Frequently Asked Questions

1.     Planning and consultation

• Why is there a new planning application?

A new application is required because the suspension of the A14 improvement scheme last year means that it is not currently possible for SCDC to grant planning consent for 2007 application, which related to the whole of Northstowe.

• Why is there a new period of consultation?

The joint promoters would like to gain public reaction to a revised Development Framework Master plan for the whole of Northstowe and reaction to more detailed proposals for Phase 1. This consultation does not replace the statutory consultation that will occur once the phase one planning application has been submitted.

• If the phase one application is approved, when will development start?  When would development start on the remainder of the site (phases 2 and onwards)?

If the Phase 1 application is determined in 2012 it is anticipated that work on infrastructure will begin in 2013 and the first houses will be complete in 2014/15. The location, size, and timing of Phase 2 will depend on a number of factors including market conditions, the DfT study on A14 improvements.

• How will the comments from this consultation be used?

Comments from the consultation process will be considered by the Joint Promoters in advance of the submission of an outline planning application to SCDC. A statement of consultation will also be submitted with the planning application.

• How can people ask questions after these exhibitions?

The consultation ends on the 28th October but people can visit www.northstowe.uk.com up until that date and submit comments on line.

• When will a planning application be submitted?

The Joint Promoters will be submitting the Phase 1 outline application in January / February 2012.

• How was the area to be part of phase 1 chosen? Why is it this area, and not further away from Longstanton/Oakington?

The area for the current Phase 1 is very similar to the Phase 1 contained in the 2007 application. The Northern area has been selected because it is adjacent to the new CGB P&R station and use can be made of the Longstanton Western Bypass. It also contains a number of important land uses that will serve the whole town and provides an important gateway into the town  The size of the area has been determined by looking at a suitable size required to contain all the necessary infrastructure a new community might need..

2.     Housing

• How many houses will be included in phase 1?  How does this relate to the entire site?

Phase 1 will include provision for 1500 homes, out of a total of upto 10,000 for the whole of Northstowe, which includes the reserve land as identified in SCDC’s adopted Northstowe Area Action Plan.

• What sort of housing densities will there be?

Densities in Phase 1 will be around 37 dwellings per hectare.

• How much affordable housing will there be?

It is anticipated that 35% of all housing will be affordable.

• Will the affordable housing be integrated within the development?

The affordable housing will be distributed throughout the development in small clusters. Affordable housing includes different tenures including social rent, affordable rent and low cost home ownership, these different tenures will be mixed up.

• Will there be suitable housing for elderly people e.g. “sheltered housing”?

Yes – the Joint Promoters will liaise with housing providers and the strategic housing authority, SCDC, to ensure that housing is provided for older and vulnerable residents.

• Who will build the homes?

It is likely that that there will be a number of house builders on Northstowe at any one time, it’s too early to say which specific house builders will be building on Phase 1. In addition other housing providers such as housing associations will also build homes.

3.     Green Separation and Open Space

• What sort of boundary treatment will there be for Northstowe?

The ‘boundary treatment’ will be the green separation zones.

• Will the green separation open spaces be protected, so that they can’t be built on in the future?

The green separation zones feature as a key element in the Northstowe Area Action Plan and so it would take a change in the policy of SCDC for the separation spaces to be built on.

4.     Flooding

• What about the flooding risk?

Gallagher Estates and the HCA have been working with the stakeholders including the Environment Agency and Internal Drainage Boards for the past 10-12 years and understand the existing problems both on site and the surrounding area. The proposals at Northstowe will ensure that the flood risk to the surrounding villages (Longstanton/Oakington) is mitigated and that the future development is safe from flood risk.

• What is the purpose of the “flood attenuation ponds”?

There are two sets of flood attenuation ponds.

• Offsite ponds to mitigate the flood risk to Oakington and Longstanton and therefore reduce the flood risk to these villages.
• Onsite attenuation ponds (The water park and attenuation areas by Longstanton Rd) which are primarily to control the runoff from the development. The runoff from the development (core site) will then discharge to the waterpark and Cottenham Lode. This will only discharge when the Cottenham Lode will not flood.

The future expansion land will need to drain to the Swavesey Drain and other local watercourses. This run off will need to be attenuated to existing runoff rates.

• Is there an increased risk for the surrounding villages?
• Great care has been taken to reduce the flood risk.
• Directing existing catchments away from the existing problem areas
• Using providing additional mitigation to reduce the flood risk.

5.     Access and transport

• What is the status of the A14 improvements?

The scheme previously developed was suspended as a result of spending cuts in 2010. Further to that there are now 2 studies being undertaken:
1. The Department for Transport (DfT) and the Highways Agency with the County Council are looking for ways to improve the performance of the A14 now.
2. The DfT is undertaking a study to look at more long term improvements to the A14 and key routes around the A14.  A key part of the study is that it should allow for development in the sub-region and in the vicinity of the A14 – this study will conclude in the summer of 2012.

• Will the guided bus stop at Northstowe?

For Phase 1 the existing Longstanton CGB stop will be convenient for most residents.  For later phases CGB services will be provided through the whole site.

• There are concerns about access to the A14 and B1050 (Hatton’s Road), will these roads be able to cope with the traffic?

These issues will be carefully and comprehensively addressed in a Transport Assessment that will be submitted for consideration by the local authorities.

For most of the day the flows on the B1050 are relatively low. Although at peak hours it can be busy however it can still accommodate the additional traffic from Phase 1. 

It is acknowledged that the A14 is very busy but most congestion occurs when there is an incident on the A14.  For Phase 1 the development will result in some additional traffic but at the same time traffic will divert from the A14, to other forms of transport, such as the CGB, or other roads.  The development will also support measures which are brought forward to improve the performance of the existing A14 (this is a reference to the study above).

Completion of the whole of Northstowe will require the construction of additional link roads to the A14 and the completion of improvements which are part of the current DfT study.

6.     Leisure and Recreation

• What facilities will be provided at Northstowe?

There will be three sports hubs providing outdoor playing pitches along with changing facilities, one of these will be provided in Phase 1. Additional sports facilities will be provided through provision at the secondary school and depending on the leisure market it is likely that private providers of gyms etc will want to establish operations in the town centre.

7.     Employment and Enterprise

• What types of businesses are proposed?

There will be 3 employment zones at Northstowe suitable for a range of office, industrial, hi-tech and other types of employment.

• How many jobs will there be and will this add to the commuting chaos in Cambridge and on the A14?

The number of jobs will only be known when all of the space is occupied as different businesses have very different employment numbers.  The provision of employment within the town provides an opportunity for people to live and work in the town, thereby avoiding extensive commuting.  The employment areas will be located near CGB services which means that employees from Huntingdon, St Ives and Cambridge will have a high quality alternative to the car.  

• Won’t Northstowe just become a dormitory town for Cambridge and Huntingdon?

With the guided busway in place Northstowe will be ideally located to reach Cambridge and Huntingdon for work but this easy access will also make it easy for people to commute into Northstowe to work in one of the 3 employment areas. The range of jobs, services, leisure, community and other facilities means that Northstowe will be a sustainable new town.

8.     Local Centres

• What exactly will there be in the local centres?

The local centres will be a combination of community services and local shops. The exact uses are to be agreed between the Joint Promoters and the Local Authorities. Local centres may contain doctors surgeries, community buildings, libraries etc

• Will the houses in phase 1 support the provision of a local centre?

Yes, 1500 homes will support a local centre and a new primary school

9.     Community Facilities

• What will there be for phase 1 in terms of police provision?

There are no plans for a separate police station but there may be the potential to include a ‘police kiosk’ in one the community buildings, should this fit with the operational requirements of Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

• Will Northstowe have a Post Office and banks?  Which phase would include this?

It is certainly hoped that Northstowe will have a post office facility though this may be included as part of another shop. Whether banks locate themselves in Northstowe will be a commercial decision for them. The Joint Promoters and the planning decision can play their part in ensuring an attractive and well planned town centre but ultimately the decision comes down to individual businesses.

• What sort of health services will there be? Which phase would include this?

The Joint Promoters are working with the local authorities and the NHS to develop an appropriate plan for the provision of health care. There will be extra provision as part of Phase 1 but it has not yet been decided whether this will be provided on the site of phase 1 or will be improvements to existing facilities in the area.

• Will a new church be provided?  Which phase would include this?

There aren’t currently any plans to provide a church although the Joint Promoters are in discussion with the Local Authorities about the potential to leave a number of plots available for community and interest groups to build their own facilities in the future.

10.     Schools

• Where will children from the first Phase go to school?

There will be a new primary school built as part of the first Phase of Northstowe. This will be run be the Ely Diocesan Board of Education. Secondary schooling will be provided by Cambridge Meridian Educational Trust set up by Swavesey Village College. The Joint Promoters will be discussing education provision in more detail with the County Council.

11.     Construction

• What measures will there be to deal with the noise, dust and disturbance caused by the construction work?

All of the measures will be considered in the Environmental statement included in the planning application submission. Typically these measures include using contractors who sign up to the national ‘Considerate Contractors’ scheme, wheel washing facilities for HGVs leaving the site, dust supressing sprays and strict controls on the hours of operation during the construction period. Monitoring of construction activity is undertaken and any problems arising can then be identified and addressed.

• Can the roads accommodate all the heavy traffic?

There will be a construction management plan which will require all veihilces to use the A14.  They will also be given times for accessing the site to avoid the peak hours.  The vehicles will then use the B1050 and Longstanton Western Bypass thereby avoiding any local settlements.

• Where will the construction work start and when?

At the North of phase 1 and when the planning application has been successfully determined, in 2013.