A brief planning history of Cambourne

August 1986

County council publishes Consultation draft of Structure Plan Review. Two new settlements are proposed - near Swavesey on the A604 and on the A10 north of Cambridge.

March / May 1987

County Council approves form of structure plan review to be submitted to the Secretary of State (submitted May 1987). Proposes a single new settlement of 3000 dwellings on the A10 in East Cambridgeshire.

October 1987

Government Panel holds 'Examination in Public' at Ely into Structure Plan Review. New Settlement in the Cambridge sub-area is one issue considered.

January 1988

Panel's report is published. Panel concludes that a smaller settlement is appropriate for the A10 north and that there should be a major new settlement on the A45 west corridor.

July 1988

Secretary of State proposes modifications to the Structure Plan Review. Agrees with Panel that there should be two new settlements, A10 north and A45 west.

March 1989

Secretary of State approves Structure Plan with an A10 north new settlement and one of 3000 dwellings (2000 dwellings up to 2001) along the A45 west or east (operative April 1989)

May 1989

Department of the Environment advises District Councils that all A45 new settlement applications (ultimately 6 along the west and 2 along the east) are called in for the Secretary of State to determine after a public enquiry. The October 1989 South Cambridgeshire Local Plan goes on deposit. Does not include an allocation for the new settlement since applications have already been called in.

February 1990 - July 1991

  • Public enquiry into the applications is held in Ely. One application (Crow Green) drops out of the inquiry.


March 1992

Secretary of State rejects all applications. Disagrees with the Inspector who wanted to approve Great Common Farm. Instead the Secretary of State accepts this is the best choice in 'site specific terms' but rejects some of the details including the over-sized business park and the lack of clarity regarding access arrangements in relation to the Broadway. He indicates that a revised application which addresses these problems would be acceptable.

September 1992

  • South Cambridgeshire District Council receives application for Monkfield Park.


November 1992

  • South Cambridgeshire District Council receives duplicate applications for Great Common Farm.


8th December 1993

Planning Committee considers all the applications and the officer recommendation is for the application on the same site as preferred by the Inspector, and which has now benefited from improvements to the weaknesses identified by the Secretary of State. Planning Committee however rejects the recommendations and grants consent for Monkfield Park, the adjoining site, subject to necessary conditions and legal agreements.

20th April 1994

  • Outline planning permission given for the new settlement at Monkfield Park (later to be renamed Cambourne)


22nd May 1995

  • Masterplan and Design Guide for Monkfield Park formally submitted as required by conditions of planning consent and provisions of legal agreement


November 1996

  • Masterplan and Design Guide for Monkfield Park approved


September 1997

  • Initial Reserved Matter Applications for Infrastructure approved


June 1998

  • Work starts on site


May 1999

  • First show houses open
  • Information / Concept centre opens


June 1999

  • Construction begins on first primary school (Monkfield Park Primary School)


August 1999

  • First residents move in
  • Construction of first phase of Business Park begins


September 1999

  • Primary School opens in former farmhouse on temporary basis


Autumn 1999

  • School Lane extended into Lower Cambourne


December 1999

  • First 'low cost' homes ready for occupation


February 2000

  • 1st edition of Cambourne Village newsletter (The Cambourne Crier)


Spring 2000

  • Second phase of structural planting carried out
  • First phone box, post box and notice board installed in Cambourne on Gt. Cambourne Village Green
  • School bus (for secondary school children) collects from Gt. Cambourne


April 2000

  • Monkfield Park Primary School moves into permanent building
  • Over 130 families now resident at Cambourne


July 2000

  • First childrens' play area opened


August 2000

  • First residents join 'proto' Parish Council (known as the Management Liaison Committee)


September 2000

  • First two units let on Business Park, Second phase of Business Park under construction


Autumn 2000

  • Footpaths constructed in Eco-Park and Country Park


December 2000

  • First residents move into Lower Cambourne


February 2001

  • The temporary GP's surgery opens up in the building that was formerly the temporary school

 

March 2001

  • The Day Nursery opens


July 2001

  • One more resident elected to Management Liaison Committee
  • Second play area opened
  • Eco-Park and part of Country Park formally opened

Summer 2001

  • Phase two of Monkfield Park School begins construction
  • First building in second phase of Business Park occupied

Autumn 2001

  • First housing for rent under construction

December 2001

  • Northern arm of Caxton bypass complete, providing second access into Cambourne

January 2002

  • Supermarket begins construction

Winter 2002

  • Temporary community centre / church opens in portakabin

Summer 2002

  • Lower Cambourne playground open

September 2002

  • Second phase of primary school open


October 2002

  • First social housing for rent occupied
  • Morrisons Supermarket opens


May 2003

  • A428 dual carriageway opens
  • SCDC Planning May 2003


Cambourne Development Update

Back to Top