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Waterbeach New Town SPD

What is the Waterbeach New Town SPD about?

The SPD relates to an area of land covering approximately 580 hectares situated about 9km north-east of Cambridge City Centre. The site is focused on brownfield land formerly used as Waterbeach Barracks, accompanied by adjoining farmland.

The SPD provides guidance about how the new town should be designed, developed and delivered consistent with the new Local Plan. It has been prepared to guide a comprehensive approach to its development and the provision of infrastructure across the whole site.

Adoption of the Waterbeach New Town SPD

We adopted the Waterbeach New Town SPD on 6 February 2019. The SPD supplements policy SS/6 of the Local Plan and is a material consideration in determining planning applications for the new town.

The adopted SPD takes into consideration comments received during a 6-week period of public consultation undertaken in September to October 2018. To see a summary of comments and the Council’s responses, visit Cabinet Meeting 6 February 2019.

Adoption Documents

Why has a Supplementary Planning Document been prepared for the Waterbeach New Town?

The adopted Local Plan (September 2018) allocates a site for a new town north of Waterbeach.

The Waterbeach New Town SPD has been prepared to assist in delivering the objectives as set out in Policy SS/6: Waterbeach New Town of the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan. It provides guidance only and reflects current national and local planning policy. It does not include any new policies or site allocations. It provides guidance and advice on a range of environmental, social and economic planning issues related to the development of the new town and aims to assist in determining planning applications and to help interpret national policy and guidance and provides support to relevant local planning policies.

Three planning applications have so far been received by us. These are:

  • An outline planning application for up to 6500 dwellings and associated other uses and infrastructure, received in 2017 from Urban and Civic
  • A full planning application for the proposed relocation of Waterbeach railway station, received in 2018 from RLW Estates
  • An outline application for up to 4500 dwellings and associated other uses and infrastructure, received in 2018 from RLW Estates.

The SPD is a material planning consideration to the determination of planning applications for the site.