Last week, Senior Account Manager Charlie Lovett attended an update from the Cambridge Growth Company (CGC), where Chair, Peter Freeman outlined his latest vision for Cambridge’s future. Speaking at a Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry (CFCI) event, Peter stressed that growth must leave the city “better at the end of any transformation, not worse,” with a focus on tackling current challenges - particularly transport and infrastructure - while keeping Cambridge an attractive place to live, work and invest.

Peter set out a future built around more trees, better public transport and sustainable water management, warning that “if we don’t provide these things, then people won’t come to live here.” He confirmed that the CGC is expanding its advisory council to include more community and business voices, and underlined the importance of councils working more strategically with landowners and developers. By “engaging at scale,” he argued, local authorities could secure clearer expectations on land use, community benefits and financial contributions.

Rejecting the idea that growth should be “about sharing the pain amongst the villages,” Peter instead called for long-term planning of 25 years or more to ensure infrastructure can be properly funded and delivered. He said the Government “really believes in Cambridge and will really support it,” adding: “We all know what needs to be done. To build, we need to lay down what is expected of a site to make places that people want to live.”

With the core evidence base not due until February or March 2026, Freeman said the CGC’s immediate focus will be supporting the emerging Local Plan, assisting local authorities and encouraging investment into the region - highlighting his intervention at the C2C Busway inquiry as just one example of the organisation’s approach.

Peter also reflected on wider policy issues, stating that New Towns are “part of the solution, but not the whole solution,” defending the Government’s decision to halt the Anglian Water sewage works relocation due to spiralling costs, and noting that he would not pre-judge whether a development corporation is right for Cambridge until ministers decide whether to consult.

The evening concluded with a panel featuring Rob Boughton, Joanne Sainsbury, Anne Bailey and Cheryl Ward, chaired by Peter McKeown and introduced by Tom Foggin. The discussion closed on a clear message: collaboration across sectors will be essential if Cambridge is to deliver the scale of growth now on the table.