Policy WS/NC: Meeting the needs of new and growing communities

6.19. The delivery of new or improved facilities and services to support new development in a timely and phased manner will be an important element in ensuring the sustainable implementation of new growth in Greater Cambridge.

6.20. New major development will need to include a wide range of services and facilities to establish successful communities. Smaller development will not usually need to include new services and facilities on-site but may need to contribute to the expansion of existing facilities and sometimes provide land for that expansion. The provision of facilities and services will be secured via a planning obligation or through a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contribution.

6.21. Development that is expected to attract many additional employees and, or visitors to an area should ensure that there is sufficient capacity, in terms of ancillary provision to avoid adversely affecting local amenity. This is particularly important for local sports provision. Day commuters may well want to link their commute and patterns of working with some sort of sports activity. If sufficient capacity is not provided on-site, then off-site contributions towards public facilities should be made to support and improve local amenities.

6.22. Securing the delivery of services and facilities in the early phases of major development will be critical to ensure their success, helping to generate a strong sense of community belonging and connection, delivering strong community cohesion and promoting sustainable patterns of movement from the outset. Proposals should consider where there may be opportunity for future residents to be involved in the detailed design of such proposals and services, reflecting that these will meet their needs primarily as well as those of existing nearby residents. This will be key to the creation of places where people want to live and work.

6.23. This should also include clear proposals for the future stewardship model for such services and facilities, including ongoing maintenance, upkeep and renewal, and how residents can provide feedback or get involved. The Greater Cambridge Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document 2026 establishes an expectation that developers ensure satisfactory long-term management arrangements for open spaces and outdoor facilities. In Cambridge, this may involve the adoption of the open space or facility by Cambridge City Council, whilst in South Cambridgeshire new open spaces and facilities should be offered to the relevant Town or Parish Council to own or manage, or a local community organisation or trust where this is not agreeable to the relevant Council. Where a management company takes on this responsibility, conditions will be used by the Councils to secure public access, establish a management board to ensure ongoing community input and ensure appropriate arrangements in case of insolvency. In identifying appropriate management and maintenance arrangements for all types of facilities, applicants should have regard to the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document 2026 (or any successor document) and any relevant future strategies or policies of the Councils (or successor authorities).

6.24. The facilities and services referenced within this policy include, but are not limited to:

• Primary and secondary schools;
• Early years education and childcare facilities, including childcare nurseries;
• Meeting places;
• Health facilities;
• Libraries;
• Leisure routes;
• Indoor and outdoor sports facilities;
• Commercial facilities important to community life local shops, including restaurants, cafes, and public houses;
• Provision for faith groups;
• Provision for burials;
• Provision for waste and recycling; and
• Community development including community development workers.

6.25. An Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) has been prepared to accompany the Local Plan. This was prepared in collaboration and consultation with local service providers, demonstrating proactive early work with our delivery partners to ensure required facilities and services needed to support the proposed development strategy are planned for from the outset. Developers bringing forward specific sites will need to build on the IDP, refining and updating evidence as detailed schemes are developed.

6.26. It is also important for any new development proposals to take account of and be in general compliance with any relevant Council-approved strategy and the recommendations made by key service providers. Appropriate care is also needed to ensure new facilities and services do not undermine existing facilities. Further details are provided below for the different types of facilities and services that should be supported by new development in Greater Cambridge.

Cultural infrastructure

6.27. The Councils have collaborated on a joint Greater Cambridge Cultural Infrastructure Strategy (Stages One and Two), which define the broader cultural ambitions and priorities of Greater Cambridge, and a framework for the delivery of infrastructure to support these ambitions. The strategy builds upon a significant body of local planning policy, strategies and studies that concern the various aspects of cultural infrastructure and community life in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. Cultural infrastructure provision, including financial contributions, and proposals that affect existing cultural facilities will be considered against these strategy documents (or successor documents).

6.28. Local cultural infrastructure requirements should be assessed through a two-stage model. The first stage identifies the strategic whole-place need for cultural infrastructure using the policy benchmark. This provides a high-level indication of the scale of cultural infrastructure required across the full ecosystem of venues, production space, community facilities, public realm, participation spaces, libraries, meanwhile uses and supporting infrastructure. The second stage translates this strategic need into a proportionate developer contribution requirement, identifying what should reasonably be delivered on-site, funded off-site, enhanced within existing infrastructure, or supported through programming, fit-out, management and public realm investment.

6.29. Council approved Action Plans developed for the delivery of strategically important infrastructure and specific proposals should inform Cultural Plans for qualifying developments, S106 Agreements and post-planning Management & Maintenance Plans for cultural infrastructure. Cultural Plans should include: contextual analysis providing a clear understanding of the local cultural context alongside evidence of engagement with the cultural and creative sector to identify local and regional needs; community engagement to identify priorities, ensuring that cultural provision reflects local identity, need and aspiration; a cultural needs assessment; a cultural vision for the site that aligns with and enhances wider development objectives; and clear proposals for both on-site and off-site cultural infrastructure investment, demonstrating how the vision will be realised and remain viable, active and embedded within the community over time. All Plans agreed with the Local Planning Authority will be secured through appropriate planning mechanisms, including Section 106 agreements and, where relevant, the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

Sports and leisure facilities

6.30. The Councils have worked together with Sport England to produce an Indoor Sports Facility Strategy, a Playing Pitch Strategy and an Outdoor Courts and Rinks Strategy. Wider sports facility provision, including financial contributions, and proposals that affect existing sports facilities will be considered against these strategy documents (or their successors). While these documents focus on the needs of new residential development, they also highlight the impact large employment development can have on publicly accessible sports facilities, if these developments do not provide their own on-site facilities for their employees. In the case where on-site provision is not provided, and alternative publicly accessible facilities are already at capacity; it is essential that off-site contributions are provided to help mitigate their impact on local publicly accessible sports facilities.

Leisure routes

6.31. The provision of leisure routes is another key element of healthy development. These are typically paths, trim trails, or transit routes designed for use by walkers, cyclists, skateboarders and equestrians primarily for relaxation, recreation, and pleasure rather than commuting or necessity. They support the mental and physical wellbeing of communities by offering spaces for informal exercise as well as access to nature and the wider countryside. These routes would also help alleviate pressure on sensitive nature-based sites and support improvements to Public Rights of Way in accordance with the Cambridgeshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan, that sets out to develop a comprehensive network of leisure routes.

Community facilities

6.32. Cambridge City Council have a Community Facilities Strategy, which seeks to deliver facilities that provide flexible community resources and activities that can meet changing needs of the city, whilst ensuring they are financially sustainable. New facilities will need to complement existing services, and site promoters will need to engage early with service providers to explore opportunities.

6.33. In South Cambridgeshire the majority of facilities are owned and run by town and parish councils. The South Cambridgeshire Community Facilities Study (2025) provides a comprehensive audit of community facilities across South Cambridgeshire to update the Council’s understanding of the quantity, quality and accessibility of existing provision, and identified needs for new or improved facilities in the district. The study found a total community facility space provision of 129 square metres per 1,000 people, and recommended this metric be used as a standard to secure contributions from new development.

6.34. Community Plans should include: contextual analysis providing a clear understanding of the local community context alongside evidence of engagement with the local community to identify local and regional needs; community engagement to identify priorities, ensuring that community provision reflects local identity, need and aspiration; a community needs assessment; a community vision for the site that aligns with and enhances wider development objectives; and clear proposals for both on-site and off-site community infrastructure investment, demonstrating how the vision will be realised and remain viable, active and embedded within the community over time. All Plans agreed with the Local Planning Authority will be secured through appropriate planning mechanisms, including Section 106 agreements and, where relevant, the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

Education facilities

6.35. Easy access to high-quality educational provision is needed to provide young people with opportunities, widen choice in education (in line with national planning policies), support economic growth, and develop strong sustainable communities. Developers should engage with the relevant Education Authority at the earliest opportunity to ensure sufficient education provision is provided to meet the anticipated demand from new residential development, and that educational facilities are delivered in a timely manner to support local needs. This also includes childcare facilities, such as nurseries, integrated nursery centres, playgroups, crèches, and child-minding networks. The size and type of education facilities needed will be influenced by the demand created by the development. The Councils strongly discourage the use of restrictive covenants that would restrict the ability to use homes for childminding business use appropriate to a dwelling.

Healthcare facilities

6.36. It is essential that the planning process supports the provision of local healthcare facilities of the right typology and in the right locations. The provision and location of healthcare facilities should aim to meet the need of existing and new residents, which may include the need for community-based, out-of-hospital facilities. The Local Planning Authorities have engaged with the relevant health organisations in developing the IDP that accompanies this Local Plan. Developers of large-scale sites and new communities will also need to engage with health providers to understand and respond to healthcare needs.

Community development

6.37. New development takes time to develop into new communities, especially if they are of a large scale. Support is needed to help people settle and start the groups, clubs and activities found in more established neighbourhoods. The timely delivery of key services and facilities in the early phases of development is vital, and the early provision of places that can help to establish a sense of community identity and social cohesion in new developments should be prioritised. Planning obligations and conditions will be used by the Local Planning Authorities to ensure that key services and facilities are delivered in a timely manner as part of a delivery programme for the whole development.

6.38. In the early stages of a new development, initiatives that bring new residents together to meet each other, build new networks, and become engaged in the community’s evolution will help to put in place the building blocks for the formation of a connected and resilient community and support the mental health of the new community members. Therefore, to uphold Healthy New Town Principle 3, contributions may also be sought to help with early community development. Depending on the needs identified, community development may include community workers, including youth workers, health workers, or community development workers, and initiatives to support their work such as community events and activities.

6.39. In accordance with national planning policy, there is a presumption that services and facilities provided through planning obligations should be provided ‘in-kind’ and on-site. However, there are cases where it may be more advantageous for provision to be made off-site, such as a new facility being in a more accessible location, the option for a better facility to be delivered off-site, or proposals that would seek to contribute to improvements to existing facilities. Where an obligation is to be provided other than ‘in kind’ and on site, the draft Section 106 Agreement or proposed Heads of Terms should explain the reason why this is being pursued and should specify whether provision is to be made on an alternative site or by means of a payment in lieu. The applicant should also identify the level of contribution applicable to their proposed development.

New burial grounds, cemeteries and crematoriums

6.40. Over 80% of funerals take place by cremation, representing a significant shift from historic trends where the proportion of deceased people who were buried was much higher. Despite the decline in popularity for interment, there is still a need to ensure sufficient burial provision is available to meet local need especially where significant residential growth is expected. The UK funeral sector has also undergone significant change in recent years, with increasing emphasis on affordability, personalisation and celebration. Emerging trends such as themed ceremonies, eco-friendly and simple funeral options, and creative memorials reflect a broader cultural shift towards honouring individuality and celebrating life rather than adhering strictly to traditional conventions. It is also important that different faith needs are met. Across Greater Cambridge, the faith groups represented have significant differences in the types of burials and faith-specific practices that are required for the deceased.

6.41. The location of new cemeteries is informed by the Environment Agency’s guidance which requires due consideration for a range of factors including groundwater protection, soil conditions and flood risk. It is therefore important that new settlements and other large urban extensions, large enough to justify on-site provision provide for these facilities. While these facilities may not be needed during the early stages of new development, it is important that a suitable location can be identified for these facilities at the outset of the development.

6.42. Site developers will therefore need to complete an appraisal and feasibility study of potential new burial grounds that incorporates technical constraints, notably hydrological (groundwater SPZ, surface water quality and the water environment) suitability in line with any relevant guidance provided by the Environment Agency and other relevant statutory bodies, to ensure that the site is able to identify a suitable location for burial spaces, at their own cost. If a suitable location cannot be identified, then the site developer should complete an appraisal and feasibility study of potential new burial grounds beyond the site, at their own cost. These studies will need to be submitted as part of the planning application process.

For further guidance on how to submit comments, please see the Representation Guidance Note.

All comments must be received by 25 September 2026 at 5pm.