of ten (10) new sites have been as having potential for development, including Bennell Farm in Comberton, which straddles Toft Parish and with potential for 115 houses.
- In addition, land at Bourn Airfield, specifically the former TKA site, is being considered for alternative types of employment use to address the long standing noise issues associated with current use class and is in addition to the proposed 3000 housing option for the airfield site.
- Caldecote and Toft have potential green spaces/recreation grounds to be designated for protection.
- There is a proposal to remove the Comberton Village College buildings from Toft Parish and include in the village framework of Comberton.
These are issues that will affect all our villages in one way or another, and have therefore been highlighted. You can get the full details in the Issues and Options 2 Report- Part 2 .
How to Have Your Say
This second consultation will take place for 6 weeks between 7 January to 18 February 2013. You can make your comments in a number of ways:
- The SCDC preferred method is the online consultation system
- You can also complete the consultation response form which you can download either as a pdf document or as a word document, complete and email back to SCDC.
- You can email your comments to ldf@scambs.gov.uk
- Complete the questionnaire leaflet and send back to SCDC
- Write to: Planning Policy, South Cambridgeshire District Council, South Cambridgeshire Hall, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 6EA.
All our communities will be affected in one way or another so please make sure that you send in your views again so that your voices can be heard. Anyone who wants a hard copy of any of the response forms or the questionnaire leaflet should contact me and I will arrange to have it sent to you.
Public Exhibitions
The Council is holding a number of exhibitions in January 2013 to provide an opportunity for people to come and meet officers and find out more about the public consultation.
Some of these exhibitions will be jointly hosted with Cambridge City Council and will consider issues that are of interest to both councils. These are marked with an asterix* in the list below. The rest of the exhibitions cover South Cambridgeshire specific local issues subject to public consultation.
All the exhibitions are in January between 2.30pm and 7.30pm (unless otherwise stated). They are at the following venues:
- 7th – Grantchester Village Hall, High Street *
- 9th – Fulbourn – The Swifts, Haggis Gap *
- 10th – Cambourne – The Hub, High Street *
- 12th – Trumpington Village Hall, High Street (12-4pm) *
- 14th – Melbourn Village College, The Moor
- 15th – Waterbeach – Salvation Army Hall, Station Road
- 16th – GreatShelford Memorial Hall, Woollards Lane *
- 18th – NorthCambridge – Meadows Community Centre, St Catharine’s Road *
- 21st – Sawston – Spicers Pavilion, Cambridge Road
- 22nd – Histon & Impington Recreation Ground, New Road *
- 23rd – Comberton Village Hall, Green End
- 24th – Haslingfield – Methodist Church, High Street
- 31st – Cottenham – Village College Main Hall, High Street (2.30-9pm)
The exhibition at Cambourne and Comberton will be the most convenient for residents of our villages, so do attend if you are able to do so.