South Cambridgeshire District Council has reiterated its serious concern after the government confirmed plans to create a Greater Cambridge urban development corporation – which would hand planning powers from local councils to the new body.
Councillors have restated their opposition, arguing the shift from locally elected authorities to a central government body is wholly unnecessary.
As outlined at the Full Council meeting in March this year, councillors said that while government funding is needed to support Greater Cambridge’s significant infrastructure challenges, this should not come at the cost of local democratic accountability - particularly in an area ranked among the top 10 nationally for delivering new homes and growth.
Although details remain unclear, the government decision, announced last night (Tuesday 2 June), is expected to remove many developments - currently shaped through local plans and community engagement - from local decision-making, creating the largest corporation of its type. The centrally led body, following MHCLG consultation earlier this year, would be governed mainly by government-appointed board members rather than local representatives.
Cllr Bridget Smith, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We’re already one of the top areas in the country when it comes to how fast new homes are being completed. Planning permission for a total of 37,000 new homes has already been granted across Greater Cambridge. There’s existing permission for the equivalent of almost 60 football pitches worth of lab and commercial space. The Royal Town Planning Institute say we’ve got the best Planning Service in the country. 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. The government needs to work in partnership with local councils; not create uncertainty amongst communities and developers about the future of the area. Last night’s announcement pledges working in partnership with local leaders and communities – none of which has happened since the government’s consultation. We are in the dark as to any details about how the development corporation will operate and frankly, we have more questions than answers.
“Who will be making decisions about planning in our area? Will they protect the green belt? Will they protect our villages from rogue developers who see an opportunity to submit planning applications which democratically elected councillors would not support? Where is the funding for all of the new housing and required infrastructure? Did the government listen to any of the feedback in the consultation or was this a ‘done deal’ from the outset? I could go on. This is not my understanding of a partnership and it’s disappointing that after nearly three years of being involved in the growth company project we are responding to a government announcement with so little understanding of what is being proposed.”
When you also consider the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan, there are already proposals for up to 77,000 new homes and over 100,000 jobs across South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge. These proposals have been shaped by extensive public consultation and robust evidence.
It is anticipated that the corporation would also replace the councils’ role in preparing Local Plans after the conclusion of the current emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan. This would mean that, for the next 25 years, decisions about where new homes and jobs come forward across Greater Cambridge would be made by the urban development corporation, rather than by local communities through the councils.
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