Communities need ‘far more detail’ and to have their say on government plans for a major expansion of housing around Cambridge, local leaders have said.
Alongside the chancellor’s Budget yesterday, housing secretary Michael Gove unveiled a ‘case for Cambridge’, with further detail on proposals that could see up to 150,000 new homes in the area by 2050.
However, ‘important questions remain unanswered’, including where the homes will go, Cambridge City Council leader Mike Davey and South Cambridgeshire District Council leader Bridget Smith have said.
Cllr Davey said: ‘Despite eight months of discussion on this project, we have yet to see any credible plan or evidence of the significant finance required to deliver it.’
He also said Mr Gove ‘has not demonstrated that he is listening’ to Cambridge, and that there had been no public engagement or council involvement regarding the project.
Both councils previously warned ministers that uncertainty over the plans was impacting work on their first joint local plan for Greater Cambridge, which identifies a need for 14,500 new homes between 2020 and 2041.
The Government said plans to establish a development corporation to oversee the project, ‘backed by a multi-year funding settlement’, will be set out at the next Spending Review.
