Planning

The Petersfield area has seen a great deal of redevelopment over the past decade, and this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. We have a planning group and several local individuals who keep an eye on applications when we can.

Current issues: Cambridge City Council Local Plan consultation

Previous issues: Archive of posts

PACT has an active Planning & Environment Subcommittee, which seeks to:

  • maintain an overview of development in the area
  • influence local planning policy
  • scrutinise planning applications that are of concern to the wider community
  • negotiate improvements to plans with applicants
  • represent the views of residents to the local planning authority
  • ensure that best practice is followed in determining applications
  • take part in appeal hearings
  • ensure compliance with planning obligations and conditions in the area
  • advise residents faced with applications for development that affects them

For any application that is given planning permission, the developer has to pay the local authority contributions towards improvements in infrastructure to mitigate against the impact of new development on the existing community – covering improvements in transport, education, open space, community facilities, public realm and public art. Currently, the allocation of these ‘S106 contributions’ is not a transparent process in Cambridge, and we are actively engaged in discussions with the local authority to remedy this situation, so that we may in future be able to keep track of and exert influence on the allocation of such S106 contributions.

Detailed information on planning in Cambridge can be found on the City Council’s website.

Specific planning applications can be viewed online on the Council’s website via the Public Access link.

Important: If you need to view paper copies of any application documents (such as scale drawings), you should request to see these at Mandela House in Regent Street (City Council’s Customer Service Centre), citing the application reference. Please telephone in advance (tel. 01223 457000), as copies will need to be brought over from the Guildhall. If necessary, please insist that online viewing will not suit your purposes: you have the right see hard copy!

For advice on local planning matters from PACT, please contact the Planning & Environment Subcommittee on planning@PACTcambridge.org.