Greater Cambridge Local Plan: Find out where developers want to build homes near you with our interactive search tools
Sites for thousands of new homes have been put forward by developers and landowners as part of the ongoing Local Plan process in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire - and you can now easily search for them via our interactive tools.
When finalised, the plan will guide development in the Greater Cambridge region until 2040.
As part of the process, Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council - worked together as the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP) service - put out a ‘call for sites’ to be considered for inclusion in the plan.
Developers and landowners put forward 675 proposals in total - covering 16,103 hectares and 170,000 to 200,000 homes, which is far more than is needed, meaning most of the suggestions will not proceed.
Explaining the process, the Greater Cambridge Planning Service says: “The suggested sites have no planning status at this stage, and the councils have not made any judgment about which sites may be appropriate for development in the future.
“Sites will be rigorously tested for their suitability, for example looking at flood risk, landscape impact, transport access, and other factors. We will also consider their sustainability, and how they fit with the strategic direction of the plan. We will consult fully on any sites which may be included in the plan, as part of the plan-making process going forward.”
How many homes will be needed?
The Greater Cambridge area, which had 121,000 homes in 2017, is expected to need between 40,900 and 66,700 homes by 2040 and there are already plans in place for 36,400 homes at sites such as Waterbeach, Cambourne West, Bourn Airfield and Northstowe.
This means the new Local Plan is expected to find room for somewhere between 5,000 and 30,000 homes.
As the Cambridge Independent reported, developers and landowners have suggested new towns in the South Cambridgeshire countryside at Elsworth and Dry Drayton, along with major developments at Croxton, Madingley, Bourn, Cambourne, Babraham, Cherry Hinton and Teversham and elsewhere. Some 5,000-10,000 homes have been proposed for near Six Mile Bottom, and Trinity College unveiled its wish to expand Cambridge Science Park north of the A14.
Search for sites
You can search for sites using our interactive table. In the search box, enter a place name or postcode area (eg CB1). You could also search by land use (eg agricultural). Click on the url beside any site to go straight to the full submission. Note that in cases where a site proposer has not suggested the potential number of homes or, if applicable, the commercial floorspace, the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service has estimated it, as indicated in our table.
Browse our map
You can also find the site suggestions using our interactive map. Simply click on a dot to find out the detail. Dot locations are only approximate and based on nearby postcodes.
When can I comment on the plans?
The opportunity to comment will come at the ‘preferred options’ stage of the process, when the councils will hold a full public consultation on their recommended spatial strategy and the sites they suggest for development. This is not expected until summer or autumn 2021. You can find out more from Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service website, where you can also sign up for updates.
Keep up to date
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Read more
Tens of thousands of homes proposed by developers for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire
Local Plan reaction: South Cambridgeshire residents must be heard, says Tory opposition leader
Greater Cambridge Local Plan and call for sites – what happens next?
