Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

The formal response from a coalition of local residents under the banner of Better Beehive Cambridge was written up in January 2024 here. This has been a long-running planning application on one of the biggest brownfield sites in Cambridge. I wrote about the proposals as submitted to The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service (with linksContinue reading “The Beehive Centre’s back with more proposed changes”

Our city will never be greater than the sum of our parts unless ministers remove the barriers (especially financial and legal) that crush local politicians, community activists, and civic society alike. Then the rest is up to us. Or rather, that doesn’t mean that in the meantime we sit back and do nothing. Whenever aContinue reading “Local government lacks a civic presence in Cambridge”

Picking up official reports, strategies, plans, and documents that will need refreshing in the face of new government policies following the general election 2024 “I didn’t know we had a walking and cycling infrastructure plan!” Well you do now – and you can read it here. “Do we have to type this now? It’s half-past-midnightContinue reading “Cambridgeshire’s walking and cycling infrastructure plan 2023”

…and more are looming. Is anyone keeping up with the impact this is having on our city and the villages surrounding it? I’m hoping The Cambridge Room (soon to be opened) will provide a space to discuss this. The calendars to keep a watch on are: As you may also have seen, the pace atContinue reading “Some significant developments have been approved in Cambridge in 2024”

The Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster publish their list of requirements for new ministers “I thought the people voted in a majority of MP-candidates that were on the Labour Party’s ticket?” You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But for the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster it feels like business as usual – and you can see their members here. They published theirContinue reading “*Congratulations new government on your election – these are our demands!*”

Over 50 people took part in the first consultation event at The Guildhall – you can sign up for the second one on 31 August, also at The Guildhall Alternatively, you can browse the consultation and fill in the initial survey This post follows on from a number of previous ones including: What local historyContinue reading “City Council leader has doubts over calls for a Cambridge unitary council”

The Chair of The CPCA’s Transport & Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Anna Smith (Labour – Coleridge) confirmed in a response to my public question on 22 July 2024. Plus I got stuck in an internet wormhole on East West Rail and regional rail improvements You can view the video clip here – and the following PQContinue reading “Combined Authority to examine growth of private commuter buses in/around Cambridge”

A controversial (with some people at least) pension fund is trying to push through a development far faster than the system will allow for – not least because government policy is likely to change between now and the time they get to submit their planning application I didn’t make the connection between the pension fundContinue reading “Feedback from The Paddocks redevelopment proposals”

Actually, this one could be a more interesting one if it were combined with other neighbourhood-level discussions because of the methods being used to get people to focus on where they live rather than ‘big strategies’. TL/DR/ I just want a pothole repaired! See https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/roads-and-pathways/roadworks-and-faults Active Travel Hierarchy What does that mean to the generalContinue reading “Guess what?!? Another consultation! This one on foot paths and cycleways”

Even though I asked them specifically to cover how improved public transport infrastructure could support better provision for our county’s teenagers Disappointed but not surprised is my take on the long-awaited Grant Thornton study on the further education ‘cold spots’. You can see the formal reports item 6 of the CPCA’s Skills Committee meeting papersContinue reading “Combined Authority’s Further Education review fails to account for transport issues”