Greater Cambridge Local Plan Issues & Options 2020

You need to involve local people and organisations far more in helping solicit feedback, using a simpler set of questions enabling everyone who lives and works in Cambridge to respond at this crucial initial stage. The current website form is serious and comprehensive and demonstrates a great deal of work on the officers’ part. But if we are going to secure significant engagement from non-activists, people who are willing and able to plough through the questionnaire and give considered answers (and, of course, are online), the material needs to be more digestible and straightforward — and more widely circulated. The card that was produced for the pop-up events would be a good starting-place, as it seeks input on the ‘big themes’; most people would be able to complete it. The Council could then enlist the help of local people who, through their RAs, businesses, clubs, local organisations, churches etc., could help solicit feedback. This simple step would be a big improvement and would gather much more feedback and engage far more people, instead of the usual voices from the confident few who are already engaged. This initial step could be followed up with more complex questions, again working through these local people and organisations.

Question 2. Please submit any sites for employment and housing you wish to suggest for allocation in the Local Plan. Provide as much information and supporting evidence as possible. Q2 Response: There are no available sites for employment and housing in our Neighbourhood Area.

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Question 3. Please submit any sites for green space and wildlife habitats you wish to suggest for consideration through the Local Plan. Provide as much information and supporting evidence as possible. Q3 Response: Please find attached our Evidence Base, which includes a number of valued green spaces in our Neighbourhood Area. More broadly, the need to re-wild brownfield sites, maintain the green belt (and enhance its biodiversity wherever possible), is key to making positive gains in biodiversity. We echo the call for a ‘Green Network’ as detailed by the response from Cambridge Past, Present and Future. We also fully support the response from Cam Valley Forum who stress the importance to future proof the areas around the River Cam against flooding and unwise development.

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Nothing chosen

Given the Climate Emergency, 2040 is too far in the future. Right now, there is an urgent need for bold, effective Planning policies on standards of building insulation, heating/cooling, retention of front and rear domestic gardens, green spaces promoting biodiversity etc. Could there not be an interim set of policies, aimed at being adopted within a much shorter time? Perhaps a Citizen’s Assembly could be convened on this topic and some practical steps agreed in the much shorter term.

Nothing chosen

Climate Change, Biodiversity and Green Spaces – Yes, definitely these are the two key issues. Given the Council’s commitment to achieve Carbon Zero by 2050, it is urgent that these be addressed as soon as possible. One item that is missing from the four big themes is Infrastructure as this is causing a great deal of concern and controversy as the city tries to adapt to its ever-growing population and reliance on transport links to the City and surrounding communities.

No choices made

Question 7. How do you think we should prioritise these big themes? Rank the options below 1-4 (1 - Most Preferred 4 - Least Preferred): Q7 Response: How to prioritise the Big Themes. Mitigating the effects of Climate Change and promoting Biodiversity must be the first priority through the lens of which all other matters must be viewed. Committing to the idea of endless and unsustainable so-called ‘growth’ must be challenged and resisted if the character and well-being of our area are to be retained. If these two themes were prioritised, the other goals would also be achieved. There is no such thing as a ‘Great Place’ if it doesn’t promote ‘Well-being and social inclusion’, and neither will happen if Climate Change is not addressed.

Develop policies that demonstrably would lessen dependence on fossil fuels by setting the highest standards — and enforcing them — for building insulation, water use, heating/cooling, sustainable materials and the like. Providing sound information and advice for homeowners, commuters, parents, schools and other institutions must be a priority, as must standards for insulation, heating and cooling, garden and front-garden biodiversity, water use etc. These must be included in new robust Local Plan policies.

Planning policies (see above) that are implemented by a bigger team of officers — and enforced. Outside the remit of the Local Plan is transport, but working with the County Council, the Planners should push for transport reforms so ways to discourage individual car use. For example: Public ownership/management of public transport, so that the Council can ensure comprehensive rural bus services, instead of forcing people (often those on low incomes) to purchase and drive cars to their destinations. Transport hubs in far-flung villages, so that people don’t have to drive to Park & Rides on the edges of the city — see Smarter Cambridge Transport’s proposals for these. More and better pavements and pedestrian facilities so that people will be encouraged to walk. Currently the pavements are often very narrow, almost everywhere in shockingly poor condition, and often tramped at an angle making it difficult for people with physical challenges/pushchairs etc. to walk on. (An audit should be undertaken as a priority.) More and better cycling infrastructure — see submission by Camcycle.

Yes, strongly agree

Yes of course.

More trees, parks, a commitment to a percentage net increase in biodiversity, rewilding, animalhabitat enhancement (e.g. requiring every new or replacement fence to have holes big enough for small-mammal passage) should be required in every single planning application, from the biggest development down to the smallest domestic extension. Front- and rear-garden green spaces should be protected from paving and car parking; the Green Belt should be retained, and landowners encouraged to rewild and manage the habitat for maximum biodiversity and species health