Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

General Comment The current local plan describes the need to protect and enhance the landscape setting of the city, which comprises the Cambridge Green Belt, the green corridors penetrating the urban area, the established network of multi-functional green spaces, and tree canopy cover in the city. We expect that this objective will be carried through into the new plan. We would also emphasise the need to preserve and enhance protected open space and conservation areas as a major contribution to improving the green space network and protecting heritage. We recognise the urgent need to encourage a shift towards much more sustainable modes of transport including greater use of public transport as well as cycling and walking. We believe that the only sensible way of achieving this is by the provision of dedicated facilities for these modes of transport separated from the existing road infrastructure. Particularly in the case of public transport and cycling, this approach guarantees the reliability necessary to encourage the necessary shift away from intensive car usage.

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Obviously by having policies that explicitly protect not just the historic buildings and valuable landscapes, including the Green belt west of the historic centre, but also the views and vistas of and from such historic core and surrounding landscape, principally by locating any further development that is to take place in Cambridge away from the sensitive West Cambridge green belt and the adjoining Conservation Area and placing it in less sensitive landscape area, to the east for example where the landscape and neighbourhoods without the historic buildings and associated landscapes could be positively enhanced by good quality development.

The historic centre of Cambridge and the Backs and Conservation Area of West Cambridge out to the Green Belt with its characteristic pattern of houses in individual gardens amid patchwork of playing fields is unique. The Local Plan needs to ensure that this is preserved, by severely limiting any development that would alter this character. To the extent any development were allowed it should be meet a higher standard of design, than in non Conservation Areas, and most importantly reflect the sense of place in its reduced mass and density, compared with the density etc. of development outside Conservation Areas.

In terms of well-being ‘Good growth’ must include policies that preserve existing Protecting Open Spaces of environmental and or recreational value, and explicitly recognise that well-being is promoted by views and vistas of green spaces, including those in private ownership, such as college paying fields which may not be home to protected species but provide a green lung in the urban texture.

It is vital that the Plan should continue to protect gardens and green spaces, in particular the network of natural and semi natural green spaces including playing fields in public or private ownership whose existence enhance the natural environment within the urban environment of Cambridge. In West Cambridge where green spaces have been lost because of development (West Cambridge Site and North West Cambridge Site) the remaining green spaces should be protected from development.

Response to Question 3 This question appears to be asking for new sites to be designated for green space and wildlife habitats. There are existing spaces which are already designated as protected. We expect that the continuing designation of existing designated Protected Open Spaces should be carried forward into any new Plan without the need for fresh justification.

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A good idea if it is done sensitively and helps the village community, its schools, shops businesses and churches etc to thrive.

Good idea provided adequately provided withgood public transport and other infrastructure.

5Bad idea to the west where the Green belt protects and preserves Cambridge unique historic centre and setting by its views and vistas and offers easy accessibility for residents to the countryside

The Development of Land to the east of Cambridge outside green belt such as Marshalls, and around Cambridge North station would improve these areas. The latter in particular would have benefit particularly from existing good public transport infrastructure.