Update 22nd April 2025
Dear all,
Update 22nd April, 2025
Hope you have all had a good Easter.
Peter Freeman talk “Making Cambridge A Happy City?” 15th May Great St Mary’s 7-9, doors open at 6.30pm
Here is the poster advertising the event for sharing with networks and friends. Let the committee know your questions for Peter Freeman.
Update on Honey Hill and relocation of Anglian Water’s sewage works impacting Horningsea, Fen Ditton and the River Cam
The plans to move the Cambridge sewage works have been approved by Steve Reed, the Defra Secretary for State, despite examiners recommending permission should be withheld. They said that the project had not been ‘adequately justified’, pointing out that the existing plant could be upgraded to add capacity. Link below
The letter from Defra Secretary of State, Steve Reed makes it clears that the ‘significance of Cambridge’ to the government’s growth ambitions was central to the decision to approve.Click on tweets below for extracts for the letter from the SoS.
https://x.com/markrwilliamson/status/1909629330260480127
The letter stresses the ‘importance of Cambridge as a nationally important centre for science and research’ and ‘the need to boost the supply of housing in Cambridge to supercharge growth’.
https://x.com/markrwilliamson/status/1909631195907825988
The letter sets the scene for exceeding the housing in the Local Plan, ‘if it reflects growth ambitions linked to economic growth’
https://x.com/markrwilliamson/status/1909636336820138282
SoS, Steve Reed, concludes that harm to the Green Belt and other harm ‘is clearly outweighed by other considerations’.
https://x.com/markrwilliamson/status/1909644937148219613
Bourn Airfield development moves closer as a partnership buys up the site
A new partnership of Homes England, whose outgoing chair, Peter Freeman, is the chair of the Cambridge Growth Company, Greycoat Real Estate & US Asset management company Oaktree have purchased the Bourn Airfield site. They say the Cambourne to Cambridge busway is “key” to this”. Greycoat “we’re playing an important role in the government growth plans for Cambridge… & strategic objectives for the OxCam corridor’. Link below for article.
https://x.com/greenarteries/status/1907340564611162497
Water scarcity is still an issue for the region
A reminder on the report for South Cambs on ‘deal-breaker’ constraints on OxCam Arc growth from water supplies found in 2020. Nothing has substantively changed since then. See tweet link below.
https://x.com/markrwilliamson/status/1331908594204340224/photo/1
University of Cambridge Local Engagement Survey
Cambridge University alumni have shared a link with FeCRA for a civic survey that Cambridge University is currently running.
https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/ControlPanel/File.php?F=F_6Rl5kk6TwVp1Odr
It is not clear which community groups and non alumni residents have been asked to submit responses or if the university’s survey includes Cambridge market traders and small businesses. The letter to named recipients states:
To ensure the approach is genuinely collaborative, the University is undertaking a listening exercise with local community members, civic organisations, and the University community. The desire is to understand the University’s relationship with people across the city of Cambridge and explore how we can better work together.
The University of Cambridge mission is to “contribute to society” and that means not just globally, but here in Cambridge too. We are committed to strengthening our relationship with the city by listening to local communities, challenging perceptions, and working together to create a more inclusive and sustainable place.
You have been invited because you are a resident, a member of staff or student who lives and/or works in the CB postcode area or further afield. We want to hear about your experiences with, and understanding of, the University’s connections with the local community’
The University ‘s civic consultation runs from February to June 2025.
‘The insights we gain during the survey will inform key recommendations on how the University can strengthen its civic engagement. If you have any questions about this project, please contact: civic@admin.cam.ac.uk.Together, we can strengthen the connection between the University and our local community.
Yours,
Clare Monaghan Director of Alumni Engagement
Cambridge University reported on Peter Foster the FT’s Public Policy Editor’s recent article that ‘the University is working with the government and the Cambridge Growth Company to ensure inclusive growth.’ See
https://www.fecra.org.uk/update-27th-march-2025/
The board and team of the influential think tank Labour Together advising the government includes:
Baroness Sally Morgan (Chair of the think tank) the Master of Fitzwilliam College See
https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committee-members/members/Pages/Sally-Morgan.as
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cambridge-growth-company-and-the-advisory-council
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/news/baroness-morgan-to-become-new-trust-chair/
Fran Perrin the daughter of Labour’s main donor Cambridge University Chancellor Lord David Sainsbury
Cambridge Univ Centre for Science & Policy (CsaP) fellows https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/network/jonathan-ashworth and senior researchers from Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute . See
https://www.labourtogether.uk/meet-the-team
Programme for the Ox-Cam Growth Corridor Pavillion at the 2025 Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Conference
https://www.oxford-cambridge-partnership.info
Note ‘A blueprint for new towns in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor’, sponsored by Thakeham Homes Private brunch: EWR Co. Commercial Opportunities 1
The chair of the Cambridge Growth Company, Peter Freeman, outgoing Homes England Chair, is the co founder of Argent ( now Related Argent), a member of the Radical Regeneration Manifesto Group of developers . See
https://www.estatesgazette.co.uk/news/argent-lg-and-grosvenor-among-backers-of-ox-cam-arc-manifesto/
Bidwells director on second video 1 minute 20 secs in “Get the politicians out of the planning process” Link.
https://stopthearc.org/news-updates/2019/10/19/news-radical-regeneration-manifesto-october-18-2019
Tomorrow Wednesday, April 23rd, Cambs & Peterborough Mayoral Hustings Wesley Methodist Church, Christ Pieces, Cambridge CB1 1LG AND ONLINE
6.30pm to 8.30pm: In-person tickets link: https://bit.ly/4cbKWZZ
On-line tickets link: https://bit.ly/3RyEsup
Our combined authority regional mayor has responsibility for transport, planning and skills and will oversee a £600m investment fund over 30 years to grow the local economy, plus £170m to develop new homes.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cambridgeshire-and-peterborough-devolution-deal.
https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/what-we-deliver/business/enterprise-zones/
The districts in the combined authority are:
Cambridge City District (includes 14 district council wards, there are no parish councils)
South Cambs DC (includes 105 parish councils/ some are parish councils and town councils of Cambourne and Northstowe
Peterborough Unitary Authority (includes 26 parish councils, no town councils; Peterborough City Council has 22 district council wards)
Fenland District (incudes town councils of Chatteris, March, Whittlesey, Wisbech and 12 parish councils)
East Cambs District ( includes 12 parish councils and 2 town councils, Soham and Littleport and Ely city council which has 4 wards) .
Huntingdonshire ( includes 5 town councils for Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Ramsey, St Ives and St Neots, 75 parish councils )
Best wishes,
Wendy
Wendy Blythe
Chair, FeCRA
Recent Comments