The Joint Development Control Committee of Cambridge Council met on Wednesday, 19 June 2024, to discuss several significant planning applications and updates. The committee approved the reserved matters application for 136 residential units at Land North of Cherry Hinton, Coldham's Lane, Cambridge, and the discharge of condition 29 for the West Anglia Main Line Land adjacent to Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The committee also received pre-application presentations for developments at Cambridge Science Park, land north of Newmarket Road, and Cambridge Biomedical Campus Phase 2.

23/03347/REM - Land North of Cherry Hinton, Coldham's Lane, Cambridge

The committee approved the reserved matters application for the appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale of 136 residential units, along with associated car parking, cycle parking, and landscaping. The application included details for the partial discharge of conditions on the outline consent. Key points discussed included:

• Active Travel England raised no objections following clarifications.
• Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Team had no objections after clarifications regarding bin collection points.
• Nationally Described Space Standards (NDSS): All homes met or exceeded the NDSS except for one unit, which was deemed acceptable by officers.
• Design Code Compliance: Despite some units not meeting the minimum back-to-back distances, the layout was carefully designed to avoid direct overlooking.

David Fletcher of Bellway Latimer LLP supported the application, and the committee resolved (11 votes to 1) to approve the application subject to conditions and informatives.

21/02957/COND29A & 21/03035/COND29 - West Anglia Main Line Land Adjacent to Cambridge Biomedical Campus

The committee approved the discharge of condition 29 (Hard and Soft Landscape) of the deemed planning consent associated with the Network Rail (Cambridge South Infrastructure Enhancements) Order 2022. Key points discussed included:

• Landscape Maintenance: The applicant assured that maintenance and litter picking standards negated the need for additional mesh behind the Corten railing.
• Electric Scooter Parking: The applicant did not provide space for electric scooter parking due to space constraints and safety concerns.

Elliot Stamp of Network Rail supported the application, and the committee resolved unanimously to approve the discharge of condition 29.

Pre-Application Presentations

Cambridge Science Park

The committee received a pre-application presentation for the development at Cambridge Science Park. Members raised several points, including:

• Year-Round Accessibility: Ensuring open spaces are usable throughout the year.
• Cycle and Pedestrian Safety: Implementing traffic calming measures and segregated routes.
• Sustainability: Concerns about the heat management plan and the maintenance of green walls.

Land North of Newmarket Road, Cambridge

The committee received a pre-application presentation for the development of land north of Newmarket Road. Key points included:

• Building Access: How customers and service vehicles would approach and park.
• Green Wall Maintenance: Ensuring the sustainability of green walls.

Cambridge Biomedical Campus Phase 2

The committee received a pre-application presentation for Phase 2 of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Key points included:

• Ownership and NHS Involvement: Clarifying the ownership of buildings and NHS involvement.
• Safety and Sustainability: Ensuring the safety of staff and the sustainability of materials used.

For more details, you can refer to the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.