The Greater Cambridge Local Plan aims to identify development needs of our area, where they should be met and how they should be met. The documents released today for public engagement show the first ideas of policies and sites that we propose to use to meet the needs identified.
We need to respond to the needs of our area – we would be letting down our communities otherwise. People need to be able to live in the area and work locally including our teachers, nurses, doctors, drivers, hospitality workers, electricians, plumbers many who already live here or have to commute into work – we are creating great jobs across all manner of sectors, but it’s no good to provide jobs but not homes.
We are in a good place – we already have a lot of high quality development planned and in the pipeline, communities like Waterbeach and Northstowe, plus land already identified in earlier plans along with other sites adding up to some 37,278 homes across South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City.
We only need to add 11,5000 additional homes during the coming decades for us to meet our needs in full. Informed by a large amount of evidence and testing we have identified new development proposals which would focus development where it provides opportunities for cycling and walking, and access to high quality transport.
Two of the major site proposals, North East Cambridge and Cambridge East, are cross boundary sites. Preparing a joint plan has allowed us to consider the strategy choices available and determine the best strategy for the Cambridge area, rather than being guided by arbitrary lines between City and District.
We propose to plan for the additional 11,000 homes needed as follows:
- 6,750 new homes at North East Cambridge and Cambridge East (the airport site);
- An additional 1,950 new homes at Cambourne;
- Bringing forward development at Waterbeach new town and Northstowe at a faster rate, so these become thriving communities more quickly;
- An additional 1,000 new homes at Eddington, on the land already allocated for development;
- An additional 384 homes in rural villages which is just 4% of the additional homes with; This is on top of 499 homes on sites already allocated in and around villages, plus the 1,500 homes which already have permission at the Genome Campus
- 20 new homes on a small site in central Cambridge, plus a range of areas of major change and opportunity areas which we anticipate will see regeneration and mixed use development – but we aren’t identifying exact numbers for these right now. This is on top of 1,245 homes on sites already allocated in the City.
Focusing new development on these key areas not only protects our villages from inappropriate development but is also the right thing to do for our climate and our natural green spaces. It focuses development on places where you won’t need a car to lead your day to day life, and clearly most of our villages don’t meet this priority.
Protecting and enhancing the environment is also a key part of these plan proposals.
We are being very clear that water is a real deal-breaker – we need action from the industry and government to sort this out.
The proposals would set ambitious targets for building standards to help us on our net zero carbon journey.
Our Green Infrastructure mapping project has also led to a set of projects that can be invested in towards achieving our doubling nature vision.
It must also be remembered that these are our first proposals, and it is not yet a fully drafted plan. Community engagement has been key to getting us to this point, and we now want to engage again. To do this we will use innovative digital approaches through our website, through webinars, and with face to face events focusing on hard to reach groups
We would like to encourage people to take part and give us their view. Consultation is for 6 weeks starting on 1st November 2021 and finishing at 5pm on 13th December 2021.