Rethink Cambridge: CPRE, Anthony Browne MP and our response to the government’s housing plan

Rethink Cambridge: CPRE, Anthony Browne MP and our response to the government’s housing plan

Posted on Jul 25, 2023 by jsw  | Tags: Housing, Planning

new building, west Cambridge site: Hugh Venables

On Monday 24^th July the government announced its long term housing plan.  CPRE Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has serious concerns about the government’s development plans for Cambridge, and we strongly support South Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne’s promise to do everything he can to stop the Government’s “nonsense” plans to impose mass housebuilding in Cambridge.

Our Chairman, Dr Alan James, said:  “Michael Gove’s plans to relax planning rules to create more homes in the heart of our cities – Cambridge being target No 1 – are nothing short of madness. I agree with Anthony Browne.  All major developments in and around Cambridge are currently blocked by the Environment Agency because we have quite literally run out of water.

 “Cambridge is on the edge of the Fens and very low-lying.  Climate change means the rate of annual sea level rise has now increased from 3mm a year to 3.57mm.  That, coupled with the predicted effects of melting glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica, up to 12 feet globally, means Cambridge is a very silly place to build indeed.  What happened to the Levelling Up Agenda and Mission 2 of the White Paper?

 “Life sciences now work together globally using something called the internet.  It would appear Mr Gove is back in the 20th century when clustering came about to reduce air travel and improve communications. Now, the original clusters in the USA are gradually dispersing.”

We’ll update you on this as developments occur.