Residents, businesses and organisations are being urged to share their views on the “soundness” of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan – during the final round of consultation which opens today.
The consultation is the last opportunity for communities to comment on the Plan – which at this stage is called the Proposed Submission version - and its evidence base. After this stage, the Plan will be submitted to Government and examined by an independent Planning Inspector.
The Greater Cambridge Local Plan will help determine how Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire grow over the next 20 years, influencing where new homes, jobs and community facilities are located, how development supports climate goals, and how infrastructure keeps pace with growth.
Current forecasts indicate that around 50,000 new homes will be needed between 2024 and 2045. Around 37,000 of these homes are already planned through existing permissions and allocations, but future growth must be carefully managed to ensure communities have the transport links, services, green spaces and utilities they need.
The Plan has been developed jointly by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council - shaped by years of public engagement. Over 8,400 comments submitted during the most recent consultation prompted further work by officers and helped refine the policies and proposals across the Plan. As a result, a number of changes from the previous plan published late last year have been made in the version now being consulted upon.
The updated Plan also reflects the ongoing work to address some of Greater Cambridge's most significant challenges, including housing demand, water supply constraints, transport infrastructure and future employment needs.
Unlike earlier consultations, this final stage is more narrowly focused on whether the Plan is "sound" and meets national planning requirements. Responses will therefore need to focus on whether the Plan is justified by the evidence, effective in achieving its objectives, deliverable and consistent with national planning policy.
Get involved
Lots of engagement events will take place during the consultation, giving people the opportunity to find out more and ask questions. The first of these is an online webinar on Tuesday (4 August) at 5:30pm and you can register to attend now. There will also be a series of 14 in-person exhibitions held across Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.
To view the Plan, submit comments and find details of the events, visit our Greater Cambridge Local Plan webpage.
Paper copies of the Local Plan are available at the councils’ offices in Cambridge and Cambourne and at Cambridge Central and Cambourne libraries.
Cambridge City Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategy, Planning and External Partnerships, Cllr Katie Thornburrow, said: “Greater Cambridge faces significant challenges, from meeting housing needs and supporting a growing economy to tackling climate change and ensuring the right infrastructure is in place. This Plan sets out a long-term vision for sustainable growth that balances new homes and jobs with the services, transport connections and green spaces communities need. The Plan will also provide the starting point for decision making on planning applications by the Council and the Government’s newly established Greater Cambridge Development Corporation. We therefore encourage everyone to have their say in this final consultation.”
Cllr Henry Batchelor, South Cambridgeshire District Council's Lead Cabinet Member for Planning, said: “The Greater Cambridge Local Plan will shape how our communities grow and thrive for decades to come, which is why it is so important that people take part in this final consultation. Thousands of residents, businesses and organisations have already helped us develop and then refine the Plan. Now, at this stage of the process, we are asking people to comment on the soundness of the Plan. This is a technical term which asks whether you think the Plan has been positively prepared, and if it is justified, effective and consistent with national policy. This will be the last opportunity to share your views before the Plan is submitted for independent examination."
The consultation closes on Friday 25 September 2026.
