Agenda item

To consider a report by the Planning Service Manager on the development opportunities for land east of the railway line, St Neots.

Please see link for full copy of the St Neots Eastern Expansion:  Urban Design Framework Draft consideration, October 2010.

(Councillor D B Dew, Executive Councillor for Planning Strategy and Transport was in attendance for this Item).

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Planning Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the development opportunities for land east of the railway line, St. Neots.  The Panel also received the comments of the Development Management Panel on the urban design framework document (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). 

The principal areas of concern raised by the Panel were highways and educational provision.  Members accepted the aim of integrating the eastern expansion into St. Neots as a whole.  In view of its separation from the rest of the town by the East Coast main rail line, the Panel acknowledged that, without careful planning, there was a danger of a separate community developing which was not integrated with the remainder of the town. 

The Panel accepted that the idea of a third secondary school in St. Neots located within the eastern expansion might exacerbate the sense of a separate identity and therefore did not support the recommendation of the Development Management Panel in that respect.  Nevertheless, the Panel suggested that an adequate financial contribution be secured from the developers to ensure that the existing secondary education establishments in St. Neots could be expanded to meet the anticipated increase in pupil numbers. 

Having regard to primary education, the Panel was advised that the County Council had sought a minimum of three new schools as part of the development as there was under-capacity west of the rail line in existing establishments.  The land use plan suggested an allocation of land for two new schools in addition to the existing primary school already provided as part of the Loves Farm development.  However, the Panel queried whether this was sufficient for a projected development of 5,000 homes.  Notwithstanding its support for integration of the new development, the Panel did not consider it appropriate for children of primary school age to have to travel far to school which could lead to traffic congestion and reduce the number of children walking or cycling to school.  The Panel queried the proposed distribution of sites for primary schools within the eastern expansion with those houses in the north-eastern sector of the new development being some distance from the primary schools proposed.  The Head of Planning Services assured the Panel that he would re-examine the County Council's response on educational provision in advance of the Cabinet's consideration of the framework document. 

The Panel also commented on the highway provision and particularly the uncertainty over improvements to the A428 before the development took place, with the new development creating greater pressure on the already congested A428. The Panel supported ongoing efforts to encourage investment in the upgrading of the road to accommodate the inevitable traffic growth.  The Panel also was keen to ensure that there was sufficient vehicular links in addition to those proposed for cyclists and walkers as a failure to do so could lead to unacceptable congestion on those which currently existed via Cambridge Street and the A428. 

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be advised of the Panel's views on the St. Neots East Urban Framework.