Draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan

Disagree

No answer given

Mostly yes

No answer given

Neutral

Maybe. See my reply to first questions. Obviously pros and cons each way. I would have a market and community farm in the mix, so no, I don’t think the proposed mix is wide enough.

Not at all

No answer given

Neutral

No answer given

Not at all

I think high rises too often lead to a sense of oppression, alienation and loss of connection to the area they are built in. See CB1 development in Cambridge, which aid seen high crime rates, including prostitution and bike theft. What if you replicate that? Do you want that to be your legacy as planners, with immense power to deliver a worthy addition to a first class City in many respects?

Neutral

This bit I like. The increased public parks from Chesterton to Waterbeach sound great. I’d put in birdwatching towers, as they have in Wicken Fen, and lots of education signs. Also some more orchards, as there is at Milton Country Park. In terms of biodiversity amongst the housing and retail developments, I’d put plenty of trees and bushes, and plenty of space between buildings. Plus allow for some independent shops, which may include garden shops and market area for local vegetables/fruit and other items. Having a herb garden and a sensory garden in the midst of housing area would help break it up, and give residents an immediate connection to nature and encourage to cook at home.

Neutral

No answer given

Not at all

Having limited car parking and huge number of new residents, shops, restaurants and facilities and jobs, whilst aiming to not increase road use of Milton road, is not a realistic goal. It is in this area that the planners seem to be deluded, and hoping to push the project through on false promises. The key thing to bear in mind is that North Cambridge is massively underserved by faculties, as are local villages, so there would be a big influx of people into the area - not just those who live there using the facilities, which seems to be the assumption of planners. You need to be honest about this, and accept you’ll increase traffic on Milton road and the A14 and requirements for parking (people will probably try to use residential streets) in the area, if you don’t build large carparks.

Neutral

Probably not. The green areas are positive. The new residences is simply placing more consumers within City limits, and some of them will be high carbon users, if they have high flying Science park jobs. Seems all good intentions with green building design. But having a supermarket there with items flown in from all over the world and loads of plastic is not sustainable or green. So having community farm on site would be a start towards shifting people towards more local consumption - if it were used. And a market would minimise sale of plastic packaging. Plus a repair cafe to make sure people get the most out of their existing items.