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
PART 1
WHICH DOCUMENT ARE YOU
RESPONDING TO? (PLEASE CIRCLE)
PART 2
SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL – PART
1
SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL – PART
2
WHICH PART OF THE DOCUMENT ARE PARAGRAPH NO:
YOU RESPONDING TO? (PLEASE FILL
IN THE APPROPRIATE NO.)
QUESTION NO:
OPTION NO: Site Option GB1 Land north
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 7.33ha area of land north of Worts Causeway being
released form the Green Belt for the construction of 250 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 south of
Worts Causeway – see response to Site Option GB2) will put additional
pressure on these areas of natural beauty through increased footfall, and
problems such as litter and the use by dogs. It could also impact on the
archaeology of the area, Worts Causeway being a continuation 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.), or particularly well-sited in relation to existing public
transport routes.
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 GB1 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:
policysurveys@cambridge.gov.uk
EMAIL:
Issues and Options 2 Consultation, Planning
POST:
Policy, Cambridge City Council, PO Box
700, Cambridge, CB1 0JH.
Customer Service Centre, Mandela House, 4
BY HAND:
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.