-
To allocate development in areas nearest to demand in
the City of Cambridge without changing the existing City environment.
-
No additional buildings beyond existing planning
permissions except within designated areas of the Green Belt. Developers to provide new
public green areas outside the Green Belt to replace those used.
-
Some new development allowed in market towns of Ely,
Huntingdon, St Ives, St Neots.
-
Replacement or renewal of buildings allowed within
the City and South Cambridgeshire (e.g., conversion of houses into flats, or warehousing
into offices, etc).
-
Transport to remain as it is now (e.g., no increase
in road capacity or public transport).
This policy involves significant increases of
households in the Green Belt areas of the City and South Cambridgeshire, with smaller
increases in East Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
Employment continues to grow in the City, despite
restrictions due to existing permissions for development, substitution of extensive space
users by intensive space users (e.g., high-tech business, private and public services, for
extensive space) and the development of areas within the Green Belt.. Lesser increases in
South Cambridgeshire and beyond.
-
Dwelling costs increase, but less than in the other
options (except Densification), within the City and South Cambridgeshire
-
Less displacement of middle and lower socio-economic
groups in South Cambridgeshire by wealthy managerial and professional groups
-
Commercial floorspace costs increase fairly evenly
across the areas.
-
Traditional jobs along with new high-tech and private
service employment will grow in the City and its fringe.
-
Increased supply of houses near jobs reduces need for
more long distance commuting.
The cost of living within South Cambridgeshire
(fringes of the City) would increase less than other areas, due to lower increases in
house prices and rentals, costs of goods, services and transport.
The cost of production would increase in the region,
and at manageable rates due to stable labour costs and floorspace rentals.
-
The close connection between jobs and households
means that travel distances will not increase as much as in other options.
-
A higher proportion of trips are made by walking,
cycling or bus
-
The sheer number of extra people living on the
fringes would increase the number of vehicles circulating on the City’s roads.
-
Traffic delays set to quadruple during the period up
to 2016, thus increasing congestion substantially.
-
Emissions and thus pollution increase.
-
Would necessitate radical measures in and around the
City to arrest growing traffic congestion.
Efficiency
-
Economic efficiency would be maintained, facilitating
the competitiveness of the region.
-
Export-oriented firms such as those in the high-tech
sector would find it easier to compete with the rest of the world, facing an increase of
about 1.5% per year in production costs (between 2001 and 2016) which could be absorbed by
efficiency gains.
Equity
-
In South Cambridgeshire the existing social mix (with
a preponderance of higher income groups) would be largely stable, because of the greater
housing supply.
-
The City of Cambridge would become less segregated
due to more affordable housing for lower income groups.
Environment
-
Good protection of the buildings and open space
within the City.
-
Reduction of Green Belt amenity but compensated by
new public spaces further afield.
-
Protection of the environment outside the Green Belt.
-
Net increase in public green facilities.
-
Substantial increases in emissions and pollution in
the City due to the concentration of population, employment and traffic.
|
©Cambridge Futures & METAPHORM - 3D model based on Ordnance Survey © CCC and Crown Copyright. All rights reserved.
The animation above illustrates an area
where Green Swap could be implemented. The area is Cambridge Airport, where operations
could be transferred to a nearby disused airfield, thus releasing valuable land for
development. Newmarket Road runs across the bottom of the picture. The development
illustrated is mixed use, incorporating a retail outlet, a boulevard with high density
housing and commercial premises. At the top of the boulevard, public services such as
schools, health clinics and libraries are grouped around a square.
Adding an
extension to the city in this way would be compensated for by adding to the Green Belt
further away from Cambridge. |
