Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

Expect this to be included in Peter Freeman’s plans for the growth of Cambridge even though it is not in the current Cambridge Local Plan 2018-30, nor is it in the emerging local plan’s first proposals First things first, see their proposals here. Second things second, go to their consultation events : “You can findContinue reading “Cambridge Science Park makes a bold bid for growth – on the Greenbelt”

What are the alternatives to London as destinations for Cambridge spin-outs that grow too big for the university city? (And what opportunities does East West Rail provide?) The Centre for Cities wrote: “University towns like Cambridge shouldn’t always expect their university spin-outs to stay and grow. Having a local innovative ecosystem as a ‘nursery city’ isContinue reading “Could the Centre for Cities look at Bedford and Northampton as landing spots for growing Cambridge firms?”

Being a pioneering timber-framed building does not justify having a spreadsheet-style design of a building at the main gateway of one of the UK’s most historic cities TL/DR? Have your say here If you don’t like spreadsheet architecture, see Humanise here and their call for a new set of principles: “The Humanise Principles are aContinue reading “Kett House developers double down on bland spreadsheet design”

Backed by an international investment group, the site (featured in Katie Green’s piece here) on the north side of the A14 at Bar Hill is just outside the Cambridge Green Belt. But it does not appear in the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018-30 See https://cambridge25.com/ for the consultation – and the map of the siteContinue reading “Speculative business park application at Bar Hill, NW of Cambridge”

Daniel Zeichner MP leaves the Government having held the post of Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs since the general election – having held the shadow post for several years before that. Mr Zeichner confirmed the announcement below. This was part of a wider series of changes that alsoContinue reading “Cambridge gets its MP back following Government reshuffle”

You can respond to the consultation survey here. (The Chief Exec of the county council, Stephen Moir got in touch to say this is not a formal consultation, but rather an informal survey and engagement exercise). Before you do, note Your three choices are here, as Cambridgeshire County Council makes a pitch for incorporating EastContinue reading “Cambridgeshire County Council’s consultation on unitary councils”

See the 03 Sept 2025 edition of the Cambridge Independent. Plus the state of the region reports from the Combined Authority (item 7 here) – read carefully! Above – p4 of this week’s Cambridge Indy. Buy the paper for the full story. If anyone wants to submit a public question to the Combined Authority’s GrowthContinue reading “Anglian Water to oppose all new large planning applications in Cambridge”

Journalist Mark Williamson has started a new blog – and in his latest post he’s rightly critical of the state of our city You can read what he says here Mark starts off quoting Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd – someone who lived in recluse not far from where I spent most of my lifeContinue reading “Cambridge’s declining public realm”

Not that you’d know from BBC Politics’ love-in with Team Nigel It’s in the smaller, independent/online outlets that are picking up on the issue of taxing tourism similar to how other countries do so. ‘Get on with it’: Support builds for London-wide tourism tax – Greenwich Wire 11 Aug 2025 Labour Mayor Accuses Treasury ofContinue reading “Labour Mayor slams Labour Treasury ministers over lack of tourism tax powers”

But…it struggled to link it all together in a cohesive theme and wasn’t able to become greater than the sum of its parts. Why was this? Let’s have a look. I went into town (i.e. Cambridge’s city centre – a term I’ve used since childhood and old habits die hard!) for both days of theContinue reading “Out of the Ordinary Festival Cambridge showcases local dance & musical talent”