Joint planning arrangements for Northstowe and the major growth sites on Cambridge's fringes

Introduction

In late 2007 the three local authorities responsible for planning major growth around Cambridge decided to work more formally in partnership by creating two Joint Development Control Committees to determine the planning applications for the major growth sites. These Joint Committees, detailed below, were set up under the provisions of Section 101(5) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The principal adviser and lead director for both Joint Development Control Committees is the Director of Joint Planning, Peter Studdert.

Cambridge Fringes Joint Development Control Committee

The Committee comprises six Members each from Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council and four Members from Cambridgeshire County Council.

Councillor Alan Baker

The Chair of the Committee for 2008/9 is City Councillor Alan Baker.

The Committee is responsible for determining major planning applications in the Southern Fringe, North West Cambridge, North East Cambridge and East Cambridge.

Map showing the approximate development areas covered by the Cambridge Fringes Joint Development Control Committee

Map showing Cambridge major development areas in orange Map Courtesy of Cambridgeshire Horizons

NOTE: Cambridge University Northwest Cambridge site - the precise development footprint is still to be determined through the Northwest Cambridge Area Action Plan.

A voting protocol has been agreed between the three authorities whereby Council Members of South Cambridgeshire District Council do not vote on applications on the Clay Farm and Bell School sites in the Southern Fringe, as they fall wholly within Cambridge City Council's boundary.

The Cambridge Fringes Joint Development Control Committee (This link will open in a new window) is administered by Cambridge City Council.

Support Officer: Glen Burgess
Cambridge City Council.
The Guildhall
Cambridge
CB2 3QJ
Phone: 01223 457169
Email: glen.burgess@cambridge.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)

Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee

The Committee comprises six Members from South Cambridgeshire District Council and four Members from Cambridgeshire County Council.

Councillor Tim Wotherspoon

The Chair of the Committee is Cllr Tim Wotherspoon (South Cambs District Councillor).

The Committee is responsible for determining the planning application for Northstowe New Town.

The Northstowe Joint Development Control Committee (This link will open in a new window) is administered by South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Support Officer: Ian Senior
South Cambridgeshire District Council.
South Cambridgeshire Hall
Cambourne Business Park
Cambourne, Cambridge
CB23 6EA
Phone: 03450 450 500
Email: ian.senior@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)

Director of Joint Planning (Cambridge's Growth Areas and Northstowe)

Peter Studdert

Peter Studdert was appointed Director of Joint Planning in October 2007. He had previously been Director for Sustainable Communities at Cambridgeshire Horizons from 2004-2007, and prior to that had been Director of Environment and Planning at Cambridge City Council since 1991.

Peter is an architect and town planner by training. He serves on the Regional Committee and the Planning Advisory Committee of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, and is also a member of English Heritage's Advisory Committee.

He is employed by Cambridgeshire County Council and is seconded to South Cambridgeshire District Council where his office is based. He reports equally to the Chief Executives of South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council and the Deputy Chief Executive of Environment and Community Services of Cambridgeshire County Council. He leads multi-disciplinary teams drawn from the three local authorities working on the major growth sites, and leads negotiations with the developers who have submitted planning applications on these sites, making recommendations to the two Joint Development Control Committees.

The joint planning work is co-ordinated at meetings of the Major Developments Management Team which meets monthly and comprises the following officers:

Peter Studdert, Director of Joint Planning (Chair)
Jane Green, Major Developments Manager, South Cambridgeshire District Council
Sharon Brown, Major Developments Manager, Cambridge City Council
Joseph Whelan, Head of New Communities Cambridgeshire County Council
David Atkinson, County Development, Minerals & Waste Planning Manager, Cambridgeshire County Council
Glen Richardson, Head of Joint Urban Design Team, City and South Cambridgeshire District Councils
Geoff Bruce or Sheryl French (alternating): Major Sites Delivery Managers, Cambridgeshire Horizons

Director of Joint Planning: Peter Studdert
South Cambridgeshire District Council
South Cambridgeshire Hall
Cambourne Business Park
Cambourne, Cambridge
CB23 6EA
Phone: 01954 713386
Email: peter.studdert@scambs.gov.uk (This link will open in a new window)

Personal Assistant: Heather Adams
Phone: 01954 713430
Email: heather.adams@scambs.gov.uk