In March, the government put out a consultation asking for views on the idea of establishing Greater Cambridge Development Corporation – a centrally-led urban development corporation (UDC).

Its function is to combine Cambridge city and South Cambs as an UDC.

Part of its rationale for creating the UDC was the economic benefit, but the figure it used – Cambridge contributes an estimated £30bn annually to UK Gross Value Added – was rather spoilt by London Economics’ report putting the amount at £13.358bn. It also said the government’s £30bn was the aggregate economic impact of the University of Cambridge, not ‘Cambridge’.

We highlighted this with a ‘Have your say’ news post at the time.

Not surprisingly, as the UDC was planning-centred, South Cambs District Council, our local planning authority, was not impressed and rejected the proposal.

To no avail – the government has announced, through a press release on 2nd June, the formation of a new Development Corporation for Greater Cambridge.

The release does not mention the local authorities, our MP or the consultation survey – which raises the point of whether ‘they’ listen.

Here is the response from SCDC and below from Heather Williams, our district councillor.

Council warns that government’s urban development corporation risks sidelining local communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council has reiterated its serious concern after the government confirmed plans to create a Greater Cambridge urban development corporation – which would hand planning powers from local councils to the new body.

Councillors have restated their opposition, arguing the shift from locally elected authorities to a central government body is wholly unnecessary.

As outlined at the Full Council meeting in March this year, councillors said that while government funding is needed to support Greater Cambridge’s significant infrastructure challenges, this should not come at the cost of local democratic accountability – particularly in an area ranked among the top 10 nationally for delivering new homes and growth.

Although details remain unclear, the government decision, announced on Tuesday 2 June, is expected to remove many developments – currently shaped through local plans and community engagement – from local decision-making, creating the largest corporation of its type.

The centrally led body, following MHCLG consultation earlier this year, would be governed mainly by government-appointed board members rather than local representatives.

Cllr Bridget Smith, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We’re already one of the top areas in the country when it comes to how fast new homes are being completed. Planning permission for a total of 37,000 new homes has already been granted across Greater Cambridge.

“There’s existing permission for the equivalent of almost 60 football pitches worth of lab and commercial space. The Royal Town Planning Institute say we’ve got the best Planning Service in the country. Removing planning decisions from locally accountable councils risks undermining the very things that make growth successful – local knowledge, community involvement and democratic decision-making.

“In fact, we think this change risks slowing growth down. The real barriers to delivery are not the planning decisions made locally, but delays in key supporting facilities such as water, transport and utilities – where any development corporation should focus its energy and influence.

“The government needs to work in partnership with local councils – not create uncertainty amongst communities and developers about the future of the area.

“The announcement pledges working in partnership with local leaders and communities – none of which has happened since the government’s consultation. We are in the dark as to any details about how the development corporation will operate and frankly, we have more questions than answers.

• Who will be making decisions about planning in our area?
• Will they protect the green belt?
• Will they protect our villages from rogue developers who see an opportunity to submit planning applications which democratically elected councillors would not support?
• Where is the funding for all of the new housing and required infrastructure?
• Did the government listen to any of the feedback in the consultation or was this a ‘done deal’ from the outset?

“This is not my understanding of a partnership and it’s disappointing that after nearly three years of being involved in the growth company project we are responding to a government announcement with so little understanding of what is being proposed.

“When you also consider the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan, there are already proposals for up to 77,000 new homes and over 100,000 jobs across South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge. These proposals have been shaped by extensive public consultation and robust evidence.

“It is anticipated that the corporation would also replace the councils’ role in preparing Local Plans after the conclusion of the current emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan. This would mean that, for the next 25 years, decisions about where new homes and jobs come forward across Greater Cambridge would be made by the urban development corporation, rather than by local communities through the councils.”

Heather Williams’ response

Heather Williams, district councillor for Hatley, added: “We support new homes, investment and sustainable growth in Greater Cambridge. What we do not support is the transfer of significant powers from democratically elected councils to an unelected Development Corporation.

“The announcement raises serious questions about accountability, transparency and local democratic control. Residents deserve to know who will be making decisions about development in their communities, how those decisions will be scrutinised, and what powers will be removed from local councils.

“It cannot claim to be simplifying local government through reorganisation while simultaneously creating a powerful new layer of unelected governance.

“Growth must happen with communities, not be imposed upon them.

“This government do not care at all about the residents of South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge. They are only interested in draining every penny they can out of us to bail out their financial incompetence. And be of no illusion once they’ve bled us dry, they will be on to their next victim.

“Unchallenged, this government will ride roughshod over every area of our district. We will be pushing the council to not simply sit back and wait to be told what the government wants – they’ve tried waiting to see what the government thinks, and it hasn’t worked.

“They are not being listened to so it’s time to stop pussy-footing around. It is time to prepare for battle and make it clear to government we will fight them at every turn unless they start putting our residents first not the treasury’s purse strings.

“This is why we are calling on the administration at South Cambs to start preparing for a Judicial Review. No urban development corporation has a place in our villages.

“The government has clearly demonstrated they are clueless when it comes to the countryside, but we are not – it’s time to stand up for the wonderful area we are elected to protect.”

_{Post created by Peter Mann (with no AI assistance): 3rd June 2026.}