The submission from the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants welcomes the commitment to biodiversity and climate laid out in the document which is a blueprint for future new housing development around the city. In particular a policy of 20% Biodiversity Net Gain meaning developers will have to create new sites for nature. However this policy is at risk.

Martin Baker, Wildlife Trust conservation manager for Cambridgeshire, said: “We need homes but we also need space for wildlife in one of the most nature depleted counties in the UK. So we strongly support the 20% commitment for the creation of Biodiversity Net Gain – this is economically viable and will support the creation of much needed wildflower meadows, woodlands and wetlands in the area.

“However, there is a chance that under the new National Planning Policy Framework it will be kicked out for a dumbed down 10%. This would be unacceptable and a victory for bulldozers over green spaces.

“Homes and wildlife areas can exist side by side – just look at the successful Trumpington Meadows site and the new neighbourhood at Clay Farm near Addenbrooke’s. Not only does this bring nature back to the city, but these spaces improve our health, wellbeing and social cohesion. We must maintain the 20% or we are letting nature and communities down.”

The plan includes major allocations at Cambridge East, Cambourne North, existing developments at Waterbeach, Northstowe and Cambourne West, an extension to the Addenbrookes biomedical campus and a new 4500 dwelling new settlement beyond the Green Belt at Abington, adjacent to the M11.

The Wildlife Trust response states site policies for Cambridge East and the existing developments are acceptable from a biodiversity point of view. Plans for Cambourne North could be improved and the Trust will keep a close on progress to ensure there is no loss to the feeding territory and dark flight paths of threatened barbastelle bats in the area. 

The Grange Farm development at Abington adjacent to the A11 is not supported because of threats to the local water environment and local nature sites and because it is in a poor location to deliver sustainable development. Being adjacent to the A11 will encourage significant car commuting. 

The proposals for the Cambridge South-Eastern fringe focus solely on the Biomedical Campus and are piecemeal and poorly thought out. The proposed green spaces do not align with priorities highlighted by the Cambridge Nature Network partnership or the area’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy and may even compromise future delivery. The Wildlife Trust believes the Councils should have taken a strategic approach to future land use in the Cambridge South-Eastern fringe in the same way that the Cambridge southern fringe (Trumpington Meadows & Clay Farm) was planned 20 years ago. 

Read the full Wildlife Trust BCN response to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan consultation here https://www.wildlifebcn.org/sites/default/files/2026-10/LocalPlan2026SubmissionPlan_WildlifeTrustCommentsSubmitted.docx