Cambridgeshire

Papers published for the Cambridge City Planning and Transport Scrutiny Committee on 4 November and South Cambridgeshire Cabinet Meeting restart the plan-making process and continue with the current local plan regime which expects a Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation to happen in Autumn 2025 along with a new call for sites.

The previous Conservative Government published the ‘Case for Cambridge’, which set out the ambition for more jobs, homes and infrastructure for Greater Cambridge to build on its current economic success.  

The Labour National Government is to retain a focus on growth in Greater Cambridge. This includes setting stretched targets and ensuring the delivery of the full East West Rail project. Additionally, the Chancellor has committed £10 million to an ‘ambitious plan’ for Cambridge aimed at helping the city ‘realise its full potential.’ This initiative will be spearheaded by the retained Cambridge Growth Company, laying the groundwork for a future delivery body dedicated to accelerating and increasing growth in the locality.

The ambition is clear for a bigger and better Greater Cambridge.  The focus is now to get into the what, when and how to deliver the beneficial growth.  Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service is re-embarking on its plan-making programme, which is helpful, but this now needs to be supported by a plan from the Cambridge Growth Company for those stretched and accelerated targets.   

While the regional focus is on Greater Cambridge the opportunity this presents will spread well beyond the administrative boundary, especially where there is, or can be, good transport links connecting jobs to homes.   

Five-Year Land Supply

The Planning Authorities in the area are delivering homes, but, as ever, always one to watch.  The impact of stretched targets for Greater Cambridgeshire and whether water scarcity threatens to hold back development could quickly change the context.