Going for Gold - next steps

Planning for the city's future

We believe that bold and visionary thinking is needed to create a future for the city which allows for managed and appropriate growth, whilst preserving its best qualities.

This means planning now for substantial new development over the coming decades. This development must preserve the best aspects of the city and surrounding landscape, and must sustain the environmental, social and economic fabric. It must be built to the highest standards of urban design, architectural and environmental quality and must be accompanied by a first class transport infrastructure. It must produce vibrant, socially mixed, safe, convenient and enjoyable places to live.

What we've done so far

• played a central role in the County Council's Structure Plan review process, providing visionary ideas for the eastern expansion of Cambridge, and the concentration of other new development in areas close to employment centres. These ideas are now fundamental to the proposals set out in the draft Plan
  
  
• helped draft the implementation arrangements for the future development of the sub-region, to ensure that a proper infrastructure is provided, especially in transport and affordable housing
  
  
• started the process for the city's review of its Local Plan, including first round of public consultation. We are determined that the new Plan will be ground breaking in its approach, setting out clear principles and providing a flexible framework to ensure a great future for the city
  
  
• taken a more pro-active and innovative approach to current major developments in the city, involving more public consultation and participation and securing maximum benefit to the community through the process of developer contributions

Next Steps

We will:

• play a central role in formulating a comprehensive transport strategy for the future of the city and sub-region
  
  
• continue to seek to influence central, regional and sub-regional policy affecting Cambridge, in particular to ensure that the government contributes adequate funding to meet the enormous infrastructure needs of the Cambridge sub-region
  
  
• use the planning system to ensure that new developments contribute to the supply of affordable and key worker housing and other community facilities 
  
  
• continue to develop the planning process as a pro-active and consultative tool to ensure that new developments benefit the city, and are socially and environmentally sustainable in their design. 
  
  
• formulate a new economic development strategy for the city, emphasising sustainable growth and protecting the existing economic base
  
  
• continue our drive to see better standards in urban design and architecture in the city