Planning Policy Monthly Update (May 2013)

Highlights news items relevant to planning policy at national, regional, county and local levels.

Please note that we can only be responsible for our own programmes. Information from other organisations is the latest and most up to date given to us.

South Cambridgeshire Local Plan News

The Local Plan News lists opportunities for you to get involved in future plan making in South Cambridgeshire and reports progress on past consultations.

Cambridgeshire County Council News

Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire County Council is preparing a new Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire in parallel with the South Cambridgeshire and the Cambridge Local Plans. A draft of this new transport strategy is expected in Summer 2013 and public consultation on this draft strategy will be undertaken at that time. For more information please visit Cambridgeshire County Council's Transport Strategy website.

National News

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations - Further Reforms

An additional consultation was started in April 2013 on regulatory reforms that the Government is proposing on CIL. This consultation 'Community Infrastructure Levy Further Reforms' closes on 28 May 2013. One of the suggestions in this reform is to introduce relief from CIL for self-build homes – the Government wants to encourage people to build their own homes and if they do they will be exempt from having to pay CIL.

Highway Agency and A14 Widening

The Highway Agency made a press announcement on 10 April about the A14.

A14 westbound junctions 32-31

An additional lane will be added on the A14 Histon (junction 32) to Girton (junction 31) route in the westbound direction. This scheme will be linked to the tranche 2 scheme that is being undertaken in the westbound direction.

This scheme will support the Northstowe Phase 1 development, which has the potential to create 582 jobs and 1,480 new homes by 2020. It supports the gateways of Felixstowe Port and Harwich Port. It also supports the outputs from the A14 Challenge study, providing early improvements consistent with the new A14 major improvement scheme announced by the Transport Secretary on 18 July 2012.

Cost: £3.06m

Scheme start: 2014. Scheme completion: 2014.

The Growth and Infrastructure Act

The new Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 became law on 25 April 2013 following Royal Assent. Amongst the measures included in this act there are relaxations to the permitted development rights. It allows householders to be able to build single-storey extensions of up to eight metres for the next three years without having to go through the process of obtaining planning permission. Homeowners wishing to build extensions under the new powers would have to notify their local council with the details. The council would then inform the adjoining neighbours. If no objections are made to the council by the neighbours within 21 days the development could proceed.  If objections are raised by neighbours, the council would consider whether the development would have an unacceptable impact on neighbours’ amenity.