Draft Gtr Cambridge Local Plan: 3) Jobs Topic Paper and lack of adult skills content

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The third in a series of blogposts looking at individual papers that form part of this summer’s consultation on the future of the city and district

You can find the Jobs Topic Paper in the Committee Documents Pack, in Appendix J – Jobs

Above – only 26 pages in the Jobs Topic Paper

The issues referred to in the topic paper are:

  • J/NE: New employment and development proposals
  • J/RE: Supporting the Rural Economy
  • J/AL: Protecting the best agricultural land
  • J/PB: Protecting Existing Business Space
  • J/AW: Affordable workspaces and creative industries
  • J/EP: Supporting a range of facilities in employment parks
  • J/RC: Retail and Other Complementary Town Centre Uses
  • J/SA: Cambridge City’s Primary Shopping Area
  • J/MS: Markets and Street Trading
  • J/VA: Visitor accommodation, attractions and facilities
  • J/FD: Faculty development and specialist / language schools

You can find the section on jobs in the main draft local plan document at Appendix A in the Committee Pack at the top of the big list. In the document, head to p610.

Above – p610 of Appendix A – the draft local plan document where the section on jobs begins

Planners ignore my calls to include provision for a new lifelong learning college in the draft local plan

They mentioned my consultation response calling for a new lifelong learning college as part of the Cambridge East (airport site) development

“Consider designating Cambridge East as a secondary shopping area / urban centre for the specific purposes of residential needs both within the city and the surrounding new towns and villages. These could be as support functions for the anchor institutions I’ve suggested in other submissions. (

  • City hall for unitary council,
  • large concert hall,
  • lifelong learning college,
  • railway station/transport interchange).

Provision could also be made for a nighttime economy neighbourhood where venues can stay open late without disturbing residential neighbourhoods or colleges.”

Above – Consultation Statement document Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Consultation Statement – Appendix 12: Jobs (2026), p92

On p63 I also highlighted the risk of employment monocultures with sci-tech parks.

“All sci-tech developments should make provision for general employment spaces and also for arts and creative spaces given the lack of provision and the significant economic and social risks of building an economy based on a narrow economic base. This will increase the economic resilience of the Cambridge economy.”

Above – Ibid, p63″

Retail and other complementary town centre uses

This is a really interesting section if you’re interested in the future of urban centres outside of the historical Cambridge city centre. Within the Committee pack these are:

My take for the new urban centres beyond Cambridge City Centre is for as many of them as possible – especially the new settlements and new substantial urban extensions, to have:

  • A rail-based public transport stop and travel hub
  • At least one leisure-based facility that brings people into the settlement so as to reduce the risk of creating dormitory settlements
  • At least one general community centre serving primarily local residents – something that could also host evening classes

There’s also nothing to stop those rail-based public transport hubs having close by the following:

  • Keyworker housing with sites made available to big employers such as Addenbrookes/CUH-NHS to own and manage, in order to reduce pressures/demand for HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation that are ill-designed for such purposes)
  • Short stay accommodation – budget hotels, apart-hotels – anything that can get the demand for and supply of Air BnB accommodation down.

Finally, having this set up also creates hyper-local jobs for people living in those settlements where people can walk to work.

Anyway, have a look at the Jobs topic paper – there’s more I could say but I’ll keep this one short.

If you are interested in the longer term future of Cambridge, and on what happens at the local democracy meetings where decisions are made, feel free to: