Overview
Cottenham is a village of 6200 people on the edge of the Fens in Cambridgeshire.
- Proximity to Cambridge, limited land supply within the Local Development Framework and the constraints of a Conservation Area drive house prices beyond 5-6 times average incomes
- This leads to a very low supply of new homes, especially those regarded as "affordable". This challenge is particularly acute for those facing diminished incomes on retirement or separation and the young
- A Neighbourhood Plan has been under development here since 2015, led by the Parish Council, and has now reached the ‘pre-submission’ stage
- The draft Neighbourhood Plan supports the development of 35 affordable homes within mixed developments over the next 15 years, on several greenfield sites in the village, provided they are affordable, made available to local people and remain so ‘in perpetuity’
- Draft policies within the Plan encourage the formation and operation of one or more Community Land Trusts, as the best way of delivering affordable homes for local people, located within easy walking distance of the village centre
Resources
The Cottenham pre-submission draft Neighbourhood Plan
A comprehensive set of draft leaflets, part of a bespoke Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit, was produced by South Cambridgeshire District Council in 2017.
A leaflet specifically about neighbourhood plans and affordable housing.
Published in March 2018
