Guidance

Cambridge Delivery Group: Establishing a Growth Company

Published 26 March 2024

Applies to England

Background

1. Cambridge is one of the most successful and productive areas of the UK. It is an exceptional place in which to live, study and work, with a world-leading position in life sciences and other knowledge industries. The city and surrounding area, however, are constrained by a number of factors including housing affordability, water scarcity and transport congestion, which are holding back Cambridge from realising its full potential and are adversely impacting the daily lives of its residents.

2. Cambridge is a priority area in the government’s long-term plan for housing and its ongoing success is central to the UK economy. As set out in “The Case for Cambridge”, published at Spring Budget 2024, the government is committed to developing Cambridge as Europe’s science capital through an expansion of the city to facilitate future growth. The Cambridge Delivery Group (CDG) was established by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in July 2023 to take forward this work.

3. The CDG was established as a government team to advise on and drive forward the government’s vision for Cambridge. The team is made up of policy professionals, surveyors, town planners, economists and development specialists, drawing on the expertise of Homes England and the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The Group’s work to-date has involved working with local partners to inform and support the delivery of the government’s vision for Cambridge as set out at Spring Budget.

Next Steps

4. The CDG has been tasked with developing and delivering the government’s vision for Cambridge, for the benefit of the local area and the UK as a whole. In order to further support this work, the government will establish a dedicated Growth Company for Cambridge as the next step towards a Development Corporation. Under the sponsorship of DLUHC and Homes England, the Growth Company will have the following remit:

• Development acceleration: enabling and accelerating developments which align with the overall strategy for growing Cambridge and unlocking held-up development on sites allocated in the current local plan.
• Establishing a Cambridge presence and brand: through communications including a website and direct engagement with Cambridge residents as well as local leaders and other stakeholders.
• Developing the evidence base and case for investment to underpin and support development of its long-term growth strategy: working with experts to assess areas of potential growth and investment.
• Leading development: through large scale land assembly, major infrastructure projects, and ensuring maximum recovery including through planning contributions.
• Cross-government engagement: identifying solutions to complex constraints and supporting cross-government engagement to unblock existing development and provide the right incentives for successful development in the long-term.

Governance and accountability

5. The Growth Company will continue to be known as the Cambridge Delivery Group, chaired by Peter Freeman (Chair, Homes England).  It will report to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with regular contact points between DLUHC and Homes England to enable close collaboration.

6. The operation of the Growth Company will continue to be underpinned by cross-department governance which brings together relevant departments to consider key issues, including maximising the benefits of East-West Rail.

Public engagement – terms of reference

7. Local organisations have a deep and longstanding knowledge of the issues the area faces, as well as plans that seek to address many of them. The CDG is committed to building on this local experience and complementing it with the levers of central government, through regular engagement with local leaders and chief executives.

8. The CDG’s relationship with local authorities will be key to its success. The CDG is committed to regular and collaborative engagement, which will be based on transparency, through sharing information openly and early to progress joint goals, and complementarity, ensuring it is adding value and is building on existing work.

9. The CDG will continue to place the highest value on working positively with local stakeholders through a detailed and long-lasting programme of engagement that will include the general public, businesses and local communities.

10. The chair of the CDG will invite a range of local partners, including local leaders and representatives of the academic, innovation and infrastructure sectors, to join the new Advisory Council of the Growth Company.