Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Proposed Submission

1. A new city district of approximately 8,000 homes delivered from 2032, subject to the necessary water infrastructure being available, significant employment floorspace in use classes E(g) and approximately 20,000 square metres gross internal area (GIA) of B2/B8 employment floorspace, with a range of supporting services and facilities including

[ADD] a new community stadium,

retail, community, cultural, faith, leisure, education and sports and open space uses. The built area of the expansion will be contained within the Site Allocation boundary identified on the Policies Map.

2. A site wide masterplan will be prepared by the landowners and/or promoters in conjunction with the Council and in consultation with the local community and other stakeholders. The masterplan should be broadly aligned with the indicative Spatial Framework shown at Figure 53 and will need to identify the broad distribution of land uses, infrastructure delivery and phasing and will be used as a basis for the consideration of subsequent planning applications. The masterplan should be
agreed by the Council prior to the approval of any planning applications (and may be subsequently updated by the landowners and/or promoters and agreed by the Council).

3. Given the scale and long term construction of the development, a site wide Place Book shall be prepared to establish the vision, place-making objectives and quality expectations for the new community and provide the foundation for the site wide masterplan and design codes. The design code will ensure that each phase of development positively contributes towards the high-quality placemaking outcomes expected.

The Potential to Relocate

1. As noted, since the Regulation 18 consultation, it has become clearer to the Club that there is no realistic prospect of redeveloping the Cledara Abbey Stadium. As
such, positive discussions have taken place regarding the inclusion of a new stadium in the future of Cambridge. Given the proximity of Cambridge East to the current stadium in the Abbey Ward, this would appear to be the most logical alternative stadium location.

2. The Club, therefore, want to work in partnership with the key stakeholders, including the Hill Group, to help secure an allocation for a new stadium at alternative site that meets both the Club and the City’s needs.

3. The new urban extension at Cambridge East (ref: S/CE) is allocated for a residential-led mixed use development, providing housing alongside a wide range and scale of cultural, leisure, commercial and community uses to meet the needs of the wider City and sub-region.


4. Whilst we appreciate that this emerging Plan is being progressed under the legacy regime, and the Plan will be considered against the previous, 2024 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the aims and objectives of the new 2026 NPPF are relevant.

5. Making specific reference to a new stadium for Cambridge Utd within the allocation is entirely consistent with the 2026 NPPF because it outlines that Plans should
support the conditions for long-term economic growth, and particularly support the allocation of sites to implement the economic vision and strategy, paying particular
regard to facilitating development to meet the needs of a modern economy and the specific locational requirements of different sectors (Policy E1). This Policy goes on
to explain that provision should be made expansion or modernisation businesses of local, regional or national importance to support economic growth (particularly in
the leisure and tourism sector). In the 2024 NPPF, this therefore remains consistent with Paragraphs 85 and 87 which seek to locate development to create conditions for investment and economic growth.

6. The Cambridge East allocation (ref: S/CE) notes that the site may include civic uses, a conference centre, concert hall, arts centre or leisure facilities. Although
this list could be considered to cover a new stadium, it would be helpful to refer explicitly in the allocation to Cambridge East being a potentially appropriate location for a new stadium for Cambridge United so that design and master planning could make provision for it.

7. The provision of a new community stadium for Cambridge Utd as part of the wider allocated site, located perhaps in a leisure, civic entertainment quarter would be
consistent with good place making and urban design objectives set out in 2024 NPPF and the 2026 NPPF. Central to both iterations of the NPPF is ensuring that
Plans and allocations ensure that development brings forward opportunities to promote good health and support social interaction through land allocations.

8. Also of relevance, in May 2026, the Government explicitly recognised that sports infrastructure development projects can help to deliver local regeneration and commercial growth, and confirmed that a Stadium Regeneration Accelerator would be set up to support this objective. The Stadium Regeneration Accelerator will:

“In a further growth boost for towns and cities across England, a new cross-government programme will work with sporting bodies on priority sports infrastructure development projects - such as stadiums - that can help deliver local regeneration and commercial growth. Funding will not be used for the regeneration of these stadiums but the government will work with sports clubs and leagues to unlock opportunities for large scale housing delivery, jobs, apprenticeships, transport improvement and community
sports facilities….”


9. In short, the Government seems to be fully committed to assisting in projects delivering sports infrastructure, reinforcing our view that now is a genuine moment
of opportunity that cannot be missed.

10. In this context, the Club finds it difficult to support the draft allocation as it does not recognise the future potential relocation of the Club. Whether that is as a reference
to the suitability of a new stadium within the Cambridge East allocation, or a non site-specific reference to the aspiration to work to find an appropriate location
should be the subject of further discussions to reach an agreed position before the draft Plan is submitted for examination. There certainly should be a reference to
the potential relocation of the Club in the Abbey Stadium allocation (ref: S/AMC/AS). Including a reference in the Cambridge East allocation to the suitability of the site for a new stadium for the Club would ensure that a stadium
could be part of the master planning and place making process.

See attached form for detailed amendments to policy S/AMC/AS.

Cledara Abbey Stadium

11. As well as inclusion of a reference in the allocation, it would be helpful to include a broad statement of support for the Club’s relocation (in appropriate circumstances)
either within draft Policy S/AMC/AS, or within a bespoke policy that explicitly deals with the Club’s relocation within the Plan. We have previously proposed appropriate text to Draft Policy S/AMC/AS in Appendix A and believe it remains appropriate to account for this in order to meet the need to secure the Club’s long term future.

12. We note that Appendix 7 of the Council’s Consultation Statement explicitly considers whether the proposed Open Space designation of the pitch at the Cledara Abbey Stadium is appropriate. The Council believes retaining this designation is appropriate on the basis that the Club hasn’t confirmed an alternative location.

13. Given things are progressing, we believe it would be appropriate to either remove the Open Space designation, and/or suitable flexibility to the draft policy to enable
the site to be redeveloped, without the Open Space designation prohibiting this.

14. As we understand it, the Open Space designation was imposed to help the Club, but it could now be a significant block. The value accrued through the redevelopment of the Cledara Abbey Stadium site will contribute towards the very significant costs of building a new stadium and relocating the Club.

15. In short, now is a moment of opportunity to help the Club with a supportive allocation which will facilitate the redevelopment of Cledara Abbey Stadium should
the Club relocate. As such, the flexibility that we have previously proposed in this allocation needs to be introduced, to ensure that the Club can react to an evolving situation.


16. We suggest that the wording at Appendix A be included in respect of the ‘Abbey Stadium’ allocation (ref: S/AMC/AS). Until these amendments are made and the
restrictive nature of the draft allocation is reversed, the wording of this draft allocation would be problematic to the future development of the Club for the wider City.