Update 22nd October 2024

Dear All,

Apologies for the late update and newsletter format. But I am abroad and sending this update via my phone. This is a really important meeting concerning plans for the BioMedical Campus impacting everyone in our region.

Update Oct 22nd, 2024

Tomorrow Wed 23rd Oct Cambridge Biomedical Campus Planning Update 6pm-7.30pm

The event is hybrid. Planners say all welcome

In person at 1000 Discovery Drive, off Dame Mary Archer Way on the Biomedical Campus. This is a brand new building and so is unlikely to be on Google Maps before the event, therefore a map of the campus is attached for information. Cycle parking is available outside the building and the nearest car parking is within Car Park 2 which is a 2-3 minute walk to the venue. Please arrive from 5:45pm for a 6pm start.
Online via the YouTube stream: Cambridge Biomedical Campus Planning Update (youtube.com)

A recording of the event will available on the YouTube channel: SouthCambsDC – YouTube

The event will be split into several sections, where there will be updates from:

CBC limited and CBC Landowners Forum who will be presenting on their longer term development and expansion aspirations
JMS on behalf of Network Rail on the new Cambridge South Station
The Greater Cambridge Partnership on the Cambridge South East Transport (CSET) and Greenway projects
Greater Cambridge Shared Planning on current proposals recently permitted or coming forward on the campus as well as an update on the Local Plan and guidance document they are preparing

Each update will last around 10 mins where there will then be an opportunity to ask questions regardless of whether you are in person or online.

The Planning Service say you will be able to ask questions in the ‘chat’ function but may be required to sign in to YouTube in order to do so.

Given the packed agenda, the planning service say any questions that they are unable to take during the event will be captured and responded to after the event in written format.

Who has been invited?

All parish councils in South Cambridgeshire and resident associations in Cambridge have been invited. There is an open invite to members of the public.

Information

See FeCRA newsletter May 2017 for info about earlier Campus expansion plans and green belt land promoters and developers. The May 2017 newsletter includes NE Cambs MP Steve Barclay’s letter of complaint to the Auditor General about developers & Cambridge Ahead.

Notably Barclay, who later became Health Secretary, cited Pigeon and the Pemberton Family Trust who own Bidwells and the Trumpington Farm Estate. The Pemberton family interests are represented by the former senior partner of Bidwells, James Buxton of Pigeon, a founder member of the pro growth group Cambridge Ahead. A number of Bidwell directors feature in the video made by the Radical Regeneration Group of OxCam Arc developers. See link shared with FeCRA by the Stop the Arc Group. See second link on Stop the Arc webpage

NEWS: Radical Regeneration Manifesto October 18, 2019 | Stop the Arc Group

A worrying quote from a Bidwell Director about ‘getting politicians out of the planning process’ comes at around 1m20s in.

Cambridge University Vice Chancellor Deborah Prentice is on the board of Cambridge Ahead.

Cambridge University Health Partners

Board members of CUHP
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07015773/officers

Board members include Prof Diarmuid O’Brien the CEO of Camb Enterprise who co founded Innovate Cambridge.

Governance  https://www.cuhp.org.uk

CBC limited  https://www.cambridge-biomedical.com

The chair of CBC Ltd is Laurel Powers Freeling the chair of Uber UK.

Laurel Powers-Freeling – Hughes Hall https://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/

Ms Freeling’s husband Dr Anthony Freeling is the former President of Hughes Hall. Dr Freeling was interim vice chancellor of Cambridge University before Prof Deborah Prentice.Hughes Hall plans for Fenners Cricket Ground feature in a petition.

Following Barclay’s complaint to the Auditor General the LEP were investigated but not Cambridge Ahead or the Councils. Dame Fiona Reynolds the chair of Camb Univ Bennett Institute and vice chair of govt land use adviser the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission is the current chair of the National Audit Office. Sir Ian Cheshire the chair of the Food Farming and Countryside Commission is the chair of LandSec, the development partner of govt housing agency Homes England, Anglian Water, Cambridge University and Cambridge City Council. LandSec control the masterplan for the £3billion NE Cambridge development that requires the relocation of Anglian Water’s functioning sewage works to Honey Hill and Horningsea green belt.

We are hearing concerns from many residents that the board of Cambridge University Health Partners & other growth promoters: Innovate Cambridge, Cambridge Enterprise, Cambridge &, and growth group Cambridge Ahead do not care about the desperate state of the region’s main hospital or the region’s water shortage. Like Cambridge’s water scarcity, residents have highlighted to us that the state of the hospital is not mentioned in Cambridge Ahead newsletters.

Click on links below. If you are not able to access the information posted by the journalist Mark Williamson let me know. I will be back in the UK very shortly.

From Mark Williamson  ⁦‪@markrwilliamson‬⁩ (on Twitter/X) https://x.com/markrwilliamson
“The situation is that, on one hand Addenbrooke’s Hospital ⁦‪@CUH_NHS‬⁩, as an ‘anchor institution’ of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, wants large-scale growth. On the other. as the local general hospital, it’s already straining to cope with increased demand. (1)”

14/09/2024, 14:26
Statement by Trumpington Residents Association following meeting with CBC Ltd, 11th June 2024
CBC Vision 2050 onwards.
Cambridge Independent: Wrong to suggest EWR will solve transport problems:
https://www.fecra.org.uk/docs/CambridgeIndependent29.pdf

Residents have also asked us to share their concerns about the damaging CSET busway plans which include new bridges across the Cam. Click on link below for the Better Ways for Busways petition.

We have shared similar concerns with you previously regarding the damaging impact of the Cambourne to Cambridge Busway which impacts the West Cambridge green belt and Coton Orchard.

Better Ways For Busways: https://www.bw4b.org/

Protect Fenners Petition: https://www.change.org/p/save-cambridge-s-protected-green-spaces-protect-the-historic-fenner-s-cricket-ground-3698f7ef-9089-4668-9614-174eff7afdbb

Residents have asked us to share this petition. Click on link above

Best wishes

Wendy

Wendy Blythe,

Chair, FeCRA