Support Cambridge in bid to win £25m in the Future Cities Demonstrator Programme

Do you have an idea that would improve transport, resource management, transparency or digital engagement in Cambridge? Cambridge Future City wants to hear about it!

From the Cambridge Future City website:

The Cambridge Future City project has been funded by the Technology Strategy Board to complete a feasibility study for Cambridge as a ‘Future City Demonstrator’. According to the Cambridge Future City website, Cambridge has succeeded with 29 other cities in a first round competition and is now competing to become the single UK demonstrator city with a prize worth £25 million.

The key challenges to prosperity and quality of life in and around Cambridge are business growth and connectivity, housing, transport, water and energy.

If you have ideas, the Cambridge Future City Collaboration Team is asking that you share your ideas with them before 30 October 2012. The earlier the submission the better.

Ideas need not be fully developed and any demonstration projects may ultimately combine several ideas. Ideas which may not be possible to implement immediately may still be of interest for planning for the long term.

To submit an idea, email either liz.stevenson@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or claire.ruskin@cambridgenetwork.co.uk

Read more about Future Cities on their website.

An evening with Griff Rhys Jones


Cambridge Past Present and Future is advertising An evening with Griff Rhys Jones

Thursday 11 October 2012
6.30 for 7.00pm

Mill Lane Lecture Theatres
8 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1RX

Free to members of CambridgePPF with membership card
£5 non-members. Payment on the door.

ADVANCE BOOKING ESSENTIAL
e-mail planning@cambridgeppf.org
or call Lorna 01223 – 243830 x 201

Cambridge PPF says:

Griff Rhys Jones, President of Civic Voice – and a renowned comedian, actor, TV presenter and author – is coming to Cambridge and will speak at a special event hosted by local charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CambridgePPF).

Griff will share his passionate views about the built environment and its impact on quality of life. He will also talk about recent changes in national planning policy; the green belt; his work for Civic Voice; and how civic societies (such as CambridgePPF) can encourage people to engage with their local community and get involved in decision making to help shape the future of the urban environment.

Griff – a passionate champion of architecture – was appointed President of Civic Voice in 2010. Civic Voice believes that everyone has the right to live somewhere they feel proud of and represents societies across England that strive to make places more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive.

As a graduate of Emmanuel College, Griff is very familiar with Cambridge and is well aware of the local growth agenda and pressures on the city’s surroundings. Last year he was one of more than 800 individuals who signed a petition opposing the extension of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel along the river corridor.

Griff said: “It was wandering around the streets of Cambridge in the seventies, often in the company of opinionated and mouthy fellow undergraduates, that helped shape my appreciation of good urban environment. Cambridge, like any city, is a lot more than the sum of its show-pieces, or a means to efficiently market nick-nacks or exploit tourists. I hope we can debate and discuss why it is still one of the most exciting places to be in Britain and, crucially, how it can remain so.”

Robin Pellew, Chairman of CambridgePPF, said: “We are delighted to welcome Griff Rhys Jones to Cambridge for this special event. His visit is extremely timely. The growth agenda is dominating local news headlines, there is increasing pressure on the green belt, and the first round of council consultations about how the city might evolve over the coming decades have just concluded. This is an essential event for the many people across Cambridge who are campaigning to keep it special. We look forward to a lively evening and to sharing thoughts and ideas with Griff in his role as president of Civic Voice.”

Disabled access — for parking contact custodian Tel 01223 338275, lecture room and WC fully accessible, infra-red hearing enhancement system available.

A walk in the woods

Do you enjoy being outside and want to contribute to our green spaces? Then join the new volunteer group and help carry out conservation work in the city council’s Local Nature Reserves.

The group meets one Saturday a month from 10am to 1pm and refreshments are provided.

For more information contact Victoria Smith in Streets and Open Spaces, on 01223 457139 or email victoria.smith@cambridge.gov.uk.

For other volunteer opportunities in our Local Nature Reserves, including a weekly Tuesday Conservation Group, look at the Local Nature Reserve website.

Maids Causeway/Newmarket Road signing update

A meeting was held today to discuss the options for improving signage of the 20mph speed limit along Maids Causeway/Newmarket Road.  Cllrs Sarah Whitebread and Colin Rosenstiel, local residents Hugh Kellett and John Lawton and staff from the County and City Council were there, along with Clive Holgate from the police and local blogger Richard Taylor.

The budget of £7,500 is not enough for anything radical, but improved signs and coloured road surfacing at both entrance points (Elizabeth Way and Victoria Avenue) will be possible.  It is also suggested that repeater roundels are painted at points along the road.

There was some discussion about how suitable bright red and white roundels on the road would be given the historic city centre setting.  Similarly, the new road signs could have a bright yellow backing – making them easier to see, but also possibly quite visually intrusive.  Richard Taylor has tweeted a photo of one of the suggestions – see here.

Local councillors are keen to hear the views of residents on these plans.  Council staff are now going to work up a couple of different options for residents feedback.  The consultation will be through a letter drop in nearby streets, and online via the city council website.  Assuming this goes to time, we should be in a position to make a final decision on what goes ahead by December.

Sarah will keep residents informed as the project progresses.