Infrastructure
The examples of projects detailed below bring to life the work of the GCP and demonstrate how the GCP is making a difference to the development of the Greater Cambridge area. The GCP’s added value to the projects may be by direct financial contribution, strategic leadership, ensuring a fit with the sub-regional economic strategy (SRES), facilitating collaboration or general promotion.
This section relates to the fourth objective of the SRES:
| Objective | Delivery Coordination Group |
| 4 | Cambridgeshire Horizons |
The Greater Cambridge sub-region has been designated as part of the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough M11 growth area. The area is expected to accommodate 47,500 new houses by 2016 and around 70,000 jobs by 2021.
For Greater Cambridge to compete internationally, attract footloose investment and highly qualified people, it is critical to ensure a modern, efficient transport system and a high quality of life for those living here.
The GCP is supporting the work of Cambridgeshire Horizons, the local delivery vehicle for the Greater Cambridge sub-region, as it seeks to increase the range of housing (including affordable), and related infrastructure that is needed in the area. Visit the Cambridgeshire Horizons website for more information.
Examples of particular projects that the GCP is involved in are detailed below:
SmartLIFE
The SmartLIFE Centre opened in 2006 as a training, conference and visitor facility with the aim of providing training and best practice sharing in modern
methods of sustainable construction to help meet the area's housing growth challenges.
The GCP helped broker £740,000 of EEDA funding for the centre and currently 800 people are trained in modern methods of construction each year.
The GCP is continuing to work with the SmartLIFE Centre Management on the next stage of development which could see a new environmental industries enterprise hub developed. The hub would cater for up to 30 environmental technology companies and define the East of England as a world-class centre of excellence in key climate change industries such as renewable energy, water conservation and sustainable building processes.
To find out more about SmartLIFE, please visit the www.uksmartlife.org.
Angelsey Abbey visitor centre
An additional 47,500 houses are planned for the Cambridge sub region by 2016. Such growth will increase demand for open
space and leisure provision. Twinned with this is the need to ensure that Greater Cambridge retains a high quality of life to attract both business
investors and highly qualified staff.
The creation of a new visitor facility at the National Trust Angelsey Abbey property will not only cater for larger visitor numbers to the house, but will also help provide enhanced visitor facilities for the propsed link to Wicken Fen. The Wicken Fen Vision proposes a green wedge from Wicken to Angelsey Abbey and onto the edge of Cambridge to provide an accessible green lung for the residents of the growing city.
The GCP helped by brokering £692,000 of EEDA funding for the project.
For more information about Anglesey Abbey, please visit the National Trust website.
Great Fen
The Great Fen project aims to combine the Holme Fen and Woodwalton Fen National Nature Reserves. The fen areas provide habitat for a range
of flora and fauna as well as access to this special landscape for the expanding populations in Cambridge, Huntingdon and Peterborough.
The GCP has helped broker around £494,000 of EEDA funding to help purchase 550 hectares of land to extend the Holme Fen Reserve and bring the vision closer to reality.
For more information about the Great Fen Project, please the Great Fen website.
AirSpace at Duxford Imperial War Museum
The Duxford Imperial War Museum is the most visited tourist attraction in the Greater Cambridge area. Tourism is the fastest growing global business
sector. As the local population continues to increase it is important that Greater Cambridge benefits from tourism growth as an economic
sector providing diversity across the economic base, as well as attractions for local and regional residents.
The GCP has helped provide £1million of EEDA funding for a new display hanger ‘AirSpace’. It will result in increased visitor numbers and educational and training opportunities for local and regional schools.
To find out more about AirSpace visit the AirSpace Duxford website
A14 widening lobbying
The GCP undertakes a range of consultation responses and lobbies government directly on a number of issues.
The GCP, representing its broad constituent partners across the private, public and voluntary/community sectors, has recently co-signed a letter to the Highways Agency to put the case for our preferred route for the widened A14.
The GCP is also keen to see this critical road widening scheme take place as soon as possible.
