Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

I ask only they’ve admitted me into hospital twice, and every time I get a minor pain somewhere in my chest or on my arm I fear I’ll end up there again. Or worse When I was in A&E earlier this year after one-too-many chest pains, I got talking to one of the long-serving portersContinue reading “What happened to the plans for expanding A&E at Addenbrooke’s in the 2000s?”

The problem is there is only so much that Dr Ian Sollom can do under the existing system and structures of local government. So how can he both demonstration action & results, while helping his constituents become more informed about how local government functions & malfunctions in Cambridgeshire? Image – a map from the oldContinue reading “‘Vote for change demands action – new St Neots & Mid-Cambs MP told’”

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised with what has been put forward given my blogpost back on 09 November 2022 – which is nearly two years ago. “Does the revamped building look any better?” You be the judge. Above – from the Design & Access Statement in the application now out for public consultation WheneverContinue reading “RailPen propose a bland block on Newmarket Road”

The failure of central government to enable local councils not only to designate sites for essential city functions, but also to provide them with the means and resources to turn plans into reality is excruciatingly visible in Cambridge’s limited nightlife I still find it astonishing that Cambridge has fewer night clubs today than in theContinue reading “Cambridge needs to designate the site for second urban centre”

And now they are caught between a rock and a hard place as the Greater Cambridge Partnership enters its final third of its existence. I can’t say today at The Guildhall was fun – especially listening to a very partial history of ‘how we got to here’ and also the collective failure of the GCPContinue reading “Generations of pro-growth politicians, dons & business people failed to take the people of Cambridge with them on expanding our city”

Huntingdonshire District Council has some very big decisions coming up – and I’m surprised there hasn’t been more publicity on its options across Cambridgeshire. *(It’s actually an update to their existing local plan rather than a brand new one – my apologies!) You can browse through the large files in the meeting papers here byContinue reading “Huntingdonshire’s emerging new* local plan – the options look familiar to Cambridge in the late 1990s”

In a vote that was won by a very narrow margin (345-318), members of the Green Party voted to change its policy from one of opposition, to ‘support in principle’ for HS2. At the other end of the rail spectrum, the party has strikingly little content on light rail and trams You can read theContinue reading “The Green Party votes to support High Speed 2 Rail at their annual conference”

The inability of local government to compel developers to build out planning permissions, and enabling landowners to ‘squat’ on sites as they try to squeeze out more financial gains from sites is something that new ministers need to clamp down on. These should be issues that The Cambridge Room should also host future debates onContinue reading “Stagnating developments of student accommodation in Cambridge”

The launch of a new project by Together Culture supported by the Heritage Fund with Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner the keynote speaker What will one of the most historic and vibrant parts of Cambridge town be like in ten years time? And how can its history be celebrated and become a core part of thatContinue reading “Let’s go fly The Kite!”

The controversial proposals (which I wrote about here when the application went out to public consultation) are now up for Cambridge City Council’s Planning Committee to consider. You can see the summary files here – the meeting is on 19th Sept 2024 at The Guildhall. The application states: “Outline application for Parcel A for Offices,Continue reading “East Cambridge Sci-Tech Park goes to Planning Committee”