Posted on

Report on Hustings for 7 May Local Election

HUSTINGS for the May 7th local elections

Wednesday, 29th April at 7-8 pm

Church of the Good Shepherd, Mansel Way, CB4 2ET

Around 50 people from the West Chesterton Ward came out to meet the candidates for the upcoming election. They took the opportunity to ask candidates about what they will do, if elected, to address their electorate’s concerns and aspirations. 

The meeting was jointly chaired by Ros Lund, the acting chair of ARERA, and by the Rev. Dave Maher, the vicar of the Good Shepherd.

Four of the six candidates standing for election were present: a current councillor, Richard Swift (Labour) who is standing for re-election, Guy Mills (Lib Dem); Matthew Howard substituting for Hannah Copley (Greens) who was working a shift at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, and Nick Picton (Independent). Two candidates were absent: Mike Harford (Conservative) and Geoff Leach (Reform UK). For Guy and Nick, it was their first experience of being cross-examined at a hustings.

On arrival, those attending were asked by Dave Maher to write their most pressing issues on a tabletop sheet. He turned these into this Word Cloud

The issues raised, except perhaps for ‘cows’, should come as no surprise to those who live within the catchment areas of the Arbury Road East and Hurst Park Estate Residents’ Associations. Perhaps more surprising was the level of dissatisfaction which candidates expressed between them about the quality of the County and City Councils’ engagement with local residents for the Milton Residents Parking Scheme and for the redevelopment of Arbury Court. And all the candidates offered support for protecting Arbury Court Play Area.

The meeting was friendly, lively and over-ran. It had to be finished long before all the questions people had could be asked, let alone answered.

If you care about what is happening in your neighbourhood, please vote on Thursday, 7th of May.

ARERA Committee

Posted on

ARERA Open Discussion Meeting and AGM

Arbury Road Baptist Church

Thursday 12th March from 7pm

Agenda

Welcome and Introduction 

Open Discussion

Latest on the parking scheme:

Ian Manning. Local County Councillor

Q & A

Redevelopment of Arbury Court

Jamie Dalzell, Local City Councillor

Q & A

Proposed development of North Cambridge Academy site

Jamie Dalzell, Local City Councillor

Q & A

Approval of the minutes from 2025 AGM

Chair’s Annual Report

Treasurer’s Report and Accounts SC 

Election of Committee and Officers

Any other business*

* If you want to raise any other issues to be discussed at the meeting under AOB,  please notify the Committee Secretary via info@arera.org.uk by Thursday 5th March

Posted on

CAMBRIDGE IS CHANGING: Local Plan Deadline for comments 5pm, 30 January  

Not only is Cambridge growing much bigger within its boundaries, it is also growing beyond the A14 and M11!  All this growth will affect us all – how we live, how we get to work, our health, our schools, our green areas, our shopping and our leisure facilities and much, much more.  

We know that our own immediate locality will be changing, but big changes are planned nearby – Science Park and Cowley Road for example. Further afield more houses are planned for Marshalls Airport as well as the housing already under construction there.  

There are further consultations under way which have quite short deadlines.  Our friends at FECRA (Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations) have published some useful guidance for these consultations.  See

Local Plan Deadline for comments 5pm, 30 January  

Friends of St Matthew Piece helpful advice on how to respond to the Local Plan has been updated to include omitted graphics. 

Link below 
https://www.fecra.org.uk/update-19th-january-2026/

Biodiversity and Urban Forest draft strategies consultation 

Deadline for comments 10 February. Link below

https://engage.cambridge.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/biodiversity-and-urban-forest-strategies

 ‘Feedback from the consultation will inform the final Biodiversity Strategy and Urban Forest Strategy and associated action plans going to Cabinet for approval on Wednesday 25 March 2026’ See link below

Urban Forest Strategy 

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/urban-forest-strategy

‘The Urban Forest Strategy will replace the council’s  Tree Strategy in 2026. It will set out the vision, principles, aims, policies and actions for protecting, managing and growing Cambridge’s urban forest over the next decade.

The strategy will be a non-statutory document. It will explain how we will:

  • manage more – maintain and care for the trees we already have
  • protect more – safeguard important trees and canopy, especially where it is under pressure
  • plant more – increase tree cover and species diversity in the right places
  • engage more – support residents, communities and organisations to be part of delivery

The strategy will be supported by a set of topic papers, which provide additional detail and evidence on specific themes. These themes include asset management, tree planting, subsidence, governance and resourcing, climate resilience, statutory responsibilities, and canopy measurement’

Draft revised Biodiversity Strategy 2026-2031 https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/media/4nxnk4hz/draft-biodiversity-strategy.pdf  

Please look at this information, if looked at in bits it is really not too overwhelming.  There are still some opportunities to attend meetings about the Local Plan 

  • Thursday 22 January, 5pm to 7pm: Drop-in session at The Wing, Brown’s Field Community Centre, 31A Green End Rd, CB4 1RU
  • Friday 23 January, 11:30am to 1pm: Lichfield Hall, Coleridge, CB1 3SJ
Posted on

GCP/CCC warning about parking in your front garden

The parking scheme is due to go live on February 2nd.

Here is the statement we have received from Paul van de Bulk at the GCP summarising the advice provided by Gary Baldwin at the Policy and Regulation team at the County Council.

“So in summary, where there is a formal dropped kerb, residents (or their guests) would not be breaking the law if they crossed a double yellow line to drive over this dropped kerb to access the driveway to park. 

However, they would be breaking the law if they crossed the footpath in a vehicle to access a driveway, where there is not a formalised dropped kerb, regardless of whether there are double yellow lines or not.”

Although we asked both the GCP and the CCC to indicate which regulations governed this, neither have done so.

Gary Baldwin has told us that this is simply standard practice in our Highways Authority (the County Council) as it is in others in England .

In other words, if you have a dropped kerb, you can park in your driveway or front garden even if there is a double line outside your house.

If you don’t have a dropped kerb, you may not continue to park in your front garden – even if you have been doing so “for the past 39 years” as one of you have told us they have been doing.

IN ADDITION ….

We met James Hostler, the GCP’s project manager for installing the parking scheme, when he and Paul van de Bulk joined us on site last week.

In practice, James said, it is crossing the undropped kerb which is illegal regardless of whether there are double yellow lines or not.

And Paul warned us that he was aware of an instance where a householder was fined £1,000 for doing so.

But he didn’t provide us with details about this example.

If you don’t have dropped kerb and park in your front garden, you need to heed this warning.

AND …

Previously, we had been told that the County Council would “assist” any residents who park in their front gardens but don’t have a dropped kerb.

On the site visit last week, we asked James Hostler what form this assistance would take.

Disappointedly, he said that the County Council would simply direct such residents to its web page about how to apply for a dropped kerb and nothing more.

ARERA Committee

Posted on

Are you concerned about the proposed redevelopment of Arbury Court?

Are you concerned about the proposed redevelopment of Arbury Court?

Do you support or oppose the Council’s intention to build six storey flats on Arbury Court Play Area. 

If so, let Cambridge City Council know.

The opportunities for doing so are coming up and the time scale short, see below.

You can fill in the survey, see below.

And you can attend one of the consultation events.

The first one is next Monday, 17th of November, at Akeman Community Centre from 6pm onwards, see below.

We are now moving into the next stage of the North Cambridge Framework for Change project, and we are inviting you to provide feedback on our plans to build 200+ new council homes and 200+ new private homes in the area, with Arbury Court shopping and community facilities redeveloped, and improvements made to local public spaces and parks.

Over the past year, hundreds of residents, organisations and community groups have told us about ageing homes, safety concerns, open spaces that feel under-used, and the need for better connections between neighbourhoods.

That feedback has directly shaped a draft plan that includes:

• Taking down existing homes and commercial premises at Arbury Court and replacing them with over 100 new council homes and over 100 new private homes – including more accessible homes for people with disabilities – as well as new commercial units for existing Arbury Court traders to move into and new community facilities including the library. The current park will be replaced with more space for new park and play areas, which will be at the centre of the new Arbury Court.

• Regenerating the Kingsway council estate, replacing existing homes with 99 new council homes and 98 new private homes, with a better arrangement of open and green spaces. The proposals also include redeveloping a number of homes on nearby Brackley Close, Rutland Close and Verulam Way.

• Enhancing parks and green spaces across the north of the city to make them safer and more accessible, increasing biodiversity, and planting trees and shrubs – initially at Arbury Park and the open space Kingsway, with a longer-term focus on Pulley Park, Nun’s Way recreation ground and Arbury Town Park.

• Working with the Highways Authority for safer streets, better crossings and improved travel connections, including the Arbury Court and Kingsway link.


During the course of the engagement period, we’ll share these proposals in more detail and ask for your views on the priorities for areas like Arbury Court and Kingsway. Your input will help refine the final version of the Framework before it is adopted.

Have your say
Our latest survey is open until Tuesday 16 December.
• Fill in the survey 📝

We are also hosting a series of community conversations in the coming weeks, which you can register for on our engagement platform:
• Akeman Community Centre on Monday 17 November from 5 to 6.30pm
• Meadows Community Centre on Saturday 22 November from 11am to 12.30pm
• Online webinar on Thursday 27 November from 5.30 to 7.30pm
• Brown’s Field Community Centre on Monday 1 December from 5.30 to 7pm

📧 Email your thoughts to northcambridge@engagecf.co.uk

📞 Call to give feedback on 01223 650 550

Your voice matters — help shape the future of north Cambridge.
Kind regards,
The North Cambridge Framework for Change project team

Posted on

North Cambridge Proposals – redevelopment of Arbury Court

We have just received this attachment from Ben Binns, the City Council’s Assistant Director of Place, about the redevelopment of Arbury Court and adjoining areas.

If you have any queries or concerns about what is being proposed,please contact Ben at ben.binns@cambridge.gov.uk and copy in ARERA at info@arera.co.uk so we are aware of the issues you are raising.

ARERA Committee

The letter we received about the redevelopment of Arbury Court and adjoining areasDownload
Posted on

Would You like to Join an Orchestra?

Eddington Community Orchestra (ECO) invites new members for the term beginning Sunday, October 5, 2025.

This term, we are working towards a selection of pieces from the Nutcracker with a concert scheduled for December 13 at the Storey’s Field Centre in Eddington.About ECO: Formed in the autumn of 2024 with 20 musicians aged 8 to 74, we practice most Sundays during term time from 3-4.30 pm under the direction of Laurie Friday.

Membership is free, and no audition is needed. Free parking is available at the local park and ride.

We think we are a very relaxed and flexible group, so check with us if you have any special needs or questions.Come join us!

Email : eddingtonorchestra@gmail.com

Christmas Concert

Posted on

STOP PRESS: Start of Residents Parking Scheme delayed yet again

We know that some of you are worried that work on the Residents’ Parking Scheme could start while you are away on summer holiday next month.

We have recently heard from our Local County Councillor, Ian Manning, about the start date for this work.

He has informed us:

“The most recent I’ve had from the project team is August/September and I have asked for sufficient notice that I can get another letter out, and organise more public meetings before anything starts.”

This seems to suggest that nothing is imminent.

If we can manage to get any firmer information, we will let you know.

ARERA Committee

Posted on

Action overdue in Arbury Road and Union Lane

Published in Letters & Opinion, Cambridge Independent (July 9–15, 2025)

It is unusual and heartening to see such coincidence of purpose emerging across the political divide in Cambridgeshire.

First there was Brian Milnes, Liberal Democrat councillor for South Cambridgeshire. He is an executive board member of the Greater Cambridge Partnership. He welcomed the additional £200m recently extended by the government to the GCP. He said this recognised that the schemes and projects the GCP had developed “will meet the needs of Greater Cambridge”:

“Our mission is now to complete the job and deliver the joined-up transport network for Greater Cambridge so people have choice in how they travel, whether they are going to work, school or to see friends.”

Then there was Paul Bristow, Conservative MP for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. He has aligned himself with the mayors of other combined authorities in England. He has signed a joint statement on working together “to improve our streets for everyone, for the benefit of the health, wellbeing and connectedness of our communities.” This statement specifically commits him to:

“transform the school run by delivering high-quality, safer routes in neighbourhoods.”

So they share a commitment to a joined-up transport network that delivers improved safety for children going to school.

Does this mean that they will collaborate to persuade the GCP to “complete the job” by filling in the missing links in Cambridge’s designated priority cycle routes? Union Lane and the eastern end of Arbury Road must be prime candidates for this funding.

Arbury Road has six schools on or just off it—two nurseries, three primaries, and a secondary school. Action is long overdue to improve the safety of the many children who use this route, which is heavily congested (and polluted) during the school run.

We can only hope that this missing link gets the priority it deserves. But given the GCP’s woeful neglect of this missing link for the past six years, we would be wise not to hold our breath.

Ian Cooper
Arbury Road East Resident’s Association (ARERA)
Arbury Road, Cambridge