Orchard Park Design Guide SPD
Orchard Park Design Guidance SPD [PDF, 21MB] - Adopted March 2011
This SPD was adopted by us to provide guidance to support previously adopted Development Plan Documents that have now been superseded by the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018. This document is still a material consideration when making planning decisions, with the weight in decision making to be determined having regard to consistency with national planning guidance and the adopted South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018.
What are SPDs?
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) are intended to expand upon policy or provide further detail to policies in adopted Development Plan Documents (DPDs). When adopted, SPDs form part of the Local Development Framework but do not have development plan status and are not subject to independent examination.
What is the Orchard Park SPD?
The SPD relates to Policy SP/1 Cambridge Northern Fringe West (Orchard Park) in the Site Specific Policies Development Plan Document (DPD) and policies contained within the adopted Development Control Polices DPD.
Policy SP/1 carries forward proposals from the earlier South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2004 for a sustainable housing-led urban extension to Cambridge providing 900 dwellings, employment provision and supporting community facilities and open space.
In 2007 the developers produced the Arbury Camp Design Guide, which sets out clear design guidance for Orchard Park. Subsequently viability issues have arisen regarding the creation of commercial developments. In January 2010, we adopted the Site Specific Policies DPD and Policy SP/1 provides for a change in the mix of development, with further residential development in place of some non-residential uses, where this would achieve an appropriate living environment, be acceptable in transport terms, and provide the community and other services and facilities necessary to support the new community. These land parcels could provide in the order of 220 additional dwellings.
The specific purpose of this SPD is to set out the design principles for the remaining land parcels at Orchard Park that we expect to be addressed by developers in any planning application, to ensure the creation of a high quality desirable 'place'. The SPD will provide a clear framework that will assist in the assessment of applications. The SPD provides design guidance that will apply to any development proposals that may come forward and is not land use specific.
Adoption the Orchard Park Design Guidance SPD
We adopted the Orchard Park Design Guidance SPD on 8 March 2011.
The adopted SPD takes account of the representations received during the 6-week period of public consultation undertaken in September - October 2010. To see a summary of each representation received and our response to each representation, visit New Communities Portfolio Holder Meeting on 8 March 2011.