Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

Comment

Representation ID: 211849

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

The area offers local landmarks and listed buildings including:
- St Andrew the Less – 13th century church, now a Grade II Listed Building
- Abbey House – 16th century house built on the site of Barnwell Priory, Grade II listed
- Cellarer’s Chequer – also 13th century. The only surviving Priory structure, and a Grade II* Listed Building
- Cambridge Museum of Technology – a museum, community hub and Scheduled Ancient Monument
- Dinky Doors and the Riverside ‘spiky’ postbox
- Equaino Bridge – named after writer and leading abolitionist Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797)
- Stourbridge Common – site of Stourbridge Fair
- Leper Chapel – 12th century Norman chapel, Grade I listed
- Cambridge Gas Company War Memorial 1921 – Grade II listed monument.

Comment

Representation ID: 211850

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

We propose a community-driven review to shape a future Riverside Area Vision which highlights opportunities to make the area a vibrant attraction for Cambridge residents and visitors. The Cam is a jewel in the Cambridge crown and Riverside can enhance it. The ‘boulevard’
idea was first articulated in 2010, when the City Council endorsed an outline vision. We are working with the City to get this aspiration into the next Local Plan. There are many ways to improve current amenity and achieve a better match to different needs.

Comment

Representation ID: 211851

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

Riverside needs careful planning and investment to make it safe and attractive for both pedestrians and cyclists, especially given predicted traffic increases from converging Greenways. A starter list of ideas to increase the vitality of Riverside boulevard might include:
- Creating opportunities for small businesses
- New attractions with seating, guides and amenities
- Wildlife walks connecting to Logan's Meadows
Non-residential moorings to provide commercial opportunities
- Dinky Doors - more sites for installations and potential for a heritage trail
- An annual River Festival to highlight local culture, creativity and environment
- Revitalise heritage assets for community benefit such as renovation of Museum of Technology, Restoring the St Andrews-the-Less building, restore Cellarers Chequer, and repair Leper Chapel roof and install toilet.

Comment

Representation ID: 211852

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

There is potential for temporary, non-fixed commercial activity on largely ‘dead’ highway space at each end of the Riverside boulevard. For example, a regular farmers or mixed market, food vans, performance and busking space or specialist pitches. Feasibility of infrastructure issues such as toilets, power, waste, storage, traffic flow and parking are should be considered, along with site management, business planning and marketing. The areas identified are:
- Adjacent to Midsummer Common: the combined spaces of Walnut Tree Avenue, road and pavement under Elizabeth Way bridge, the council-owned car park on Abbey Road, and nearby road/pavement. Cycle traffic is likely to increase under Greenway plans, and traffic flow would need to be carefully managed.
- At the Stourbridge end of the Riverside corridor there is highways space between the junction with Stanley Road and the gateway to the Common. Scale and format
would need to be tailored to the more constrained space with more neighbours nearby.

Comment

Representation ID: 211853

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

While the river is attractive and well-used, it needs careful nurturing. The Friends of the Cam report that it is polluted with EColi and Enterococci, and with agricultural pollutants such as phosphates and road run off. Continued abstraction of water from the aquifer means that the river is recharged with processed water, which affects wildlife and habitat. There are still occasional discharges directly into the river, and the Cam at Riverside is also affected by
discharges further upstream. Reducing pollution will require a sustained effort.

Comment

Representation ID: 211854

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

Nurturing the environment and promoting biodiversity is important in the Riverside Area. At Cellarers Chequer, a volunteer team is implementing a wild flower project to diversity planting and for rainwater harvesting. We also hope to install bat boxes under the eaves and explore other habitat ideas that might be suitable. Regarding Rainwater Harvesting, We can make Riverside a model for community-led Sustainable Drainage Systems which
increase local drainage capacity to reduce flood risk and river pollution. They will also help us adapt to climate change, create habitats for wildlife and cool the streets

Comment

Representation ID: 211855

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

The Mercers Row industrial estate is a protected industrial site under Policy 41 of the current Local Plan. We consider the future of the industrial site to be very significant for the Riverside Area. High quality proposals will create local jobs and could catalyse other commercial and community opportunities – for example, encouraging local innovation and networking. Clearly there is scope for residents to engage with the developer and the Council on this project to ensure all the potential benefits are delivered. However, a broader strategic view is also needed to develop a view on how the site as a whole could and should develop over the next 5 to 10 years.

Comment

Representation ID: 211856

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

The area surrounding Riverside is about to undergo a major transformation, with new development taking place at all four corners. We believe there is potential for these
combined developments to form an East Cambridge Innovation Hub, including:
● To the north and northwest, Railpen, creating space for laboratories and offices and is expected to bring 6,000 new jobs
● To the west, the Grafton Centre is also being redeveloped, also to create laboratory space and offices, and expected to create 2,000 new jobs. Anglia Ruskin University, has plans for a Creative Quarter, with a planned new media building on East Road.
● To the east, on the site of Cambridge Airport, 1,400 new homes have already been built on the Marleigh development and there are plans for a further 7,000 homes and 9,000 new jobs once Marshall’s have vacated the full site.

Comment

Representation ID: 211857

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

We need fresh thinking about Newmarket Road and Elizabeth Way Roundabout. The transport artery function is currently the focus of a wider ’sustainable transport review’ by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, in the
context of plans to comprehensively redevelop Cambridge Airport and local redevelopment plans for nearby retail parks. The Elizabeth Way roundabout and bridge opened in 1971 and radically changed local street layout and traffic flows, perhaps not always for the better.

Comment

Representation ID: 211858

Received: 30/01/2026

Respondent: Riverside Area Residents Association

Agent: Maria Cleminson

The ‘high street’ role of the Riverside stretch of Newmarket Road has never been formally recognised as a planning issue. rough the ‘Vision’ we will seek to articulate a local centre and high street function for the Riverside section of the Newmarket Road ‘eastern access’ which is recognised in local planning policies. This should include commercial and community opportunities serving the Riverside neighbourhood. We hope this will provide a degree of ‘future proofing’ against inappropriate development
proposals and decisions, and encourage desirable outcomes.