Cambridge urban area - general comments:
Our city has massive environmental capacity issues, with inadequate space in the streets and public realm to cater for existing traffic, let alone approved growth already in the pipeline – even before considering these First Proposals. The capacity issues have to be tackled, with additional growth considered only if they can be resolved.
We agree that “development must also be carefully designed to respect the historic character of the city” but are concerned that this aspiration does not appear to be backed up by detailed plans or evidence. For example, the analysis of Green Belt areas and their characteristics does not include historic environment designations (even though the Green Belt was set up to protect the setting of the historic University city). The claim in the Strategic Heritage Impact Assessment that “future growth in Cambridge has the potential to strengthen and reinforce these characteristics, enabling the City to meet contemporary environmental, economic and social drivers without undermining its economic identity" is not supported by evidence.