An introduction to FeCRA
A grassroots civic voice, dedicated to maintaining and enhancing beauiful Cambridge as a wonderful city in which to live, work, study and relax.
Who we are
- A grassroots civic voice
- An effective network
- Supporting you and your neighbourhood
- A channel for information
- A voice of scrutiny
The Federation of Cambridge Residents’ Associations (FeCRA) is a grassroots civic voice for everyone in Cambridge — and also for its environment. Residents want a say in shaping Cambridge’s development to ensure that the city grows in a way that will achieve balanced communities and quality of life.
Our strength is in our network of members in all city neighbourhoods, plus our strong contacts in nearby villages. Membership currently includes 97 Residents Associations and community groups, including environmental and cultural/heritage groups such as Friends of Cambridge Library, Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook, members of Cam Valley Forum and Cam Conservators. We have good channels of communication with key Cambridge interest groups, such as Cambridge Cycling Campaign, Cambridge Past Present and Future and Smarter Cambridge Transport. We also work with communities in Greater Cambridge – the towns and villages that surround Cambridge city. Our membership has grown rapidly over the past year and FeCRA is actively seeking to increase membership so that it can support more Residents Associations and community groups across the city and reach out to those in the city who otherwise have no civic voice.’
What we do
Over the last year Residents Associations have organised and led on parking, local election hustings, City Deal transport schemes, neighbourhood planning and heritage and public realm, and they have had some success.
FeCRA news – We aim to keep our members updated about Council and City Deal meetings and any events or information that we think will interest them.
Events – We regularly organise Residents Forum in conjunction with the City Council and Greater Cambridge City Deal. We worked closely with members of Smarter Cambridge Transport to produce their Rebooting Event and with members of CPPF’s Heritage Watch group to produce the event Keeping Cambridge Special and with CamCycle. We have also organised filming of the Local Plan Hearings and the City Deal Assembly and Board Meetings and of some Council meetings, making them available online.
We are a friendly organisation and we welcome new members. If you would like to help us make a difference – do join us. Better still you could volunteer to join one of our working groups and help shape the city’s future.
Wendy Blythe,
Chair, FeCRA
I would like to make you aware of planning application 24/01354/FUL by CIP, a partnership between Cambridge Council and Hills to build 70 homes at 137-143 Histon Road.This site is adjacent to the playground of Histon Road Rec and the Council has stipulated a requirement for public access points into the playground with paths across it to the main park to satisfy the requirement for over 4044 sq metre of open space. Open space of 244 sq m , 6% of the total requirement. The playground is currently completely fenced with 2 access gates into the main park. It is a dog, scooter and bike free safe area. Public access points between the development and playground would enable entry of scooters bikes and e-bikes as well as food delivery vehicles and put children running across the playground at risk of collision and injury. Monitoring several children who could get out into the housing estate where there will be parking for up to 70 cars along with vehicles using ATS car workshop and delivery and tradesmen vehicles moving around the development. There will be noise and light pollution affecting wildlife, vehicular pollution and possibly adverse effects on the large areas of surface water lying on the recreation ground for days after rain. Also, 40% of the housing is to be rented out by the council. There are 25 “affordable” flats with only 2 allocated parking spaces which is clearly inadequate for households will include those with works vehicles. An apartment block fronts the development on Histon Road. This area would be more suited to an indoor sports facility which is also a planning requirement and the flats set back away from the road and the noise from ATS car service business. Residents in the immediate vicinity have made 74 comments, mainly objections, on the planning portal and one has set up a group “Save Histon Road Recreation Playground” and paid to print flyers which have been delivered to some Arbury roads. To date there are just a few comments from the Arbury for which Histon Road Recreation Ground is a local open space. Please would you communicate with Arbury residents associations and ask them to inform residents asap as the deadline for commenting on the planning portal is 23rd May.