In spring 2025 Cambridge City Council ran an engagement programme to find out what local people would like to see happen in north Cambridge, to help develop the council’s corporate vision for north Cambridge – the Framework for Change – which will set out the council’s long-term plan for investment in Arbury, King’s Hedges and Chesterton.

Over 600 responses were received online, with feedback also captured at 12 one-to-one meetings with local organisations, 14 events ranging from a webinar to pop-ups and in-person workshops engaging with a further 300+ people, as well as one-to-one meetings with commercial tenants in the area.

An engagement report has now been published [PDF, 6MB] setting out what the council heard, and councillors have thanked everyone who took the time to share their hopes, concerns and suggestions for investment in the area.

During the engagement programme, people were asked about: older council housing estates; Arbury Court and the surrounding community facilities; parks and open spaces; streets and travel.

What people said

Older council housing estates

Feedback showed that many older estates suffer from poor insulation and damp, and residents need better support for energy-efficient improvements to their homes. However, residents fear redevelopment may displace communities and reduce the affordability of homes in the area.

Despite a strong sense of community in some areas, there is a lack of community spirit in others due a lack of community facilities and places for social gathering. There were many concerns around antisocial behaviour in and around council housing estates, which leads to residents feeling unsafe. There are also concerns around parking, such as a lack of parking spaces and people parking on pavements.

Arbury Court and surrounding community facilities

Respondents referred to the essential services offered at Arbury Court, and also mentioned the desire for an affordable and diverse range of shops. Residents would like modernised facilities, for the library and community centre to be better used, and social venues such as cafes and pubs to create an evening economy.

There are concerns about antisocial behaviour and a lack of maintenance and accessibility, alongside a lack of provision for young people and families. Residents support regeneration but don’t want the local centre to be lost, and express strong support for existing traders who should be supported through any change.

Parks and open spaces

Green spaces are appreciated for the benefits they bring to the community, but could be improved. Parks lack facilities and organised activities for children and young people, and the parks face issues with safety, litter, and poor upkeep. Residents called for more lighting, bins, seating, maintenance and accessible paths and signage.

There is also support for increasing biodiversity and climate resilience through tree planting, rewilding, and sustainable practices like rainwater collection and pollinator-friendly planting.

Streets and travel

A number of roads and junctions were cited as being dangerous for cyclists and difficult to cross for pedestrians, with congestion and unsafe parking regularly mentioned, with some people calling for traffic calming measures. Some residents mentioned bus routes not providing sufficient connectivity and therefore favouring car travel, while others would favour walking and cycling but would like to see better support for this.

Next steps

The council is still developing the corporate vision for north Cambridge – the Framework for Change – which will set out the council’s long-term plan for investment in Arbury, King’s Hedges and Chesterton. This vision and any recommendations for investment will be published ahead of being considered by councillors at the Cabinet meeting on 21 October. If given the go ahead by councillors at that meeting, a subsequent engagement programme will be run during November and December, when people will be able to feed back on the Framework for Change and any investment recommendations.

Cllr Gerri Bird, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I’m so grateful to everyone who has taken the time to talk to us. We have such a fantastic opportunity here to invest in one of the most deprived parts of the city and truly change people’s lives through a coordinated place-making approach. 

“Some of the council homes in the area are ageing and approaching the end of their life, so we need to consider the best investment approach here. We are committed to improving the quality of housing for tenants living in ageing council properties, and building new high-quality council and market homes to meet growing demand – including more accessible homes for disabled residents. Doing this in a strategic way across north Cambridge will give us the opportunity to improve the quality and number of council homes, while also creating local jobs and providing improved public spaces, parks and community facilities to support the community.

“We know that the framework for change may not address everything the community raised. However, teams across the council are carefully reviewing all the input gathered during the consultation and are actively using it to shape improvement plans and guide small-scale investments. We will be coordinating some of this wider work through a new ‘Shaping North Cambridge’ project – bringing local partners together to work strategically as well as working to secure additional funding to support the community’s priorities.”

To stay up to date, visit the North Cambridge Framework for Change webpage