Greater Cambridge’s future: free 4 August webinar opens final say

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-03 11:28 3 min read

People gathering outside historic market square shops during evening in Cambridge, England.

Residents, businesses and organisations can join the free Greater Cambridge Local Plan Consultation Webinar on Tuesday 4 August. The online session starts at 5.30pm, with registration required through the Greater Cambridge Local Plan webpage.

Organised by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, the webinar is the first engagement event in the final consultation on the area’s proposed development plan. According to Cambridge City Council’s announcement, the consultation opened on Monday 3 August and runs until Friday 25 September 2026.

The webinar puts questions directly into the process

The session will introduce the Greater Cambridge Local Plan, explain the final consultation and give participants an opportunity to ask questions. It is intended for anyone affected by the area’s future growth, including residents, businesses and local organisations.

This stage differs from earlier rounds of public engagement. Instead of inviting broad comments about every aspect of the proposals, the councils are asking whether the Proposed Submission version of the plan is “sound” and meets national planning requirements.

Greater Cambridge's future: free 4 August webinar opens final say

That narrower focus makes the webinar particularly useful for people deciding how to frame a formal response. Participants can learn what the councils are seeking at this stage and ask about the consultation process before submitting their views.

What “soundness” means for consultation responses

Comments should address whether the plan is justified by its evidence, effective in achieving its objectives, deliverable and consistent with national planning policy. South Cambridgeshire planning cabinet member Henry Batchelor described soundness as a technical test that also considers whether the plan has been positively prepared.

This is the final opportunity for public comments before the councils submit the plan to the Government. An independent Planning Inspector will then examine it, moving the process beyond the locally run consultation stage.

More than 8,400 comments were submitted during the previous consultation. The councils say those responses prompted further work by officers and helped refine policies and proposals in the version now under consideration.

Housing, transport and services sit behind the plan

The Local Plan is intended to guide how Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire grow over the next 20 years. It will influence where homes, jobs and community facilities are located, alongside decisions about transport links, utilities, green spaces and climate objectives.

Current forecasts indicate that around 50,000 new homes will be needed between 2024 and 2045. Approximately 37,000 are already planned through existing permissions and allocations, leaving a gap of roughly 13,000 between the two figures while the area also confronts water-supply constraints, transport needs and demand for services.

Cambridge City Council leader Katie Thornburrow said the plan would provide a starting point for decisions on planning applications by the council and the newly established Greater Cambridge Development Corporation.

How to register and submit comments

Registration for the 4 August webinar is available through the Greater Cambridge Local Plan webpage. The same webpage carries the plan, the consultation submission process and details of engagement events, including a planned series of 14 in-person exhibitions across Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.

The announcement does not specify the webinar’s end time or provide accessibility arrangements. As the event is online, no physical address or transport information is listed.

Paper copies of the plan can be viewed at the councils’ offices in Cambridge and Cambourne, as well as Cambridge Central Library and Cambourne Library. All consultation comments must be submitted by Friday 25 September 2026.

Source: Cambridge City Council News

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Event and consultation details were checked against the councils’ published announcement.

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