Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service

Celebrating the adoption of the Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code At Cambridge City Council’s Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee, which met on 25 March 2025, the Committee unanimously endorsed the officer recommendation to adopt the Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code for Arbury, Kings Hedges and parts of West Chesterton as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Below is a link to the meeting papers and committee decisions: https://lnkd.in/eAsZnX-x The adopted Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code SPD will be published on the council website soon. The purpose of the Design Code is to set a vision for the area based on the community’s priorities to help co-ordinate development, guide investment, guide & assess development through the planning process, as well as enable and empower individuals and landowners to improve their homes and surrounding landscape. Design codes are illustrated documents that are informative and inspiring, providing guidance for the development of a site or area, in line with local requirements and aims to raise design quality and standards. The area was selected as an example of the city’s post-war suburban character and based on previous characterisation studies carried out. The area combines parts of King’s Hedges, Arbury and West Chesterton, and largely consists of estates of low-rise post war housing development. Prior to the code, there has been no specific planning guidance for the design of the area. Formal public consultation on the design code was carried out from 6 January 2025 to the 17 February 2025 for six weeks. The consultation approach reflects the requirements of national regulations and the adopted Greater Cambridge Statement of Community Involvement (2024). Statutory stakeholders were directly notified of the draft Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code for Arbury, King’s Hedges and parts of West Chesterton SPD. There were two drop-in events at the Arbury Community Centre, an online event, and youth engagements workshops with 4 schools conducted between 2024 and 2025. The council’s Go Vocal (formerly called citizens lab) platform was used to engage on the project and gather feedback. The youth engagement events were facilitated by our multi-award-winning Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Youth Engagement Service (YES) team. Over 200 children, young people & 80 parents & grandparents from the Grove School, Mayfield School, Kings Hedges Educational Federation & the North Cambridge Academy took part in the consultation events, ensuring that all those attended benefitted from the process. Congratulations to Project Leads Trovine Monteiro MBA MAUD B.Arch CMgr FCMI FRSA and Alexis Butterfield on this successful initiative. Thank you to Tom Davies MRTPI FRSA for project managing this important Design Code. Photo credit: Lucy Price Photography Dr. Bonnie Kwok MBE CMgr FCMI FRSA Heather Jones FCIOB FCABE FInstLM AIFireE FRSA Jane Green Tom Davies MRTPI FRSA #DesignCode #Urbandesign

🌟 Exciting News for Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service!🌟 On 25 March 2025, three Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) prepared by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service (GCSP) were officially adopted by both Councils. These SPDs are: 🏙️ Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code SPD: Covering Arbury, Kings Hedges, and parts of West Chesterton. ❤️ Greater Cambridge Health Impact Assessment SPD: Promoting healthier communities. 🔬 Cambridge Biomedical Campus SPD: Supporting innovation and high-quality development. We are excited to see how these SPDs will shape the delivery of vibrant and high-quality places across the Greater Cambridge region. Each document sets out detailed guidance to ensure the success of future projects and initiatives. 👏 A big thank you to our dedicated Officers, your expertise and hard work made this possible! Special shoutouts to Trovine Monteiro MBA MAUD B.Arch CMgr FCMI FRSA, Tom Davies MRTPI FRSA, Lizzie Wood, Nancy Kimberley and Vaughan Bryan for their incredible contributions. 📄 For more information, including the Notice of Adoption and background documents, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/ehD83URv Together, let's continue building a Greater Cambridge we can all be proud of! Heather Jones FCIOB FCABE FInstLM AIFireE FRSA Jane Green Caroline Hunt #PlanningForTheFuture #UrbanDesign #planningpolicy #HealthyCommunities #BiomedicalInnovation #GreaterCambridge #PlaceMaking #designcode

📢 We're hiring! The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service is looking an experienced Principal Urban Designer. The candidate needs to have a post graduate qualification in Urban Design and an undergraduate degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture or Town Planning, and also be eligible for and/or working towards a full/charter membership of a relevant professional body such as the ARB, RIBA, RTPI, UDG or equivalent. The candidate needs to have at least 4 years’ of experience practising urban design on complex, small and large scale pre-application/planning applications in a variety of contexts be it urban/rural infill, city/village extensions or new settlements; producing, advising or implementing urban design strategies, masterplans, design codes independently. If you have the drive to embrace the exciting challenges of our busy Shared Planning Service, there is no better place to further your career! Closing date: 31 March 2025 Location: Cambridge & Cambourne Salary: Grade 6 £41,593 to £48,559 per annum, plus 15% Market Factor Supplement Job reference: SCDCREQ0455 Package: Full-time Permanent 👉 Find out more on this role and how to apply at: www.scambs.gov.uk/jobs For more information please contact Trovine Monteiro MBA MAUD B.Arch CMgr FCMI FRSA Built Environment Team Leader: Tel: 07595247098 Email: trovine.monteiro@greatercambridgeplanning.org #jobs #jobsincambridge #urbandesigner Heather Jones FCIOB FCABE FInstLM AIFireE FRSA Jane Green

📢 We're hiring! The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service is looking an experienced and qualified Local Authority Tree Officer with a track record of working in Local Government or in another sector as part of an Arboriculture Career. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and expanding planning trees team with an interesting and varied portfolio of work in and around Greater Cambridge. This role will involve tasks and duties central to delivering our statutory duties as a local government team. Location: Cambridge & Cambourne Salary: Grade 5 £36,370 to £41,593 per annum Job reference: SCDCREQ0498 Closing Date: 9am 27 April 2025 Interview Date: 1 May 2025 Package: Full-time Permanent 👉 Find out more on this role and how to apply at: www.scambs.gov.uk/jobs For information about the role please contact John Cornell FRGS, Natural Environment Team Leader, john.cornell@greatercambridgeplanning.org Tel 0792 7681932 Or Adrian Sargeant, Tree Officer adrian.sargeant@greatercambridgeplanning.org #jobs #jobsincambridge #treeofficer Heather Jones FCIOB FCABE FInstLM AIFireE FRSA Jane Green

✨ Celebrating Design Excellence in Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service ✨ Today, the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Built & Natural Environment Team wrapped up its monthly team meeting with an inspiring highlight: an exceptional presentation from the Historic Environment Team on their recent achievements. Among these successes was their flagship project in collaboration with the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry (CFCI) — the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards. The entries submitted for this year's awards showcased the incredible dedication and talent of our partners and officers across the Historic, Built, and Natural Environment Teams - we're really pleased with the high-quality developments delivered in the Greater Cambridge region. 🏆 Congratulations to all the award winners! Your contributions are a testament to the innovation and impact we strive for. We remain committed to supporting our partners through our high-quality pre-application advice that encompasses urban design, landscape design, trees, ecology, historic buildings, design review and youth engagement. Together, we shape a more vibrant and sustainable Greater Cambridge. 🌿 Photo credit: CFCI website Heather Jones FCIOB FCABE FInstLM AIFireE FRSA Jane Green John Cornell FRGS Trovine Monteiro MBA MAUD B.Arch CMgr FCMI FRSA Paul Robertshaw Dr. Bonnie Kwok MBE CMgr FCMI FRSA Tom Davies MRTPI FRSA #GreaterCambridge #UrbanDesign #SustainablePlanning #HistoricEnvironment #LandscapeDesign #DesignRevie #YouthEngagement #CommunityImpact #CFCIAwards #PlanningForTheFuture

Yesterday we engaged with Beckwith Bridge Primary Community School on the Divic Quarter Project- fantastic to work with students and a pleasure to judge the drawings 👏👏👏 Youth Engagement Service YES Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Dr. Bonnie Kwok MBE CMgr FCMI FRSA Tom Davies MRTPI FRSA Amazing to see how much these young people know about our world and the challenges we have with climate change and connectivity 🫶 #cambridge #YES #communityengagement

The TCPA Study Tour returns this summer! In collaboration with Greater Cambridge Planning, the 2-day trip will highlight practical examples of successful placemaking, demonstrate integrated infrastructure and showcase a variety of models for thriving future communities. This year's tour will delve into Cambridgeshire’s expertise in delivering sustainable, well-planned new communities. We’ll examine #Springstead Village’s green infrastructure, Clay Farm’s integrated community facilities, #Eddington’s exemplary public realm, #Northstowe’s large-scale expansion and busway, and #Waterbeach’s cyclist and pedestrian-focused design. In collaboration with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service, this trip will highlight practical examples of successful placemaking, demonstrate integrated infrastructure, and offer a variety of models towards thriving future communities. Secure your place: https://shorturl.at/oDgtm We are delighted to have the support of the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust and Hyas Associates Ltd. #NewCommunities #NewTowns #PlaceMaking #PlaceShaping #SustainableDevelopment #ActiveTravel #GreenInfrastructure

Between January & February 2025, our multi-award winning Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Youth Engagement Service YES facilitated several excellent youth engagement workshops to support the Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code Public Consultation, involving over 170 children, young people, & 50 parents from two primary schools & one secondary school in the North Cambridge area. These YES workshops took place during the formal public consultation for the Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code. Working with Cambridge City Council & Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects, this Design Code aims to provide strategic guidance to shape the future of #Arbury, #KingsHedges and #WestChesterton. Funded by the MHCLG, this pilot project focuses resources to work with communities and neighbourhoods with the most need, helping raise design standards & tackle inequality. Children & young people from the Kings Hedges Education Federation, Mayfield Primary School & the North Cambridge Academy took part in the YES workshops to learn about the emerging Code, and took part in a series of design workshops to express their views on the Code. They took part in a walkabout to explore the Arbury area & to share their place knowledge, a photo study to express their place feelings. They also developed skills in placemaking & learnt about the different career options in the built & natural environment fields. The YES workshops were well received and helped generate quantitative and qualitative data to inform the Design Code. Following public consultation, the GCSP team intends for the Cambridge Neighbourhoods Design Code to be formally adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document in Spring 2025. This formal consultation has followed a robust programme of community engagement in 2023 & 2024, including in person drop-in events at the Meadows Centre, online webinars and a YES workshop with 60 students from the Grove Primary School. The YES Team comprises a team of youth engagement practitioners who are also experts in urban design, town planning, architecture and public art. We support developers and communities in the youth engagement process, ensuring children & young people have a meaningful input into the development, planning policy and public art process. We provide tailor-made services nationally. We would like to thank Trovine Monteiro MBA MAUD B.Arch CMgr FCMI FRSA, Dr. Bonnie Kwok MBE CMgr FCMI FRSA, Tom Davies MRTPI FRSA, Alexis Butterfield for leading the YES workshops, & thank Heather Jones FCIOB FCABE FInstLM AIFireE FRSA & Jane Green for championing our work & Katie H. from Anglia Ruskin University for supporting our team with data collection & analysis, & the support of Kings Hedges Cllrs Jenny Gawthrope Wood & Katie Thornburrow. Photo credits: Lucy Price Photography #DesignCodes #socialvalue Victoria Thornton OBE HonFRIBA FRSA Neil Pinder Dr. Bonnie Kwok MBE CMgr FCMI FRSA. Dr. Tumi Hawkins TET (ThorntonEducationTrust) Jane Driver

Greater Cambridge will once again enjoy full protection from unplanned and inappropriate development 🌳🏠 A new report shows there is once again enough land in Greater Cambridge to meet a key planning benchmark - a 'five-year housing land supply'🏘️ This follows recent changes by the Government to housing requirements in the area. These changes resulted in Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council having to acknowledge that planning decisions could be impacted by national requirements to give greater emphasis in favour of approving new homes 🏠 🏡 However, as a result of this ‘housing land supply’ being restored to above five years, planning applications will again be assessed against all the councils’ local policies – which include a clear plan for where homes should be built - as well as those set nationally Read more by following the link in the comments