Purpose

The purpose of this decision is to consider the latest
version of the Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning
Document (SPD) and for it to proceed to consultation in August 2025. The aim of
the Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations SPD is to provide guidance on how both
Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council seek to apply
planning obligations, through the Section 106 process, to new development
proposals. It will supplement both Policies 85 and TI/8 of the South
Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018: Infrastructure
delivery, planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy; and Infrastructure and New Developments
respectively. The SPD will also complement other policies within the adopted
development plans that seek to mitigate the negative impacts of development or
secure infrastructure necessary to support the needs generated by proposed
developments.

 

The Councils had previously consulted on a draft version of
the Planning Obligations SPD in November 2024. The results of the consultation
were taken to South
Cambridgeshire District Council Cabinet meeting and the Cambridge
City Council Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee meeting in March 2025.
It was agreed that, subject to draft Planning Obligations SPD providing
additional evidence and a decision being made by the Lead Cabinet Member
for Planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council and the Cabinet
Member for Planning and Transport at Cambridge City Council on the revisions
made to the SPD, that the SPD could then proceed to an additional round of
public consultation in summer 2025.

 

It was considered by the councils to not hold a
re-consultation and only consider comments received during the first
consultation and then proceed with adoption. However, further consultation
ensures that the scope of legal challenge on the adoption and application of
the SPD is reduced.

 

The councils also considered not progressing with the draft
Planning Obligations SPD and continuing to use the Cambridge City Council
Planning Obligations Stategy (2010) and parts of the South Cambridge Open Space
in New Development SPD (2009) when securing planning obligations.

 

Content

The Cabinet Member agreed:

 

a.   
That the Draft Planning Obligations
Supplementary Planning Document (Appendix 1 of this decision) and accompanying
Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) (Appendix 2) can proceed to a
re-consultation commencing August 2025.

 

b.   
That the preparation of materials and the
management of the consultation be delegated to the Joint Director of Planning.