Following the government’s announcement (2 June 2026) confirming its plans to establish an Urban Development Corporation for Greater Cambridge, concerns have been raised about the way the corporation is set to operate.  

Cllr Katie Thornburrow, Leader of the Council, and Cabinet Member for Strategy, Planning and External Partnerships, said: 

“Cambridge has one of the most successful economies in the UK and Europe. Over many decades the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’ has succeeded due to productive partnerships between local government, universities, businesses, residents, and central government. This has delivered benefits for residents and businesses and we want to see this continue. 

“The council welcomes the commitment to additional investment from the government to tackle key infrastructure challenges including water, sewage and transport, but we believe it must be done in ways that respect the democratic process. We are concerned that the proposed Development Corporation for Greater Cambridge would have exceptional planning powers and reduce the ability of local people to shape their future whilst protecting local nature and the character of Cambridge which makes it an attractive place to live and work. 

“I will be seeking further clarity from the government about how they will finance ‘infrastructure-first growth at scale’, which areas are being considered for development, and how they will ensure that the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service is not adversely affected. 

“If the Development Corporation is to deliver the inclusive and sustainable growth we are all working towards it must be based around genuine collaboration and transparency with local government, and I look forward to engaging with all those involved to ensure this happens.” 

Planning powers for Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District councils are currently managed through the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP) service. If the government continues with its approach the urban development corporation (UDC) could become the local planning authority for all planning decisions above 250 homes.  

It would mean that the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service might only deal with planning applications below the 250-home threshold and new commercial buildings below 5000 square meters. A number of significant developments in Cambridge in recent years have been larger than this including many that have been improved and shaped into award winning developments by the local plan policies and community engagement.   

The UDC would also replace the councils’ role in preparing Local Plans after the conclusion of the current emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan. This would mean that, in future, decisions about where new homes and jobs come forward across Greater Cambridge would be made by the development corporation, rather than by local communities through the councils. 

The UDC would be run by a board with most of its members appointed by government, rather than locally elected. The area covered by the proposed Development Corporation is almost double the size of the 17 previous UDCs combined. The corporation would cover an area over 10 times the size of the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. 

The decision to establish a centrally led UDC for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire follows a government consultation earlier this year by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Given that 59% of all responses to the consultation opposed or mostly opposed the creation of the Development Corporation and 61% of individuals opposed or most opposed it taking plan-making powers, great care will be required in the design and implementation of future working arrangements to reassure, rather than alarm those respondents. 

Leaders from Cambridge City Council have argued for many years that government investment is needed to tackle the area’s key infrastructure challenges – such as water scarcity, lack of sewage capacity, electricity supply, and transport issues – which are far beyond the control of local planning authorities. Addressing these challenges will be important in order for the ambitions outlined in the emerging joint Local Plan for Greater Cambridge to be fully realised.