Just released, a letter sent form the Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook to the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Leader of Cambridge City Council, and the Leader and Deputy Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council.
The letter shows a continuing commitment from the new Government to growth in Greater Cambridge – but this is not without its challenges. William Nichols, Regional Director in Lanpro’s Cambridge office comments:
In its first few months in Government, the need for economic growth has been a central theme running through many of Labour’s policy announcements. The new Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook’s recent letter to local leaders in the Greater Cambridge area entitled ‘Realising the Full Potential of Greater Cambridge' represents in some ways a continuation of Michael Gove’s ‘The Case for Cambridge’ narrative but with a greater emphasis on collaboration with local leaders to deliver this economic growth supporting the knowledge-intensive businesses that have become established in the area. His letter also acknowledges the concerns about the area’s future that many communities have had, and there is a recognition that not everyone has shared in Cambridge’s recent success.
This letter represents something of a reset with local political leaders some of whom had previously raised concerns about the lack of detail around what growth was being proposed and where it should go. The tone of the new Housing Minister’s letter appears to point to a greater role for local leaders in shaping the future growth alongside the Government and in a more egalitarian manner where the benefits are experienced by all those who live and work in the region and spread more evenly. It has been much documented that Cambridge, despite its undeniable economic success, is also one of the most unequal cities in the UK and this is clearly something the Government will want to address over the coming years.
Significant barriers remain in preventing the area realise its full potential including water supply and scarcity and transport connectivity. Traffic congestion has been a significant issue in Greater Cambridge for decades and major investment in high-quality rapid transit complementing the existing road, rail, and bus network will be essential. A fully integrated transport network will enable existing and new communities to be better connected by seamless, reliable, quick, affordable and easy-to-use public transport and opportunities for active travel, combined with other planned enhancements such as the soon-to-open Cambridge South station, and the critically important East West Rail proposals providing a much-needed rail link into Cambridge from the west. Without solving water scarcity and transport issues, Greater Cambridge will be unable to fulfil its potential. In order to facilitate the growth, local leaders will need to work with stakeholders, communities, and landowners to identify a combination of new growth locations comprising a combination of high-density new urban quarters and new settlements around and close to key transport hubs as well and this will inevitable mean some further green belt releases to ensure growth takes place where it is needed. Such measures also provide an opportunity to provide a transformative green network of parks, country parks, wildlife areas ensuring everyone has access to green space while ensuring that there is a meaningful net gain in biodiversity across Greater Cambridge.
This early intervention from the Housing & Planning Minister is very welcome and ensures the momentum created through the formation of the Cambridge Delivery Group chaired by Peter Freeman, can be successfully harnessed and in a way that brings with it local political leaders and the wider community in a collaborative and transparent way that brings together a wide range of expertise to provide Greater Cambridge with the best possible opportunity of realising its full economic, social, and environmental potential. While the delivery of economic growth across the UK will be a clear indicator of the future success of this new Government, the continuing acknowledgment of Cambridge as a vital area of innovation and job creation is strongly welcomed.
