We monitor and review planning policies and planning applications. We respond when we are concerned about their impact on heritage, landscape, environment and quality of life. In 2017 we responded formally to 45 applications, plans or proposals.

We do not have sufficient resources to submit written responses to all the development proposals that we review, and so we do not usually respond to proposals when we have no major concerns or significant comments to make about them.

Click on the links below to read our latest responses and find out what we said, the most recent is at the top.

2019-20 Responses

  • Rupert Brooke pub, Grantchester the pub has built a new low wall to create an outside garden area, but it does not accord with the approved plans in height or materials. We have raised this concern due to its visual impact on the setting and character of the conservation area. 

  • Conversion of Bolton's Warehouse a building that our Heritage Watch group put forward and got designated as a Building of Local Interest (BLI). Proposal to convert from business space to single residence. Our main concern is for the retention of the building and its historic fabric. Read how we feel turning it into a single residential dwelling might actually be positive for the building and its setting. 

  • Barrington Cement Works EIA a major development at the former cement works in Barrington. We argue that an environmental impact assessment is required. 

  • Carpenters Arms pub, Great Wilbraham our response to the demolition of the existing extension and building a new larger extension. The proposed new extension will have a larger footprint and seek to physically connect the listed outbuilding to the listed pub building. In doing so, it will result in the loss of historic context and relationship of the buildings to each other and the site. In addition, we have serious concerns about the feasibility of the proposed extension in structural terms. 

  • Cambridge South East Busway Consultation Greater Cambridge Partnership consultation on a proposed busway and park/ride between Cambridge and the A11 to the south of the city. We do not support these proposals for numerous reasons, including harm and impact to the open countryside as well as failure to serve the villages the route goes through due to the distance to the stop from the centre of the village. 

  • Netherhall Farm, land north of Worts Causeway EIA Scoping Opinion our response to an application for an Environment Impact Assessment on the proposed development of land north of Wort's Causeway. There was an application earlier in the year for a Screening Opinion and the Council's conclusion was the they needed an EIA. However, instead of submitting one, they have asked for another opinion. It is unclear why and we have raised this as suspicious. In addition, the documents fail to include net gain on biodiversity, climate change, etc. 

  • 15-16_Emmmanuel_Road, Cambridge our response to the demolition of Buildings of Local Interest, mainly on the grounds of lack of maintenance and neglect. We object to the demolition on these grounds and without any attempt to try and incorporate the existing buildings into the scheme. In addition, we object to the pastiche replacement proposed for such a prominent site - in a Conservation Area and adjacent to numerous heritage assets. 

  • Renovating the existing toilet facilities at Silver Street bridge this is an application to upgrade and improve the existing toilet provisions at the Silver Street Bridge in Cambridge. Since the toilets are located within the bridge (except for the disabled toilet) there have been problems with flooding and drainage. This is an opportunity to enhance the facilities and hopefully enhance the street level public realm. 

  • GCP Bottisham/Swaffham/Horningsea Greenways public consultation In principle we support the concept of Greenways in order to increase the number of journeys made by cyclists and pedestrians in order to benefit the environment and public health and as a means of reducing traffic congestion. The location and design of these routes must consider their impact on the natural and built environment and on the local landscape – especially if they are to be able to proceed through the planning system. We object to one of the options due to ecological impact.

  • Public consultation Meadows Centre and Buchan Street recreation grounds redevelopment CambridgePPF responded to the first consultation for redeveloping the recreation ground and community centre at Meadows and Buchan in the Arbury area. This second consultation does show the Council is listening, but we still have concerns about the quantum of development and reduction in amenity to existing residents in an area with lower than average open space. 

  • Newbury Farm outline application on GB2 (land south of Wort's Causeway) We acknowledge the land was removed from the green belt during the last round of local plans so can now be developed upon, however, we are very concerned about the quality of this outline application that only addresses access into the site. CambridgePPF met with the developers for both GB1 and GB2 to encourage them to create a masterplan for both sites to ensure cohesion, cross working and enable the community to understand the totality of development - to date this has not happened. 

  • CambridgePPF response to Making Space for People public consultation the City Council held a public consultation on assessing the wider public realm in and around the city centre, including some of Hills Road and Mill Lane. It will inform an SPD - or supplementary planning document - which planning officers will use when assessing applications. We are supportive of this work but we queried the document's 'vision' and challenged the City to be braver in their aspirations and aims. 

  • GCP Foxton Travel Hub park and rail public consultation Our response to a public consultation for a 750 space car park adjacent to the Foxton train station. It is unclear if this is to be a park and rail site or if, as we recommend, the GCP could consider a wider scope for the site to include buses, cycles, etc. This may also take the pressure off of a proposed new park and ride at Junction 11 M11. In addition, we query the rationale behind the proposal and challenge the financial case. 

  • Proposed new Greenway between Cambridge and Royston, serving Sawston and Melbourn In principle we support the concept of Greenways in order to increase the number of journeys made by cyclists and pedestrians in order to benefit the environment and public health and as a means of reducing traffic congestion. The location and design of these routes must consider their impact on the natural and built environment and on the local landscape – especially if they are to be able to proceed through the planning system. We have raised concerns about the overly “centric” nature of some of the proposed routes and the need for Greenways to better connect with employment centres. We are therefore pleased to see two routes come forward that will connect with Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC).

  • Cambridegshire & Peterborough Local_Transport_Plan_Consultation In our view the LTP is too focused on large public transport engineering schemes. These schemes will be expensive to deliver and to operate and will have significant impacts on local communities, the environment and heritage. The entire plan for Greater Cambridge hinges on a Cambridge Metro, without any ‘Plan B’.

  • Park Street Car Park redevelopment, Cambriddge ref 191159FUL in principle we are supportive of the redevelopment of this site as it is of no architectural or historic significance. However, being located within a Conservation Area and adjacent to numerous listed buildings, we raised some concerns, including the height proposed and amount of underground car parking. 

  • Chesterton Mill redevelopment, Cambridge our response to the reworking of the mill buildings off of Frenchs Road. Overall, bringing this jumble of buildings into the 21st century presents a variety of challenges for the architects and developer. We judge this to be a well-considered set of proposals which should breathe new life into this currently run-down complex.

  • 104-112 Hills Road, Cambridge comments on the consultation to alter the original planning consent for the area adjacent to the Botanic Gardens and the Mills and Reeve building. One of the main issues is the retention of the Flying Pig Pub, in its current historic building and with its current pub use. In addition, there are opportunities to create an imaginative and creative mixed use site and we suggest touring the area to see what developments have been successful and examples of what not to do. 

  • 25 Portugal Place, Cambridge our response to the proposals to make alterations to a listed building within a conservation area. The application is lacking sufficient information to properly assess it and the information it does contain shows a lack of understanding towards working with a historically built structure, its needs and the implications of doing works to it. 

  • Whittlesford Parkway Station redevelopment proposal by Greater Cambridge Partnership our response to the initial consultation reviewing significant changes to the Whittlesford Train Station area. We highlighted the two heritage assets within the site and cited that this is an opportunity to preserve, enhance and improve the setting and character of the Duxford Chapel and Red Lion Pub. We are supportive of most of the proposed improvements, however, there are several concerns about the impact to the assets and recommendations on how to address them.

  • Response to Lilac Court redevelopment Cherry Hinton residents contacted us to support them in raising concerns about this development. It would result in loss of amenity and play space, the height proposed is imposing and would impact neighbours, etc. There has been a lot of issues with this proposal and many have responded sharing their thoughts, including Cllr Lewis Herbert, leader of the City Council. 

  • Netherhall Farm, Wort's Causeway GB1 our response to a consultation by the developer on their plans for a new housing estate on former Greenbelt land on the south of Cambridge. We object to their plans to build on a meadow and we offered advice on how their plans could be revised in order to improve their development for ecology, landscape and community.

  • CambridgePPF_resp_Spicers_S-2122-19-FL.pdf the redevelopment of the Spicers site in Sawston, which is considered a brownfield site, is in principle supported. However, there is insufficient information in the application to properly assess it and there are serious concerns about the impact to the adjacent Green Belt, ecology and Scheduled Ancient Monument. There is also a serious flood risk as they propose two below ground levels. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_Guildhall_lav_windows.pdf the Guildhall in Market Square is a Listed Building and is within a Conservation Area. The proposal is small, but significant, as it seeks to replace original historic glass with modern and insert plastic air vents within the glass to improve the bathrooms within the building. We offer a more historically and sensitive solution to retain the fabric. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_M11_J11_0719.pdf our response to the GCP proposal to build a new park and ride west of the M11 at Junction 11, which is located in the Green Belt. We raise numerous concerns about the impact to the environment and ecology and raise the issue that the land take has increased significantly compared to the initial proposals. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_42_Rathmore_Road.pdf our response to an application to raise the ridge height on a house in the middle of a 19th Century terrace where very little has changed over time. This proposal would interrupt the continuous roof line and change the uniformity. The buildings are not listed, nor are they in a conservation area. However, they are undesignated heritage assets and this proposal could result in harm to the visual appearance and local distinctive character. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_48-50_High_St_Chesterton.pdf our response to the proposed works to partially demolish the site and add four- 1 bed flats. We considered it over-development and supported the comments made by the Conservation Team at the City. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_Village_Design_Statements.pdf our comments on the various Village Design Statements proposed in several villages in South Cambs. We are very supportive of the principle and hope that the natural environment benefits as well. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_54-56_High_St_Trumpington.pdf our response regarding the demolition of buildings that are of no architectural or historic interest and its replacement. The principle of replacing the buildings is supported, but the proposed design and materials have been questioned, especially in relation to the adjacent thatched listed building. 

  • CambridgePPF_response_Cambourne-Cambridge_Phase_2_consultation.pdf our response to consultation on Phase 2 of Cambourne-Cambridge busway. We have strongly objected to proposals to build a car park on a valuable ecological site on top of one of the few hills in Cambridge. We support those options that are least damaging to ecology and landscape.
  • CPPF_response_former_Ridgeons_Site_April19.pdf our response to a planning application to redevelop the former Ridgeons site in the Romsey area of Cambridge. We were disappointed with the level of affordable housing and the bland nature of the architecture.

2018-19 Responses

  • CambridgePPF_resp_EIA_Worts_Causeway.pdf our response to whether or not the proposal for 260 homes on former green belt land requires an Environmental Impact Assessment to review and assess the potential for harm from the development.

  • CambridgePPF_resp_to_Hauxton_House_redev.pdf the first application to bring back the mill and its buildings into a new use. The Old Mill House was converted into offices in 1975 from residential. The proposal is to keep it offices, but introduce two new clean lab spaces. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_Mill_Lane_Pembroke_app_080219.pdf the response is to the first applications for the Old Press Mill Lane redevelopment site (both listed building and planning). Focusing on the South side, this development will increase the size of Pembroke College. It is about heritage, context, listed buildings, conservation areas, transport and more. 

  • CambridgePPF_resp_158_homes_land_north_of_Babraham_Road.pdf- an application for 158 homes that will extend the village of Sawston heading towards Babraham. This is included in the recently adopted Local Plan, but it is outside the village framework and within the Green Belt, so we object to it on principle. 

  • CambridgePPF_response_Waterbeach_SPD_231018.pdf- our response to the Supplementary Planning Document outlining the Council's expectations for the new town at Waterbeach. Concerns about the timing as applications have already been received, when the SPD should be used to inform them prior to submission. 

  • App_development_in_walled_garden_Whittlesford.pdf- this is an application for several new homes within an existing walled garden adjacent to the Listed Church in Whittlesford. Concerns about lack of information over significance of walled garden and impact to setting and context.

  • Consult_on_CPIER.pdf- consultation response to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review.