CBC Ltd responds to two consultations
CBC Ltd has submitted responses to two public consultations on East West Rail and the draft Supplementary Planning Document for the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
You can view summaries of the submissions and links to download the full documents below.
East West Rail non-statutory consultation
East West Rail Company (‘EWR Co’) has produced a non-statutory consultation document to obtain feedback on the early designs and options of the EWR programme. The document describes the infrastructure proposals for EWR, the new railway link that would connect Oxford to Cambridge, through Milton Keynes and Bedford.
This consultation ran for 10 weeks from 14 November 2024 to 24 January 2025. There will also be a statutory consultation at a later date. You can read more detail here.
CBC Ltd’s response was coordinated by the CBC Travel and Transport Group.
Key points from CBC Ltd’s response:
- CBC Ltd supports more sustainable travel modes to and from the Campus, and believes the route will provide a vital link in connecting the Campus with new housing corridors and beyond, extending the travel to work area for Cambridge and supporting employment for organisations on the site.
- Services need to be integrated with local sustainable modes of transport
- We believe that all stations should be designed as fully accessible, as well as having high quality and sufficient cycle and scooter parking.
- We are supportive of the policy for an increased ecology and biodiversity net gain and are keen to be reassured with environmental impact assessments and solutions to minimise ecological disruption during construction.
- Electrification of services on the new line is essential from an environmental perspective.
- As representatives of numerous anchor institutions within the local community, CBC works with local people to understand the impact the Campus has on the surrounding area and its employees, visitors and residents. Whilst we recognise that there are different views represented within the public, it is important to CBC that the local community is effectively engaged by EWR to understand and minimise negative impact on them.
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the Cambridge Biomedical Campus
The Cambridge Biomedical Campus Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) sets out guidance on the implementation of policies within the Cambridge Local Plan (2018) and the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan (2018) regarding future development at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The SPD sets out development principles to guide future development proposals for phases one to three at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and provides a planning framework for consideration when determining planning applications.
The consultation ran from 28 November 2024 until 24 January 2025.
Key points from CBC Ltd’s response:
- Overall, CBC Ltd is supportive of the SPD and its purpose and agrees with the structure, and the majority of the content.
- CBC Ltd welcomes the six themes and principles contained within ‘Chapter 4: CBC Development Principles’. They are consistent with a range of issues which CBC Ltd has argued need to be addressed across the Campus as it develops. However, there are some areas where the wording could be stronger or further requirements added.
- We believe that the SPD should include a requirement for the provision of a life sciences incubator facility with subsidised/affordable lab space for start-ups to maximise the opportunity for the UK that co-locating incubation with the institutions clustered on Campus can bring.
- CBC Ltd believes that a hotel should be included in the SPD, providing a key element of a successful Campus environment. This would strengthen international connections and the attractiveness of the Campus to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), provide a much-needed additional amenity to support the Campus offer, make the most of the Cambridge South railway station and also provide potential accommodation for friends and families of those being treated within the health services on Campus. It would also be an opportunity to include conferencing facilities for those using the hotel and the Campus.
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