Month: December 2025

This evening I took part in a public meeting in St Barnabas Hall organised by the Friends of St Matthew’s Piece to help residents who want to contribute the the new Local Plan for Cambrige and South Cambridgeshire.

I outlined the plan process and talked about some of the key policies being proposed before we had a wide-ranging discussion about the principles, the practice, and the way the Local Plan fits with the work of the Cambridge Growth Company.

Here is the presentation I used, with details of particular policies that I had been asked to focus on.

I hope all those present will take the time to comment, either as individuals or as a group, and I urge you to do the same. Even if you only want to comment on a specific area, please take the time to get involved and let the councils know what you think. If there are policies you think are really important, like around tree canopy or open spaces, let us know that they matter to you – that way they are more likely to make it into the final plan.

You can find all the details of the draft Local Plan on the planning website at https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/local-plan and take part in the consultation by going to https://consultations.greatercambridgeplanning.org/draft-greater-cambridge-local-plan-consultation. The consultation is open until  5pm on Friday 30 January 2026.  

I’ve just been talking to Emma Bullimore on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about the Beehive Centre scheme which has been granted permission for an “outline application (with all matters reserved) for the demolition of existing buildings and structures and redevelopment of the site for a new local centre”(reference 23/03204/OUT if you want to check it on our planning portal).

I explained that earlier this year I had been on the planning committee waiting to consider the application and the case officer’s recommendation to refuse the application, when we heard that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government would make the decision. We decided to consider the application anyway and make an “in principle decision” so that we could listen to the case officer, objectors and supporters, and to debate the application. The committee unanimously agreed that to support the officers recommendation.

Continue reading “Redeveloping the Beehive Centre”