Local Plan for green spaces, renewable energy and affordable housing

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 15th Jun 2006

The Cambridge Local Plan was scrutinised by the Environmental Services Scrutiny Committee of Cambridge City Council.

The Plan, which is due to be formally adopted on June 20, sets out how the growth of Cambridge is to be managed over the next ten years.

Councillor Sian Reid, Executive City Councillor for Transport and Planning, commented on today's meeting:

"I am delighted to welcome the new Local Plan with its emphasis on high design quality and green spaces at the heart of its vision for a dynamic city.

"The Local Plan gives priority to walking and cycling over cars and encourages public transport; all development must be within a short walk (400m) of a high quality public transport service so that sustainable travel patterns can be established at an early stage.

"Developments must provide at least 10% of their energy needs on site from renewable sources, but we are very disappointed that the inspector has qualified this policy by allowing this standard to be relaxed if not viable for developers. Local communities should be free to demand high sustainability standards. In a vibrant city like Cambridge, we should do our best to decouple economic growth and emissions growth.

"Although I look forward to applying our new policy of demanding 40% affordable housing on all qualifying sites, I am disappointed that the Inspector has reduced this from the 50% we had fought for.

"Implementing the Plan will have its own challenges but even with the Inspector's alterations, we have a strong Local Plan that will help us to manage Cambridge's growth in a balanced and sustainable way."