Barrington Parish Council Planning Committee
As a “statutory consultee”, Barrington Parish Council (BPC) is notified whenever a new planning application is submitted to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) – South Cambs District Council or on Waste and Minerals or Transport matters – Cambridgeshire County Council.
BPC does not make the decision to grant or refuse planning permission – that falls to the LPA – often under “delegated powers” by the planning officers. The Parish Council’s views are taken into account however and can be persuasive.
The planning system encourages “pre-application” discussion between an applicant and the LPA and also the “statutory consultees” such as the Parish Council Before submitting an application – particularly if it Is potentially sensitive or complicated. BPC encourages applicants in these circumstances to come and speak to us openly beforehand so that we can offer informal advice.
Your parish councillors usually discuss each application at the next parish meeting, and a formal response is then agreed on behalf of the parish council, and this is submitted to the District Council by the clerk.
If you want to support, object or comment on any application you can use the online planning Portal https://applications.greatercambridgeplanning.org/online-applications/
or you can also send in your objections by letter.
It helps if your views are shared with the Parish Council. If you have a view on a particular planning application, you can write / email the clerk and you can attend the relevant Parish Council meeting and ask to voice your views during the 15 minute Public Forum at the start of the meeting. At the discretion of the Chair, you may also be allowed to comment when a particular application is considered later on the agenda under Planning matters. Your views may then be taken into account when the Council prepares its formal response to the LPA.
If you want to comment on an application, please make sure you focus on the relevant “material” planning issues. These include:
- Impact the development would have on the character of the area
- If the development does not comply with the Local Plan
- External design, appearance and layout
- Impact of development on neighbouring properties
- Highway safety
- Government planning guidance
The Bigger Picture
BPC is also a consultee on many other major planning applications that have the potential to not only affect Barrington, but South Cambridgeshire more widely. Much of these proposals are ill-thought out, not integrated with “joined up thinking”, and provide very little or no crucial infrastructure such as badly needed GP and social services, schooling, shops, or accessible transport.
The Local Plan
This includes the current work on the Local Plan which has unfortunately invited a large number of speculative and large scale housing development proposals. BPC has and will continue to engage on your behalf with the Local Plan development process, but also encourages you to express you views either through ourselves or independently as an individual to the LPA.
Thakeham
Many of you will have heard of and possibly, quite rightly been alarmed by reports of plans by a developer “Thakeham” to develop a New Town in South Cambridgeshire which will absorb all of the local villages. BPC is actively opposing these plans by supporting the South West Cambridge Action Group (SWCAG).
The Oxford Cambridge Arc
BPC also has concerns about the Oxford-Cambridge Arc which is a Central Government initiative to promote growth in the said area between the two cities. BPC is monitoring this very carefully because it appears to promote the East West Rail as a matter of course with little or no understanding of the social and environmental impacts that are associated with it.
East West Rail
BPC has joined a campaign to require East West Rail to properly assess the route options into Cambridge. It feels that there is a pre-determined southern route that will in effect cut Barrington off from Cambridge – all without a reasoned assessment of the northern route alternatives.
The Foxton “Hub”
BPC recognises the need to improve our links with other villages and with Cambridge. The footpaths to Foxton and Shepreth are dangerous and there are no safe cycle ways. The proposed Foxton “Hub” is in effect a large car park for the rail station that will merely attract more and more vehicle traffic through the village as a short cut avoiding the A10 congestion.