Tall Buildings In Cambridge –Workshop for local people.

A seminar on the issue of ‘Tall Buildings in Cambridge’ was held on 3rd March 2010 at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Wilberforce Road, Cambridge. There were a number of short talks, followed by workshops, at which over 140 local people contributed their views and took part in lively debate on an issue which will affect all who live and work in or around Cambridge.

The workshops generally agreed that ‘Tall Buildings’ was a relative term and that

it was better to talk about ‘taller buildings’ in the city.

While there seemed little support for taller buildings within the historic city core, there was a variety of views on taller buildings at other locations in the city.

There was general agreement that any new taller buildings must be sympathetic to their context and position, that they should have a ‘sense of place’ and be of high quality both in their design and materials. They must also be sustainable, environmentally-friendly and connected to sufficient established infrastructure; particularly public transport.

It was also felt that any proposals must enhance their locality sufficiently to be able to attract widespread community support.

The seminar was organised in response to Cambridge City Council’s announcement that they are preparing a Tall Buildings Strategy, known as a Supplementary Planning Document, in 2010 and are interested in the views of residents on this subject. The strategy will have to consider key questions such as what is special about the Cambridge skyline, what in fact is "tall", where should tall buildings be located and what are the relevant design considerations of tall buildings. A draft of the strategy is expected to be available for formal public comment in 2011 before being finalised.

The event was organised and supported by: Cambridgeshire Horizons, Cambridge City Council, Cambridge Past, Present & Future, RSA, University of Cambridge and the Federation of Cambridge Residents’ Associations (FeCRA).

CambridgePPF rallies Newnham residents

Local charity encourages Cambridge communities to have their say on the future of the City

The residents of Newnham turned out in force on Monday 8th March to a public meeting held by local charity, Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CambridgePPF). More than 60 people came along to learn more about the work of the organisation and it’s role in seeking to ameliorate the speed and scale of development planned for Cambridge between now and 2031 and discuss the threats and pressures that confront many communities in the City and surrounding villages.

As part of a plan to increase CambridgePPF’s direct engagement with local communities, the charity’s Chairman, Mr Robin Pellew OBE briefed local residents on projections for up to 40,000 new homes in Cambridge by 2021; outlining areas of the city where development is most likely to occur.

Together with Chief Executive, Carolin Göhler, he also spoke about the previous successes of the organisation, including
• Saving Grantchester Meadows from development
• Setting up Cambridge’s first Country Park at Wandlebury
• Saving the Gog Magog Hills from development
• Aiding the establishment of the Cambridge Green Belt
• Creating the new Coton Countryside Reserve

In support, Carolin Göhler also explained about the various other activities, events and educational programmes run by CambridgePPF at Wandlebury and Coton Countryside Reserve, as well as caring for a number of historic buildings.

The CambridgePPF team then called on the audience to get involved in the ongoing debate about the future of Cambridge and help CambridgePPF exert greater influence. Robin Pellew said;

“Cambridge is the leading high-tech city in the UK but this imposes enormous pressure for expansion. We need to ensure that this growth can be sustained by the local infrastructure and is of a quality that ensures Cambridge retains its special character and ambience. Local people can and should be having a real say in the local growth agenda”.

Contributions from the floor covered numerous topics including the role of planners and developers to create vibrant communities, the sustainability of the proposed new developments including carbon emissions and water supply, and the ability of hospitals and schools to cope with the numbers of new residents expected to move into the area over the next decade. Several audience members also expressed concern about transport related issues when congestion is already so bad in the city.

Following on from the recent CambridgePPF joint seminar with Cambridgeshire Horizons, the RSA, University, City Council and FeCRA there was also further discussion about the appropriateness and siting of tall buildings in Cambridge.

Chairman, Robin Pellew closed by emphasising that it was only by working together that the people of Cambridge could exert real influence over the future of their city. Cambridge Past, Present & Future could provide a platform to present people’s aspirations but greater leverage could be exerted if more people became involved. He stressed that by joining CambridgePPF

“your voice can be heard and we can make a difference to the shape of the city, now and for future generations.”

COTON RESERVE APPLAUDED IN UK GREEN BELT REPORT

Natural England survey puts village countryside reserve on the map

A new report from Natural England - the government's independent advisor on the natural environment – has named Coton Countryside Reserve in Cambridge as an example of how Green Belt land in and around busy urban centres should be protected and used.

Managed by local charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CambridgePPF), Coton Countryside Reserve is one of fourteen sites in the country identified in Green Belts: a Greener Future – the first major survey to evaluate the environmental state of Green Belt Land in the UK.

Produced jointly by Natural England and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), the report highlights the need for Green Belt land to be managed positively to enhance the natural environment and the lives of people in and around major conurbations. It recommends that Green Belt areas in the UK, like Coton Countryside Reserve should be:

• Recognised and protected: Rather than being regarded as a planning designation, Green Belt land should be actively managed to deliver attractive landscapes, wildlife rich habitats, places for recreation, healthy soils, fresh water, woodland and improved air quality.
• Invested in and improved: Green Belt land should be protected as an open rural area but also actively used as a recreational resource and a production source for local food, fuel and fibre.
• Better connected and networked: Pockets of Green Belt should be linked to other urban green spaces and the wider countryside to form ecological and green recreation networks that can help tackle the challenges of climate change and population health.

Commenting, Carolin Göhler, Chief Executive of CambridgePPF said:
"We are delighted that Natural England has selected Coton Countryside Reserve as an example of Green Belt best practice. CambridgePPF was instrumental in the creation of the Green Belt in the 1960s, which was one of the most important planning steps ever taken locally and its influence – particularly on the urban fringes – continues to this day."

"Cambridge faces extreme challenges with up to 50% growth forecast by 2031. Recognising the need for expansion, we believe the city should evolve in a sustainable way that retains and makes most sympathetic use of the green spaces available. We campaign vigorously on this and do not believe it is necessary in the foreseeable future to release more Green Belt land to accommodate housing growth. Instead, we must continue to find exciting ways of better managing the local landscape so local communities can enjoy it for years to come. We have been doing this successfully at Wandlebury since the 1950s and are in the first phase of improving the landscape at Coton along similar lines. We are delighted that Coton is being highlighted as a good practice example in the joint report from Natural England and CPRE. Hopefully it will highlight to a wider audience the vital importance of Coton and the Green Belt to the future of Cambridge and the need for ongoing support and funding. In the meantime, we will continue to champion the tremendous value and benefits of the Green Belt to local people."

From 28th January 2010, copies of Green Belts: a Greener Future will be available to download from http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2010/280110.aspx and www.CPRE.org.uk

For the full CambridgePPF press release - please click here.

CambridgePPF responds to Consultations

Cambridge Past, Present & Future have submitted detailed responses to two recent consultations:

Regional Spatial Strategy Response

The East of England Regional Assembly recently issued for consultation a document outlining four possible growth scenarios for the next regional development plan, to cover the years 2021 to 2031.

CambridgePPF has now submitted a response and wishes to thank all the members who submitted comments. To see our full response, click here.

Our main proposals are that:

EERA adopt a new scenario 5 which, while accepting the housing targets suggested in Scenario 1, contends that 2036 is a more realistic target date. That is, the Society supports further building of homes at an annual rate of 25% lower than that proposed.

No development should take place without adequate provision of infrastructure, before people move in, not afterwards.

Quality of design, not only of the physical build but also to create vibrant communities, needs very significant improvement.

It is important to take the opportunity to review how the financial risks, particularly for the provision of infrastructure, are divided between local and central government and developers.

All new developments must include adequate green space, at least up to the standard provision recommended by government, and no sums of money should be taken in lieu.

With sufficient land already identified in the Cambridge sub-region for realistic housing development in the next 25 years, there is no justification for a further review of the Cambridge Green Belt.

Cambridge City Council : Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2009 to 2013 - Response

CambridgePPF has also responded to the City Council’s consultation on its strategy paper for managing, maintaining and improving the value of the city's green spaces. To see our full response, click here.

Our main cause for criticism was that whilst the strategy recognised the sub-standard provision of green open space in the City and the worsening position over the next decade, it failed to address what to do about this fundamental problem. Its approach implied that, with the proposed new housing developments, the problem of providing green open space by the City Council would get worse rather than better and that there is little that can be done about this situation: This is an approach that CambridgePPF strongly refutes.

CambridgePPF believes that green open spaces are vital to creating dynamic communities, improving the quality of life for residents, mitigating climate change and in keeping the city an attractive to live and work.

We have asked that the City Council discard this "strategy", and produce a new version that clarifies the future provision of public open space, including how the basic standard of provision is to be re-attained in the future.

Regional Spatial Strategy CambridgePPF comments - draft

Regional Spatial Strategy Comments

The Regional Assembly has issued for consultation a document outlining four possible scenarios for the next regional development plan, to cover the years 2021 to 2031. CambridgePPF has drafted a response and asks its members for comments by 16 November 2009. To see our draft response, click here.
Please let us have your views.

EERA's four scenarios are

• Scenario 1 - 26,060 new homes p/a - continuation of existing target and
  broadly based on the views of local councils in the region.
• Scenario 2 - 30,100 new homes p/a - promotes growth in areas identified by the Regional Scale Settlement Study published in January 2009. Chelmsford would grow to be a regional city, three medium-sized new settlements of up to 20,000 homes located in Central Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and either Uttlesford or Braintree - and smaller increases in Peterborough, Suffolk and the rest of Essex.
• Scenario 3 - 29,970 new homes p/a - promotes growth around successful
  business locations where new jobs are attracting workers. Additional growth
  is spread over many districts but with a particular focus on Hertfordshire,
  south Essex and Cambridgeshire.
• Scenario 4 - 33,650 new homes p/a - promotes growth where households
  are projected to grow. It is based on long-term trends such as people living
  longer and people moving to the region. It focuses the majority of additional
  growth in Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

For EERA's full consultation document, click here

For the current East of England Plan, click here.

Please complete the comment box to let us have your views on our draft submission document – please e-mail our enquiries contact. You are also welcome to comment to EERA direct (by 24 November 09).

A discussion on the future development of the City

with Prof Peter Landshoff and former Mayor John Durrant took place at

University of Cambridge - Festival of Ideas on 21 October 2009
- at the University Centre

A presentation setting the background, highlighting the currently planned enlargement of the City as well as further proposed growth, was given by Peter Landshoff - click here .

Best quotes of the evening:

"Perfect planning prevents pathetic performance."

"Cambridge attracts world class people who like first class and spacious housing – we do not have it!"

"We need brains – we have brains and that is why brains come here."

"We have space but no imagination."


John Durrant led the interesting debate that followed. Issues raised from the floor regarding the planning of the City are summarised as follows:

Housing + Growth

• Do we really need the high-level growth as projected by the Government?
• Need for first class housing to attract top academics and top high-tech industry staff, but need to avoid the 'American Sprawl' and learn from examples of European cities, where densification has been successful with retention of green spaces and more open countryside. If quality housing is not provided the city loses out to the international competition and thus other attractive cities. We do not need more 'Lego-land Housing' but need to look at quality-build and perhaps densification of the exciting city rather than permit further sprawl as presently planned and avoid fast increase of housing – this to better achieve good design.
• Must build places where people interact – we must preserve the magic of Cambridge!
• Cambridge must change from house dwellers to more flat users and early signs can be seen with the younger generation taking on the 'flat-living live style'.
• Cambridge has to supports its Universities as they make Cambridge special and it needs to foster the various business links and entrepreneurial spin-outs. It is vital to nurture and retain the crossings between academia and business and allow small companies to grow. Cambridge needs to retain its mingled diffuse centre and increase housing in the centre to permit ideas exchange between academia and businesses.
• How do we cope with the large transient population – tourists, Universities' students and academic and support staff changing annually or over a few years? Tourists will always come but it is difficult to accommodate more tourists – would like to welcome visitors but too many will dent the spirit of the Place – one cannot walk any more at the heart of the city.

Transport

• Need houses close by to minimise travel to work.
• Commuters – there is an adverse impact at a high level of inward commuting on a daily basis to the historic city from the surrounding villages and countryside, but one also wishes to prevent Cambridge becoming a dormitory for people working in the London area.
• Must have a further 'Cambridge Futures' session looking at land use planning and transport solutions – need to implement first of all transport improvements before expanding the city!

Environment-friendly developments

• Now is the opportune time to change and be more radical in finding solutions to tackle the various environmental pressures!
• University’s proposed NW Cambridge development site – the Independent Inspector’s binding ruling requiring above-average provision of energy efficiency / sustainability etc of the development is to be applauded but need to ensure other developers perform higher on this matter, too.
• Must look at the environmental capacity – we cannot keep on growing indefinitely – but some say that is that is a nimby-ish attitude.
• Need to persuade our Council to achieve even higher environmental targets (i.e. well above current local and government-set standards including Building Control). Must consider retrofitting of systems to have a much more sustainable built environment (e.g. water-saving fittings in existing buildings).

DIY

• We need to do more collectively and locally – i.e. we should not expect the Council or the Government to do it all for us!

We are grateful for the University of Cambridge for hosting this event.

We apologise to those affected by the inadvertent error promoting the event at a later time in our membership bulletin.

If you have any suggestions for future events, please contact us with your thoughts.

Successful picnic to raise funds for Hinxton Watermill

PICNIC POTTER PACKS THEM IN

Fundraising can be a piece of cake – if only the weather stays fine. The sun managed to shine long enough on the Picnic Potter at Hinxton Mill and £500 was raised towards a facelift for the historic building.

More than 80 picnickers and supporters of the mill paid for a plot in the garden of the mill’s neighbours, Sue and Chris Elliott at Miller’s Cottage, and visitors happily munched their way through the last open afternoon of the 2009 season.

“The weather was so unpredictable in the week before the picnic we did worry that we would be unlucky. High winds almost wrecked the garden and we had to clear away tree branches and debris after one stormy afternoon,” said Sue.

“But thanks to the generosity and efforts of a lot of people who rallied round we were thrilled to add another big contribution to the upkeep of the mill.”

The building was saved from demolition back in the mid 1980s by a campaign by villagers and Cambridge Preservation Society, which was relaunched in September as Cambridge Past, Present and Future. The working water is operated on its monthly summer open days by a team of volunteers led by Martin Fordham.

At least £3,000 will be needed to repaint the exterior of the wooden mill, several rotten timbers have to be treated and replaced and the bridge wall in front of the mill was badly damaged by last winter’s harsh frosts. The money raised by the picnic will be added to a fund which has been growing steady over the last two years. It is hoped enough will be raised so that work can be done next spring, in time for the next opening season beginning in May.

“We thought of holding a picnic fundraiser because there aren’t many places on this stretch of the river where you can sit and have a relaxing afternoon. All of the £10 fees for a picnic space went straight into the repainting fund and the rest was raised from selling pots and pots of tea and encouraging people to eats lots of cake. We also had some very welcome donations,” said Sue.

“I’m really grateful to everyone who provided for the cake stall - we had lots of delicious things to sell on the day, some people even got up at unearthly times that morning to cook for us and others helped us set everything out despite the threatening early clouds. But as the sun came out so did the visitors and we couldn’t have managed without Ali Williams who slaved all afternoon over a steaming teapot.”

For more information about Hinxton Watermill go to Our Attractions page or ring the office on 01223 243830 to learn about more ways you can help fund the work on the mill and support the organisation.