Statement of Community Involvement

Planning plays an essential role in shaping the places where we live, work and play. Planning effects everyone and for this reason everyone should have the opportunity to get involved in the planning process.

This is where the Statement of Community Involvement plays a vital role. The City Council wants to actively engage with the community and have drawn up a Consultation Strategy for Planning in Cambridge which:

• Sets out how and when Cambridge City Council will involve the community and key stakeholders in preparing, altering and reviewing its Plans and Guidance to guide future development in the City; and
• Explains how the City Council will involve the community in planning applications.

• Consultation Strategy for Planning in Cambridge (PDF, 1,933 Kbytes)

Alternatively, a copy of the Consultation Strategy can also be purchased at a cost of £15 (not including postage and packing) from Environment and Planning Reception policysurveys@cambridge.gov.uk, phone 01223 457200.

While there are plenty of opportunities for you to become involved in the planning process it is vital that community engagement starts at an early stage to help influence how future growth and development will happen in the City. Your local knowledge will help ensure that development in the City benefits the community as a whole while protecting that which makes Cambridge special.

The Consultation Strategy for Planning (PDF, 1,933 Kbytes) in Cambridge was adopted in September 2007 following two rounds of public consultation and an independent examination. During the first round of consultation comments on the draft Consultation Strategy were invited between the 1 May and the 12 June 2006.

Many of the comments received were concerned that the language used within the document was too confusing, and as a result the document has now been re-drafted, specifically with an eye to making the document easier to understand. A summary of these representations and the Council's response can be found in the Pre-submission Consultation Statement (PDF, 235 Kbytes).

A Submission Draft Consultation Strategy was then prepared and was submitted to the Secretary of State for examination purposes, which triggered a further six-week period of public consultation between the 27 November 2006 and the 8 January 2007. To view the comments received, please see the Local Development Online pages.

Comments received were sent to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by an Independent Inspector, who examined the document to determine whether or not it was 'sound'. In addition, a Representation Statement, to comply with Regulation 31 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 was prepared and sent to the relevant bodies.

The Representations Statement contains the City Council's response to the comments received at the Submission stage.

• Regulation 31 Representation Statement (PDF, 2,642 Kbytes)

The City Council received the final Inspectors Report on 30 April 2007 and his conclusions were that the Strategy is sound, subject to a few amendments being made.

• Inspector's Report (PDF, 53 Kbytes)
• Appendix A: Tests of Soundness (PDF, 17 Kbytes)
• Appendix B: Changes Proposed to the Submission Draft Strategy by the City Council (PDF, 59 Kbytes)

If you require any further information please contact the Planning Policy Team on:
Tel: 01223 457200
Fax: 01223 457109
Email: policysurveys@cambridge.gov.uk

Or write to us at: Planning Policy, Environment and Planning Department, The Guildhall, Cambridge, CB2 3QJ