Cambridge charity backs growth plan but claims 'proof is in the eating'
Around 50,000 new homes could be built by 2045
It's unclear if plans to build thousands of new homes in Greater Cambridge in the next 20 years will bear fruit.
"The proof is in the eating," James Littlewood, CEO at the Cambridge Past, Present and Future charity, said.
Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council have agreed on its draft joint local plan proposals, which shapes how future development in the area could look.
Both councils say their evidence predicts there will be around 73,300 additional jobs created across the city and district up to 2045.
To meet this growth, the draft local plan put forward would deliver at least 48,195 homes - around 2,295 homes per year - within the next two decades.
Existing planned development in the area along with windfall sites are expected to deliver 37,865 of these homes by 2045.
"To put that into perspective, the number of housing units in Cambridge city itself is about 53,000, so you're talking about building the equivalent of another Cambridge," Mr Littlewood said.
"We think on the whole, the choices they (both councils) have made make sense; we don't agree with everything that's in it, but I think the general principle we agree with."
Growth 'key to having a healthy Greater Cambridge'
Several sites have been earmarked for development as part of the local plan, including 8,000 new homes at the ‘Cambridge East’ allocation, 13,000 homes at a Cambourne North development, and 6,000 homes at Grange Farm.
Speaking at a joint cabinet meeting earlier this month, Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins of the Liberal Democrats said delivering growth sustainably in the area is “key to having a healthy Greater Cambridge”.
Labour councillor Katie Thornburrow - cabinet member for planning and transport at Cambridge City Council - told the meeting that without a local plan created in the area, the Government could impose a plan on them.
A public consultation on the draft local plan is due to run until January 30.
"On one hand, you can say that all makes sense, these new towns, new settlements, are going to take the majority of this growth, but then you start to think about the facilities and the services needed to do that," Mr Littlewood said.
"I think we're supportive of the general aims of the plan, which is to try and maintain Cambridge as a compact, human scale city where you can cycle from one side of it to the other, to respect the heritage and culture."
Mr Littlewood is welcoming plans for a new £2.3 billion hospital in Cambridge to help cope with planned growth.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) has said 70% of its current estate is in "poor or bad condition" and that current facilities "have not kept pace with rising demand".
The Trust said it's used £3 million of Government funding for the initial building plans, and wants to use the £2.3bn for an outline business case.
"Addenbrooke's is already full, so I was encouraged to read that they've realised this and are saying to Government we might need £2.3bn - the question is will the Government stump this up or not?" Mr Littlewood said.
A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care has said any plans "would need local and regional approval, with funding confirmed through the usual business case process."
But Mr Littlewood hopes that whoever decides on certain areas of what's needed to carry out growth in and around Cambridge, it has to be maintained.
"What if we have the development and the Government doesn't give £2.2bn to redo Addenbrooke's? What happens if we don't get the Fens Reservoir, which means we don't have enough water?" he added.
"It ought to be possible to have a very high level of growth, and to provide the infrastructure needed to sustain that level of growth."