Policy I/EI: Energy infrastructure masterplanning

1. Developments of either 250 or more dwellings or 10,000m2 or more of non- residential floorspace will be required to provide Energy Masterplans of a scale and nature that would allow for the benefits of smart energy management to be identified and secured. These masterplans should include an assessment of: 

   a. the capacity of infrastructure to support the development. 

  b. any necessary reinforcements to grid infrastructure. 

  c. the approach to energy provision to support net zero carbon development in line with the requirements of policy CC/NZ. 

  d. Measures to help reduce peak demands on the electricity grid including incorporation of smart meters and provision for battery storage and smart energy management of electric vehicle charge points in order to shift demand away from peak times and help to smooth demand profiles. 

2. To help support necessary grid reinforcements land adjacent to existing grid infrastructure, for example primary sub-stations, shall be safeguarded from other forms of development. 

Work carried out to assess electricity grid capacity for

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

has highlighted the need to triple capacity to support the development planned in the area under existing local plans and support the electrification of transport. The electricity grid serving the area has also seen a significant growth in renewable and low carbon energy generation. 

While these capacity issues can be resolved through traditional grid reinforcement routes, there are opportunities to take a more joined up approach to infrastructure provision in order to support the transition to a net zero carbon society and open up the potential for some infrastructure to be forward funded to help speed up the delivery of key development sites. 

Work is currently underway by the Cambridgeshire local authorities and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (Combined Authority) to develop a digital Cambridgeshire Local Area Energy Plan, which will identify the infrastructure required to support growth and decarbonisation across the area, data that will be shared with UK Power Networks to help inform their business planning. The Local Area Energy Plan will be at a strategic level and will present a picture of capacity at a moment in time. As more detailed work on masterplanning of strategic developments progresses, greater clarity can be provided as to the actual energy requirements and the infrastructure required to support development, data that can be used to keep the Cambridgeshire Local Area Energy Plan up to date. 

This policy seeks to ensure that this approach is integrated at a very early stage, via the development of energy masterplans for strategic developments. This approach can also help to support funding of such infrastructure, for example as was the case for the provision of new infrastructure to support the development of the Cambridge East Grid and Trumpington Primary Sub Station, where the case was made for full Ofgem funding for the infrastructure given the level of employment growth that the new infrastructure would help to support. Note that the approach to grid infrastructure capacity to support new renewable energy generation is considered as part of policy CC/RE. 

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  : Topic Paper 8:

  Includes transport, energy, water, waste, digital/smart, social and green infrastructure.

  (2025)

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

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All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.