I highlighted this omission back in October – but no changes were made to the draft. If Cambridge is to grow in the manner the Minister for Housing wants to, not only do arts, sports, and leisure facilities need to be connected by public transport, but the University of Cambridge will need to prioritise its own delayed programme of sports facilities – including the long-overdue swimming pool.
The Combined Authority finally published the final local growth plan the day after the launch in both London and Cambridge.
Above – former Queen Edith’s ward councillor Sam Davies MBE asking why the document was not available online at the same time as it was given in print to ‘key stakeholders’
I hope they make paper copies available in public libraries too.
There’s still no mention of the arts – something I picked up in the earlier draft a couple of months ago
“Why no mention of The Arts?“
“That’s an incredible omission given the amount of joy and pleasure the arts bring to our communities, as well as the revenues generated from the various festivals that happen all over the county. Please can someone raise this? (Drop an email to democratic services in the link here as a public question)”
This does not seem to have been accounted for in the months in between.
Should the Mayor commission the equivalent of a supplementary planning document for all things arts, sports, and leisure?
That’s one option. One issue I’ve tabled public questions on over the years is the lack of co-ordination between public transport providers, transport planners, and the firms that run large arts, leisure, sports, and entertainments venues. In terms of future infrastructure and facilities,
Cambridge University still owes the city a swimming pool.
“The Sports Quarter will provide an important focal point for the University community and Cambridge residents. To support sport at a competitive high level and physical activity at all levels, we envisage further phases of development to include indoor tennis and padel courts, an indoor swimming pool, and additional space for court-based and combat sports.”
Cambridge University’s philanthropy page on sports facilities
This remains a contentious issue because of the inconsistent nature of the press releases and official comment over the past couple of decades from the University.
“The university has full planning permission for a £55m sports centre on the West Cambridge site, which would feature a 50m swimming pool, a sports hall, a gym, indoor tennis courts, squash courts and a rugby fives court.”
Above – HCM Magazine **07 July 2009** citing the old Cambridge Evening News
If you were a member of the public reading that, chances are you’d think that the money was there, the planning permission secured, and everything was ‘shovel-ready’.
Fast forward 2017 and tumbleweed – but it’s still something that senior University officials are promoting.
“There is an ambition to raise £12m for a swimming pool on the West Cambridge site”
Above – Nick Brooking – Head of Sport, Cambridge University Staff News 22 March 2017
Then in 2021 I noted the University of Cambridge saying something different – which is why I went to town on it in this blogpost.
Then in 2024 I asked Cambridge City Council for a progress update which you can watch here. It’s worth noting the documents that Cllr Thornburrow listed – and asking the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service for a progress updated on the reports she mentioned that have been commissioned.
“Is this something Peter Freeman and colleagues in the Cambridge Growth Company could influence the University over?”
Good question.
Because we know that he was influential in getting what I’m going to call Addenbrooke’s 3 brought forward – hence my update to my post on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus Open Forum coming up on 15 December 2025 (it’s open to all).
Above – from a slide from Peter Freeman to Cambridge City Council which confirmed the Growth Company intervened to get work started on the business case for the replacement hospital
This was also confirmed by the CUH-NHS Trust in their presentation to South Cambridgeshire District Council
“We are now seeking funding through the Cambridge Growth Company of at least £10m to enable us to make further progress towards completing an Outline Business Case [OBC] for the new hospital. In advance of securing funding, we are progressing our estates planning to prepare for the OBC, whilst minimising the risk of abortive work.”
Above – CUH NHS to South Cambs District Council 08 Dec 2025, Item 6 p4.
It’s worth browsing through their update if you are likely to go to the CBC Open Forum on Monday.
Also, one other thing to remind the University of Cambridge decision-makers (and their member colleges too).
At the start of the major era of redevelopment and growth in Cambridge (1960s-70s) the then Vice Chancellor told the media that the University of Cambridge has a duty to improve the city.
Above – Sir Ivor Jennings presenting the University of Cambridge’s growth plans to the public. From Cambridge Evening News 01 June 1962 which I wrote about in Lost Cambridge here.
It remains ‘work in progress’ to persuade a critical mass of the present generation of decision-makers within that ancient institution to adopt similar values.
Big Map Day workshops
One of the takeaways from the earlier workshop on Shiv Malik’s Forest City in Cambridge that I went to was the use of A1-size maps for people to write and draw all over. Because at the moment we don’t have those maps that are:
- Very easy to find for residents who don’t follow politics closely
- In shared spaces for people to have discussions about
- Used to feed back into decision-making
For example: Take public services in the 1960s in Cambridge
Below – a map of the location of infant welfare clinics in Cambridge, 1968. How many of those clinics still exist today? (And what was the story of their establishment?)
“No health service can reach and maintain a high degree of efficiency without the interest and co-operation of the general public and it is hoped that the information given in this booklet will show readers what they may expect of their Public Health Department and, by explaining the organisation and scope of the Department, may help the public at large to assist in various ways.”
Above Cyril Eastwood, Medical Officer for Cambridge City Council, 1968 – do have a read
The background to Mr Eastwood’s report is the public health report of the same year
What would one of these be like for different types of public facilities? What might future public transport networks be like if planned using those printed maps in front of the planners?
Risks to delivery
There are ***lots***. It would be nice to see what the corporate risk assessment (that really should accompany this plan) looks like.
Above – CPCA Local Growth Plan Final – p80
How do you achieve all of that in 25 years while minimising your environmental impact?
Food for thought?
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The Cambridge Town Owl 