Who Decides Cambridge’s Future?
Cambridge Past, Present & Future is hosting a public debate on one of the most significant planning proposals facing Greater Cambridge in decades.
On Monday 23 March at 7pm, a panel of experts and local leaders will gather at Lee Seng Tee Hall, Wolfson College, Cambridge, to discuss the Government’s proposal to establish a Greater Cambridge Development Corporation.
The event, titled “Who Decides Cambridge’s Future?”, is free to attend and open to anyone who lives, works or studies in Greater Cambridge. Advance booking is recommended.
Reserve a place:
https://cambridgeppf.org/etn/who-decides-cambridges-future
A major shift in how Cambridge is planned
The debate comes as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government enters the final weeks of a statutory consultation on the proposal.
If implemented, the plan would transfer significant planning and land-acquisition powers from local councils to a government-appointed development corporation. The new body would be tasked with accelerating housing and infrastructure development across Greater Cambridge.
The proposal goes beyond the growth already planned by local authorities, which anticipates the area’s population increasing by more than 100,000 people over the next twenty years.
For many residents, the question is not simply about development, but about who has the authority to shape Greater Cambridge’s future.
Creating space for public discussion
Cambridge Past, Present & Future has organised the event to help residents understand the implications of the proposal before the consultation closes on 1 April 2026.
James Littlewood, CEO of Cambridge Past, Present & Future, said the debate is intended to bring the issue into the open.
“If it goes ahead, this would be the most significant change to how our city and villages are planned in a generation. While the promise of government support to solve some of our area’s environmental and transport problems is welcome, we must ask at what cost to local democracy and the ability for Cambridge citizens to shape the future of where they live.
We are holding this debate to ensure that people understand exactly what is on the table and have the chance to ask questions and voice their concerns directly, before it is too late.”
Panel discussion and audience questions
The evening will feature a panel discussion followed by an extended Q&A session, giving attendees the opportunity to hear different perspectives and raise their own questions.
With the consultation period drawing to a close, the debate offers a timely chance for the community to explore the potential implications of the proposal and consider how decisions about Cambridge’s future should be made.
Event details
Who Decides Cambridge’s Future?
Date: Monday 23 March 2026
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: Lee Seng Tee Hall, Wolfson College, Barton Road, Cambridge CB3 9BB
Book tickets:
https://cambridgeppf.org/etn/who-decides-cambridges-future
Details of the Government consultation are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/establishing-a-development-corporation-in-greater-cambridge
