-
To preserve the City of Cambridge and its surrounding
area much as it is today.
-
New development only allowed within limited distance
of high capacity communications network to reduce environmental impact of private car
travel.
-
No other additional buildings within the City and
South Cambridgeshire beyond existing planning permissions.
-
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).
-
Requires improved high capacity electronic
communications system e.g. underground broad band fibre optic cable with localised aerial
transmission to surrounding buildings.
This policy envisages a smaller increase of
households in the City. Larger increases will be seen along the communications virtual
highway especially in South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
Employment continues to grow in the City despite the
restrictions due to existing permissions for development, substitution of extensive space
users by intensive users (e.g., high-tech business, private and public services) but is
balanced by growth elsewhere on the virtual highway
-
Restricted housing supply leads to some cost
increases within the City
-
Displacement continues of middle and lower
socio-economic groups in the City and South Cambridgeshire by wealthy managerial and
professional groups
-
Production costs increase in all areas, slightly less
in Huntingdonshire
-
Displacement continues of traditional jobs in the
City by more competitive, high-tech and private service jobs
-
Reduced need to commute for work and services which
would significantly reduce the increasing commuting into Cambridge and its fringe, thus
controlling emissions and pollution.
The cost of living would rise, especially within the
City, due to increased house prices and rentals, costs of goods and services.
The cost of production would increase substantially,
especially within the City and South Cambridgeshire, due to increased labour costs,
floorspace rentals and congestion.
-
Reduced need to commute for jobs or travel for
services could cut down trips by private car.
-
People using the virtual highway may move further
away from their places of employment.
-
The majority of trips would still be by car as public
transport is unsustainable with dispersed population, but with reduced congestion,
emissions and thus pollution.
-
Benefits of reduced car use countered by increased
average trip length.
-
Would necessitate significant investment in
communications infrastructure.
Efficiency
-
Economic efficiency may be impaired because of
restrictions where demand is high, putting at risk the competitiveness of the region.
-
Export-oriented firms such as the high-tech sector
would find it difficult to compete with the rest of the world, as it would face around 40%
increase in production costs (between 2001 and 2016).
Equity
-
The City of Cambridge would continue to become more
segregated through the concentration of high-income groups.
-
South Cambridgeshire would also become more
segregated.
-
Lower socio-economic groups concentrate in East
Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
Environment
|
©Cambridge Futures & METAPHORM - 3D model based on Ordnance Survey © CCC and Crown Copyright. All rights reserved.
The illustration above shows an area
where additional development could be connected to the virtual highway. The area
illustrated is the M11-A14 corridor connecting Stansted airport to Alconbury airport.
Within a certain distance from the corridor, new villages could be hooked up to the
superhighway, allowing instant multimedia communications. |
