Great places

Sustain the unique character of Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire, and complement it with beautiful and distinctive development, creating a place where people want to live, work and play.

Maintaining and creating great places is crucial to sustaining the quality of the area for people who live, work, study in, and visit

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

. Great places are valued and distinctive, accessible to all people and well-integrated with nature. Valuing place in this

Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

aims to ensure that all residents’ quality of life in

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

’s can be improved while enhancing the global excellence of its knowledge economy and the preservation of the area’s heritage assets. A place-centred approach can help meet the diverse needs of different communities to enable

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

to retain and attract global talent and ensure that new development responds to local needs.

The

Short form for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, which sets out policies to guide the future development of Greater Cambridge. It also sets out where future development will take place, and identifies land for new housing, community facilities, shops and employment. It is the key document use to determine planning applications for new development in the Greater Cambridge area.

covers an area that is both urban and rural, and the proposed spatial strategy aims to support the individuality and distinctive qualities of Cambridge and the surrounding villages both large and small. Across each policy area proposed, the plan sets a priority for delivering high quality and well-designed places to enable new development that responds positively to the existing context and contributes to creating and maintaining high quality design of the natural and built environments that combine to form great places. Design quality that responds to community and climate needs, establishes new connections, preserves and enhances

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

’s character, heritage and natural assets will be key in reconciling

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

’s planned development and helping to meet the significant challenges of the climate emergency and growing inequalities.

There are many different aspects that combine to help create the character and quality of places.  Design matters will be informed by physical, social and economic considerations that together influence the quality of any proposal.  Since 2008, the Councils have been using the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth to provide a clear and consistent basis for helping to secure a common expectation for the quality of our new developments.  Themes covering the four ‘C’s’ of Community,

Connectivity describes the extent to which urban forms permit (or restrict) movement of people or vehicles in different directions. Permeability is generally considered a positive attribute of an urban design, as it permits ease of movement and avoids severing neighbourhoods. Urban forms which lack permeability, e.g. those severed by arterial roads, or with many long cul-de-sacs, are considered to discourage movement on foot and encourage longer journeys by car.

. Climate and Character have been used to provide an understanding of what needs to be considered when creating and assessing high quality design.  The overlaps between the themes are equally important and allow judgements to be made that go beyond pure ‘aesthetic’ considerations.  Given the strong track record of delivering high quality design in the

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

area, evidenced through award winning schemes and overall growth delivery, the themes from the Charter have been used to structure policies in the Great Places chapter.  Such an approach is consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework, the National Design Guide, and National Model

A set of illustrated design requirements that provide specific, detailed parameters for the physical development of a site or area. The graphic and written components of the code should build upon a design vision, such as a masterplan or other design and development framework for a site or area.

which identifies Climate, Character and Community as part of the identified ten characteristics of well-designed places.