Anthony has met with the Secretary of State at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUCH), the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, in response to the Government's vision for a ‘new quarter’ in Cambridge.
During the meeting, Anthony underscored the scale of housebuilding that is already taking place, with three new towns in South Cambridgeshire currently in development (Cambourne, Northstowe and Waterbeach) as well as the significant housebuilding that has taken place in Trumpington Meadows and Queen Edith’s, and further afield at Alconbury Weald and St Neots. He made clear Cambridge already has several "new quarters" at different stages of development, including East Cambridge on the airport site, the major West Cambridge development, and Eddington.
Last year, South Cambridgeshire had the second highest housebuilding of any district in the country, higher than any London borough, as much as all Birmingham, and more than most major cities including Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Anthony highlighted South Cambridgeshire District Council’s (SCDC) unsustainable plans to double the rate of housebuilding over the next twenty years with 57,000 new houses by 2041, and urged the Secretary of State to focus on more sustainable development. Emphasising the need for more laboratory development, he urged prioritisation of new wet lab space to ensure the city's growth as a world-leading science superpower akin to Silicon Valley.
Anthony pointed out that the biggest constraint on the growth of Cambridge was the shortage of water, with the Environment Agency already blocking all major new developments because there is no water for the new housing. The issue of water supply remains a red line for Anthony. He informed the Secretary of State that any further deterioration of Cambridgeshire water supplies would not be acceptable, and urged the Secretary or State to make a public commitment to that effect.
He also noted that development around Cambridge has garnered a negative reputation, evidenced by a significant lack of amenities in Cambourne and Northstowe. Anthony also stressed that the growth of Cambridge was also constrained by poor transport infrastructure and urged the Secretary of State to consider new rail links to Haverhill and Peterborough. He also said that the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology should be involved in any plans for the development of a British answer to Silicon Valley, and it should not be left to the housing department.
In a separate meeting, Anthony also shared his views with Peter Freeman, Chairman of Homes England, who has been appointed to lead the team of "super planners" to develop the proposals for a new quarter for Cambridge.
Anthony Browne MP commented: “We cannot sustain any more mass housebuilding in or around Cambridge without first sorting out the major problems it is already causing. Without sorting out the water supply issues, plans for new quarters are dead on arrival. I am glad the Housing Secretary accepted this point
“During my meetings this week, I stressed how Cambridge is already expanding very rapidly, with mass housebuilding already taking place, and the disastrous plans to accelerate this by the Lib Dems at SCDC. Last year, Cambridge saw more housebuilding than any most major city in the country, with little thought for our dwindling water supplies or services for residents. Where they are building houses, SCDC is slow to secure key facilities like GP surgeries or even shops. In Northstowe, you can’t even buy a pint of milk.
“The government must learn from these errors and find a comprehensive and sustainable approach to Cambridge's development, looking at all the issues from water supplies, laboratory space, electricity supplies, transport infrastructure and services to residents.”
