Edge of Cambridge
18. The development of Cambridge East is predicated on closure of Cambridge Airport. The airport area is one
of, if not the largest employers in Cambridge. Where will these skilled engineering staff find employment?
Additionally, if Cambridge is to be such a significant centre of international business, why would it not need
its own airport, providing flights to national and international hub destinations?
19. Further development in North West Cambridge will cause development to completely dominate this green
space between Huntingdon Road and the M11. This green space is important for the existing residents and
to the character of the area. Further major development in this area polluted by the M11 and A14 and
their major intersection is unwise.
20. With respect to Policy S/CBC, CPRE objects strongly to the release of further Greenbelt land, identified as
the area S/CBC-A. The existing allocation of land around the Addenbrokes site has not been built out. Land
that has been built on recently has been used profligately. There is indication that since BREXIT and the
move of the European Medicines Agency from London to Amsterdam, there will be less interest by major
pharmaceutical companies in moving to anywhere in the UK including Cambridge. The UK is now a
‘secondary’ market in the priority of new pharmaceutical product registrations. It is more likely that
companies based in the UK will move at least some of their activities to the Netherlands, especially now
that the EU and the USA have reached a Mutual Recognition Agreement for drug manufacturing
inspections.
21. CPRE agrees with the findings of the Greater Cambridge Green Belt Study (2021) which identifies that
release of the areas proposed would result in very high harm to the Green Belt and that there are concerns
regarding biodiversity and landscape impacts from the scale of development proposed by the Campus.
22. CPRE also objects to the apparent attempt to turn the “Proposed Area of Major Change” into some kind of
greenwashed country park as compensation. This appears to be an underhand attempt at carbon off-
setting on what is much needed, productive, farm land. Such “compensatory improvements” are a
developers’ myth. Once the released land has been developed it is gone.
23. With respect to Policy S/WC: West Cambridge, this area is already well developed and further infill within
the outlined boundary is sensible. However, CPRE is concerned to ensure there will be no further spread
south onto the green fields between Cambridge and the M11.
24. CPRE are concerned by the retention of the two allocations between Huntingdon Road and Histon Road
(Darwin Green). These are significant areas of green space on the northern edge of the city which help
retain the character of the city’s integration with its rural surroundings.
25. CPRE are concerned by proposed further development along Fulbourn Road on highly productive farm land at S/EOC/E/3: Fulbourn Road East, even though this is a retained policy.