Keeping Cambridge Special is an initiative started by members of Cambridge Past Present & Future. It aims to get representatives from all sectors of the community together to discuss some of the major challenges facing the greater Cambridge area.

With speakers and participants from all walks of life, the format is designed to engage people, discuss topics, explore new ideas, influence and give people a chance to be heard. The first event was held in October 2016 and the most recent in September 2019.

A new local plan for Cambridge and South Cambs, 28 September 2019 

This workshop bought together over 100 local residents, interest groups, councillors, parish councillors, officers and planners to discuss some of the issues that will need to be addressed in a new Local Plan for the area, in particular: How can we plan for a zero-carbon future? How can the growth of greater Cambridge help to double the amount of species rich habitats for nature? And how can we provide the different types of housing needed, such as more affordable housing and accommodation for older people and key workers?

Held at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge, the workshop invited local people to join the discussions and give their views on how these issues might be addressed through a new Local Plan for the area.

Speakers at the event included Cllr Lewis Herbert (Cambridge City Council), Cllr Pippa Haylings (South Cambs Council), Dame Fiona Reynolds (Master at Emmanuel College), Stephen Hills (Operations Director Cambridge Housing Society) and Dr Elisabete Silva (University of Cambridge).

The audience debated further in 10 break-out groups. The need for more greenspace was highlighted by speakers and participants, as this would benefit people’s health and well-being as well as providing habitat for nature and helping to reduce carbon and reduce the effects of climate change such as floods and drought. One of the main concerns raised by participants was the lack of water in our area and the damaging impact that further growth could have on rivers and wetlands, particularly the River Cam which is at the heart of Greater Cambridge.

The ideas and issues raised in this workshop have provided early consultation in the process of developing a new Local Plan for the greater Cambridge Area.

Please click here for notes of the workshop, click here for the programme of the day and presenters slides. Video of the event is below.

Cambridge's Streets & Spaces Workshop, January 2018

This workshop bought together over 100 local residents, councillors, officers and planners to discuss how Cambridge could address the challenge of having more people moving around the city in ways that would enhance quality of life and preserve the city’s heritage.

Robert Myers (landscape architect); Joel Carré (Cambridge City Council); Charlene Rohr (RAND Europe) and Kieran Perkins (5th Studio) led the discussion of ‘movement and spaces’.

The audience debated further in 10 break-out groups. Out of this came a number of ideas – such as co–design, challenging the brief, sharing spaces, Community Forest in the greenbelt and ideas for making sustainable travel the norm.

The ideas and issues raised in this workshop have fed into a Cambridge City ‘Spaces & Movement’ planning document which got underway in 2018.

Please click here for the programme of the day and notes (within the document are additional links).

Please click on the following link to view the videos from the day’s speakers: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwEUs8UyvFASkgo6bqM00dMyoqhihfd9h 
 
Keeping Cambridge Special Workshop, 2016

This workshop brought people together to discuss how we could maintain the special character of Cambridge in the face of huge pressure for growth and development. 

Please click here for the programme of the day and notes (within the document are additional links).

Please click on the following link to view the videos from the day’s speakers: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwEUs8UyvFARV8tEAfpAS0De__qWBNtcw 
 

CambridgePPF wishes to thank all of those who helped make these days run smoothly, as well as the speakers, videographer, volunteers and attendees.