Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

Object

Representation ID: 204025

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

Please refer to attached letter, given the length of the representations.

Comment

Representation ID: 211481

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

Within previous representations made to the Greater Cambridge previous Regulation 18 Consultation in 2021, it was stated that Cambridge was forecast to grow by an additional 58,500 jobs between 2020 and 2041, but that the requirements were not recognised or addressed in the draft local plan. Additionally, the existing and potential value of the mid-tech sector to Cambridge was also not addressed within the document.

Representations made in 2021 by Trinity College Cambridge identified to the lack of allocations for mid-tech, specifically the failure to include them within the ‘key sectors’ that are used to forecast employment need and to identify them as a growth sector.

The amended draft allocations within the 2025 consultation draft version of the emerging local plan has included some minimal mid-tech allocations, particularly at Eddington and North East Cambridge, although these have been allocated in a group alongside other technological industries as a lump figure. Additionally, the mid-tech proposed allocation at Eddington is solely for university-based development not the whole mid-tech sector. It is vital that additional sites are allocated within the Local Plan in order to address the shortfall within the current version.

Comment

Representation ID: 211482

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

The existing Cambridge Science Park is of national significance. Being the first of is kind, it has fostered collaborative working across the UK tech and life sciences sectors both within Cambridge and nationwide. Additionally, it attracts top-tier global tech companies due to its enduring competitive global brand. It forms part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and the innovative growth corridor between London too, showing its location as an area of high quality provision for the science and technology sector.

Not only is there a high prevalence of research and
development facilities linked to skilled manufacturing already at Cambridge Science Park, it is also home to some of the more exportable subsectors within this employment sector. Cambridge Science Park has considerably higher exportability than the national average in both high-tech and mid-tech sectors. Evidence to date would suggest that establishing standalone sites further out of the City do not work; If we do not provide these facilities in Cambridge, these companies may choose to locate operations outside of the UK altogether.

There is every intention that the provision at Cambridge Science Park North (HELAA Reference 40096) will match and elevate Cambridge's global position.

Comment

Representation ID: 211483

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

From a socio-economic perspective, a key factor affecting social inclusion is access to education and training opportunities for existing residents, which in turn facilitate the ability of those residents to access and reap the benefits of the jobs delivered by economic growth. Ensuring that residents have the opportunities to develop their education and training levels, such as those that would be afforded by Cambridge Science Park North (HELAA Reference 40096) through job opportunities, apprenticeships and the development of the Cambridge Regional College (CRC), would be key to promoting wellbeing and social inclusion for Greater Cambridgeshire residents.

Without skilled manufacturing opportunities in Cambridge, there will be a shortage of job opportunities for people who want to work in a technical or engineering environment but do not have the qualifications to undertake the roles that require a university degree. These include students at the Cambridge Regional College and North Cambridge Academy. If Cambridge allocate sufficient space to accommodate the manufacturing space required by these companies in a sustainable location, a real opportunity exists to develop and nurture this category of jobs.

Comment

Representation ID: 211484

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

In December 2025, the Government published the Consultation Draft Version of the National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out the Government’s aim and initiatives for plan making and decision making in England. The consultation draft includes a number of key new and updated policies which some could consider to be the biggest shift in policy making since the introduction of the NPPF in 2012.

Whilst it is understood that the LPA are working towards submission of this Local Plan by December 2026 emerging National Policy should not be ignored entirely.
Draft Policy S5 (principle of development outside settlements) sets out the requirement for only certain forms of development to be approved outside of settlement boundaries. This includes development for housing and mixed-use which would be “within reasonable walking distance of a railway station which provides a high level of connectivity to jobs and services”. Footnote 26 expands the use of the term ‘railway stations’ to include underground, tram and light-rail. The Cambridge Guided Busway is authorised through the legal mechanism of a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) and so it is considered that the guided busway would fall under the footnote definition.

Comment

Representation ID: 211485

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

A Green Belt Review has been undertaken for the land promoted as Cambridge Science Park North (HELAA Reference 40096). The Green Belt Review highlights that the site could be considered "grey belt" land.

Consideration is needed for the exceptional circumstances that exist to release Green Belt land for allocation as part of the Local Plan, particularly to meet the sub-region's mid-tech floorspace needs.

Comment

Representation ID: 211487

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Trinity College (CSP) Limited

Agent: DP9 Ltd

Comments are given to the requirement for development to meet the objectively assessed needs in Greater Cambridge over the period of 2024-2045 with regard to economic development.

These representations are supported by a Technical Note prepared by Volterra which provides the following key considerations:

1) A local plan that only meets the minimal “objectively assessed need” could leave no headroom for the extra growth Government and industry partners are actively seeking to stimulate.

2) This conservative outlook means the plan could fall short of the Government’s and Combined Authority’s bold ambitions. If Cambridge’s growth even partly approaches the higher national expectations, the currently planned employment land and floorspace would be insufficient to support it.