CAMBRIDGE LOCAL PLAN TOWARDS 2031 –
ISSUES AND OPTIONS 2 – RESPONSE FORM
PART B – YOUR REPRESENTATION(S).
PLEASE FILL IN A SEPARATE SHEET FOR EACH REPRESENTATION AND RETURN ALL TOGETHER WITH
PART A
WHICH DOCUMENT ARE YOU RESPONDING PART 1
TO? (PLEASE CIRCLE)
PART 2
SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL – PART 1
SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL – PART 2
WHICH PART OF THE DOCUMENT ARE YOU PARAGRAPH NO:
RESPONDING TO? (PLEASE FILL IN THE
APPROPRIATE NO.)
QUESTION NO:
OPTION NO: Site Option GB2 Land south of
Worts Causeway
SUPPORT / OBJECT / COMMENT (PLEASE CIRCLE AS APPROPRIATE)
WRITTEN JUSTIFICATION FOR OBJECTION OR SUPPORT:
PLEASE BE AS PRECISE AS POSSIBLE (CONTINUE ON SEPARATE A4 SHEET(S) IF NECESSARY)
I wish to object to the 6.85ha area of land south of Worts Causway being
released from the Green Belt for the construction of 230 dwellings. The
Green Belt around Cambridge continues to play an important role in
protecting the setting of the historic city and in preventing urban sprawl.
This proposed development is adjacent to some of the best rural landscape
surrounding Cambridge which, uniquely, contains undulating and rising
ground, some of it wooded, and with narrow rural roads. An additional
1,500 or so people (this includes those on the other potential site to the
north of Worts Causeway – see response to Site Option GB1) will put
additional pressure on these areas of natural beauty through increased
footfall, and problems such as litter and the use by dogs. I am also
concerned about the potential affect on underlying archaeology, Worts
Causeway being an extension of the Roman Road, Worsted Street as it
approached the River Cam and the historic city of Cambridge.
I do not agree with the City Council’s contention that the development
would not cause any fundamental harm to Green Belt purposes. The lower
land between the existing built edge of Cambridge and the rising ground is
an important visual and physical buffer between the two and performs the
important Green Belt function and purpose of maintaining a soft green edge
to the city and contributes positively to the character of the landscape
setting – particularly visible from the higher ground to the east and to the
south. This should not be compromised by the small, short term gain in
housing numbers when alternatives are available through the modest
expansion of certain selected villages (where existing robust infrastructure
allows) and through the creation of new settlements. In addition, the Worts
Causeway site is not conveniently close to existing services and facilities
(shops, chemist, health centre, schools etc.).
One of the established purposes of the Cambridge Green belt is to “maintain
and enhance the quality of its setting”. This present proposal does neither. If
the response of the Council to development pressures is simply to take more
Green Belt land, then its value becomes increasingly worthless.
SUMMARY OF REPRESENTATION - PLEASE SUMMARISE THE MAIN ISSUES RAISED IN
YOUR REPRESENTATION IN NO MORE THAN 100 WORDS

Development of Site GB2 will cause fundamental harm to Green Belt purposes due to its proximity
to high quality landscape and the adjacent high ground. The current flatter undeveloped land provides an
important visual and physical buffer between the urban edge and the rising ground. The present soft green
edge works well and should not be compromised.

Additional pressure will be put on the adjacent areas of natural beauty, archaeology and wildlife
through increased footfall, and problems such as litter and use by dogs.

Alternatives for housing exist by modest expansion of certain selected villages and through the
creation of new settlements.
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PLEASE RETURN YOUR FORM BY 5PM ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 TO:
EMAIL:
policysurveys@cambridge.gov.uk
POST:
Issues and Options 2 Consultation, Planning
Policy, Cambridge City Council, PO Box 700,
Cambridge, CB1 0JH.
BY HAND:
Customer Service Centre, Mandela House, 4
Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1BY.
Open from 8am-6pm on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday, and 9am–6pm on
Thursdays.
Data Protection
The information collected will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Information from the forms will be stored on a computer database used solely in connection with the
Local Plan Review. Representations will be available to view on City Council’s website, although
address and contact details will not be included. However, as copies of representations must be made
available for public inspection, they cannot be treated as confidential and will be available for
inspection in full.