Plans for making Cambridge a “fast growth city” are set to be discussed behind closed doors at a £1,000-per-head developers’ conference in Leeds – before the community has been consulted.
Among those taking part in a panel discussion will be Peter Freeman, the chair of the Cambridge Development Group set up by the government to further its vision of building another 150,000 homes in the Cambridge region by 2050. His session will focus on how to grow the city “with community at its heart”.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has hired a pavilion in order to be at the housing and industry developer’s conference, titled The UK Real Estate and Investment and Infrastructure Forum, but there are fears that decisions about the city’s future are being made between the Cambridge Delivery Group and private industry before local authorities and residents have had their say.
James Littlewood, CEO of Cambridgeshire Past, Present & Future, said: “I’m not sure if it is ironic or sad that ‘How do we deliver the Cambridge Phenomenon with community at its heart?’ is being discussed at an event at which the community has been priced out of attending, and when one of the speakers is leading a top-down exercise to impose central government’s plans on the community of Cambridge. It is common knowledge that the best way to have the community at the heart of anything is to empower and enable them to lead the process and have responsibility for the outcome – which is why town planning is the responsibility of local government and not central government!”
Anthony Browne, the Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire, said: “While I understand that Peter Freeman will be engaging with developers and landowners, it is absolutely essential that local people have a powerful voice in the conversations that will shape the future of Cambridge. There must be better engagement with residents, both directly and through their elected representatives.
“I have been pushing the Cambridge Delivery Group to get on with this from the outset, so it is disappointing that meetings with the development industry have been prioritised over listening to local communities.
“I have already written to Peter Freeman offering to set up meetings with parish councils and will be following up on this to ensure that he and his team are listening to the people who will be most impacted by any future expansion of our city.”
The UK Real Estate and Investment and Infrastructure Forum is a three-day national conference to be held in Leeds from 21 to 23 May and is aimed at housing and industry developers.
Mr Freeman is also speaking at the conference in a debate on transport in Cambridgeshire called: ‘Going for Green Growth: How Can the UK’s Science Superpower Grow Sustainably: What Role for Infrastructure?’
He was tasked with heading up the Cambridge Delivery Group by housing secretary Michael Gove, who announced plans in December last year to build 150,000 extra homes in the region to make the most of its position as ‘Europe’s science capital’.
The Labour leader of Cambridge City Council, Cllr Mike Davey, has been invited to the conference in Leeds by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, where he hopes to encourage Mr Freeman to include local decision-makers in his plans.
He said: “One of the key points we’ll want to make is to make sure the city is protected for the future and that growth, if it comes, has to be managed and maintained and that therefore requires local decision-makers to be involved in how that’s done, because obviously we’re closer to our residents.”
He also believes that partnerships with other cities could see the housing growth need being moved elsewhere.
He explained: “Cambridge is one of three cities that are net contributors to the UK economy to the cities. It’s only ourselves London and Bristol who contribute so with any national regeneration, Cambridge will be involved. And so therefore, it’s how Cambridge can be enabled to share the prosperity
“We’ve got some interesting work developing with Manchester and we’d want to see how that might be able to be taken forward. We’re looking at potential for innovation hubs in both Manchester and in Cambridge, with a view to having the potential for using research and development in Cambridge but the jobs and work might be in Manchester. If the jobs were in Manchester, you wouldn’t need to have more housing here.”
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority says the conference typically hosts many useful debates.
A spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with the councils which make up the Combined Authority, as well as local leaders and our Business Board, as part of a ‘Team Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’ approach to representation at the UKREiiF conference. This year, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has sponsored the region’s first ever pavilion at the conference to ensure our collective voice is heard.
“UKREiiF is the UK’s largest real estate and infrastructure investment event, bringing together over 12,000 delegates from government, local authorities and mayoral combined authorities, with investors, developers, and major businesses and employers. The decision to attend has been taken with the support of our independent improvement board, in line with recommendations for the Combined Authority to work in partnership with constituent authorities to develop a one-voice approach for advocating and influencing on behalf of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
“The Combined Authority represents a region that is significant to the national economy, and competes on an international basis with major cities and regions across the world.
“Moreover, one of the primary functions of the Combined Authority, as agreed in the 2017 Devolution Deal with government, is to double the region’s GVA by 2040. This is a responsibility the Combined Authority does not take lightly, especially during a cost of living crisis. Good growth in our region will mean more opportunities for our residents to access quality jobs, an important factor to living happy, healthy lives.
“Part of our role is to champion our region nationally, and we have developed a plan of events that will bring together best practice from other regions which we can learn from, while also showcasing Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as a great place to live, work, learn and invest in.”
