The leaders of three Cambridgeshire councils have warned that a new Greater Cambridge regeneration body could sideline communities and weaken local democracy.
The Government confirmed on Tuesday (2 June) that a Greater Cambridge Development Corporation will be formed to unlock growth and investment in the region as well as help deliver infrastructure, jobs and homes.
Although final details about the new body’s role are not yet clear, it is also expected to become the largest urban development corporation of its kind in the country and “will drive faster, more sustainable growth” to the area.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says the corporation will ensure “transport and services are built alongside new homes, not as an afterthought”. It will also aim to cement “Greater Cambridge’s status as a world-leading centre for science and innovation”.
Concerns
But the area’s political leaders have expressed serious concerns that planning powers could be transferred from locally elected authorities to a Government-led organisation – and reduce the influence of residents and communities over future development.
South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) acknowledges Greater Cambridge requires significant investment in infrastructure – but argues removing planning responsibilities from councils is unnecessary and risks undermining a planning system that is already delivering growth.
SCDC leader Councillor Bridget Smith argues the area was among the best-performing in the country for housebuilding and economic development, with planning permission already granted for 37,000 new homes and substantial commercial and laboratory space.
She said: “Removing planning decisions from locally accountable councils risks undermining the very things that make growth successful – local knowledge, community involvement and democratic decision-making.
“In fact, we think this change risks slowing growth down. The real barriers to delivery are not the planning decisions made locally, but delays in key supporting facilities such as water, transport, and utilities and this is where any development corporation should focus its energy and influence.”
While the Government says the new corporation will be “working in partnership with local leaders and communities”, Cllr Smith argued this has not happened since the public consultation outlining the initial proposals.
She said: “We are in the dark as to any details about how the development corporation will operate and frankly, we have more questions than answers.”
Cllr Katie Thornburrow, the new Leader of Cambridge City Council, echoed concerns that the development corporation “would have exceptional planning powers and reduce the ability of local people to shape their future”.
She said: “If the development corporation is to deliver the inclusive and sustainable growth we are all working towards it must be based around genuine collaboration and transparency with local government, and I look forward to engaging with all those involved to ensure this happens.”
Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, also highlighted the new organisation could add another layer of governance when Local Government Reorganisation is intended to simplify decision-making structures.
‘Infrastructure first’
Meanwhile, Cambridgeshire’s three Liberal Democrat MPs, have urged the Government “infrastructure must come first” – and that a development corporation “could have a role to play” in the area.
In a joint social media statement, they said: “Growth at the pace the Government is demanding simply cannot be delivered without solving the fundamental problems first – water supply, sewage capacity, GP surgeries, transport links and school places.
“A development corporation that tackles those barriers – the things local councils can’t solve alone – could have a role to play. But one that strips planning powers from local authorities and overrides community voices is something we strongly oppose. Growth must be done with communities, not to them.”
Boost growth
The Government’s announcement about the Greater Cambridge Development Forum forms part of a wider strategy to boost growth along the Oxford-Cambridge corridor. It is also supported by up to £800 million of investment aimed at housing, transport and green space improvements.
Ministers argue that the new body will help overcome longstanding barriers to growth by bringing land together for development, investing in strategic sites and unlocking stalled projects.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the corporation would help turn Greater Cambridge’s economic potential into “more affordable homes, good jobs for local people and infrastructure that supports its communities”.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor Paul Bristow also backs the initiative, saying it “has the potential to help” deliver “the most ambitious” local growth plan in the country.
READ MORE: New corporation proposed to speed up city’s development
