Cambridge Green Belt Study (September 2002)

What is the Cambridge Green Belt Study (September 2002)?

We appointed Landscape Design Associates to undertake this study to assess the contribution that the eastern sector of the Green Belt makes to the overall purposes of the Cambridge Green Belt.

The brief was shaped by RPG6, which requires that:

• a review of the Cambridge Green Belt should be carried out and any proposals for changes to its boundaries included in development plans
• the review should start from a vision of the city and of the qualities to be safeguarded

(DETR and Government Office for the East of England 2000, Policy 24).

The study focuses on the fourth purpose of including land in Green Belts as set out in PPG2 which is "To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns." (DETR 1995, Para 1.5). This purpose is of particular relevance to the historic city of Cambridge.

This study, therefore, describes and illustrates the factors that contribute to the setting and special character of Cambridge. It then focuses on the qualities to be safeguarded to preserve this setting and special character, before setting out a vision of the city. The vision is a strategy for safeguarding and enhancing the setting and special character of Cambridge while recognising that there is likely to be a need for some urban expansion, through Green Belt releases, in order to contribute to the development targets of RPG6.

• Cambridge Green Belt Study

The following files comprise the complete version of the Cambridge Green Belt study prepared by Landscape Design Associates. The full text is contained within this Cambridge Green Belt Study Word document.

A number of drawings are referenced within the text. These drawings are to be found in the following Adobe Acrobat files. They are arranged according to the chapter in which they are referenced. Note that they are intended to be printed in A3 size to conform to the layout of the original, paper document. To achieve this, make sure your printer can use A3 paper, choose paper size A3 and choose "Expand small page to paper size".

Front Cover:

• Front Cover

Chapter 4:

• Environmental Designations
• Cultural and Access Designations
• Topography
• Townscape Character
• Landscape Character 
• Visual Assessment

Chapter 5:

• Townscape and Landscape Analysis
• Townscape and Landscape Role and Function

Chapter 6:

• Special Qualities to be Safeguarded 
• A Vision of Cambridge

Chapter 7:

• Environment
• Landscape Character
• Analysis
• Special Qualities to be Safeguarded
• A Vision of East Cambridge