The application was considered by the JDCC because the development site crosses the boundaries of both Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District Council's administrative areas. The Committee includes councillors from Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.
The proposed development includes plans for 3000 new homes, 1500 of which must be made available for affordable housing for key workers in line with the planning policy for the area. The rest of the housing is planned to be for student accommodation.
The development is also planned to include community facilities to support the proposed neighbourhood including a new local centre with a community centre, primary school, foodstore, retail, health facilities, a hotel and senior care accommodation.
Up to 35 hectares of open space is planned for the site, as well as new sports pitches, children's play spaces, and allotments. It will also give public access to the new sports centre on the neighbouring West Cambridge Site.
"This development is key to the next stage in the development of Cambridge and will be an exemplar of sustainable living," said Councillor David Bard, South Cambridgeshire District councillor and chair of the Committee. "The plans are of a very high quality and will deliver a new community that everyone will be very proud of."
The planning application was first submitted by the University of Cambridge in September 2011 and further amendments were made to the application in April and June this year. It is expected that the section 106 planning agreement will be completed by the end of 2012. The University plans to submit a detailed application in 2013.
Plans for a separate 1593 home development on an adjacent site were approved by the JDCC in July 2010, but formal planning permission has not yet been granted because negotiations on the section 106 planning agreement are still ongoing.
