North West Cambridge Area Action Plan

The plan was formally adopted on 22 October 2009
 
House being built

The North West Cambridge Area Action Plan relates to the land between Madingley Road and Huntingdon Road, a site referred to as North West Cambridge.

The Area Action Plan has been prepared jointly by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The development of this sector will be predominantly for the University of Cambridge, including key worker housing for university staff, student housing, new faculty buildings and research facilities, together with a significant amount of private housing and associated community facilities.

The North West Cambridge Area Action Plan was formally adopted on 22 October 2009.

The adopted documents for the North West Cambridge Area Action Plan are listed below:

Relationship with the Cambridge Local Plan (2006)

The following policies and proposals in the Cambridge Local Plan (2006) have been superseded now that the North West Cambridge Area Action Plan has been adopted:

  • Policy 9/7 - Land between Madingley Road and Huntingdon Road;
  • Proposal site 9.07 - Madingley Road/Huntingdon Road; and
  • Proposal site 9.11 - 19 Acre Field and land at Gravel Hill Farm

The Proposals Maps for the Cambridge Local Development Framework and the South Cambridgeshire District Council Local Development Framework will be updated as required.

The Area Action Plan process

Work on preparing the North West Cambridge Area Action Plan began in 2005. The following table outlines the key stages in the production of the Area Action Plan:

Stage in the Area Action Plan processTimescale
Issues and Options consultationSeptember - November 2006
Preferred Options consultationOctober - December 2007
Submission of Draft Area Action Plan to the Secretary of State19 May 2008
6 week consultation on Draft Area Action Plan19 May - 30 June 2008
Consultation on Sustainability Appraisal for Draft Area Action Plan19 May - 30 June 2008
Objection sites consultation8 September - 20 October 2008
Independent examination hearingNovember - December 2008
6 week consultation on Inspectors' Larger Site Option9 March - 20 April 2009
Further independent examination hearing on Inspectors' Larger Site Option9 June 2009
Binding Inspectors' Report24 August 2009
Adoption22 October 2009

Supporting documents

A number of supporting documents were produced in order to assist in the preparation of the North West Cambridge Area Action Plan.

Please note that the community strategies are only available online.

Independent Examination

The North West Cambridge Area Action Plan was subject to an independent examination, which was conducted by inspectors appointed by the planning inspectorate to consider the 'soundness' of the plan and any objections.

A pre-hearing meeting conducted by an inspector took place on 9 September 2008 at the Guildhall in Cambridge. This meeting set out the arrangements for the examination sessions, the majority of which took place between late November and December 2008.

A further examination session was carried out on 27 January relating to transport. This was followed by another examination session in relation to the consultation on the inspectors' larger site option on 9 June 2009 at the Guildhall, Cambridge. 

The Inspectors then produced a report, which found the Area Action Plan to be 'sound' subject to a number of changes. These changes were binding on the councils, who then proceeded to adoption of the Area Action Plan.  The Councils issued a joint Press Release after the receipt of the Inspectors' Report.

Contact us

For further information on the North West Cambridge Area Action Plan, please contact our Policy and Projects team:

Email policysurveys@cambridge.gov.uk
Telephone 01223 457200

Or write to us at:

Policy and Projects
Cambridge City Council
PO Box 700
Cambridge, CB1 0JH

Contact South Cambridgeshire District Council

Alternatively, you can also contact the Planning Policy team at South Cambridgeshire Disrict Council:

Email ldf@scambs.gov.uk
Telephone 01954 713183

Or write to:

Planning Policy
South Cambridgeshire District Council
South Cambridgeshire Hall
Cambourne Business Park
Cambourne
Cambridge CB23 6EA

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