Cambridge needs a leader with a clear vision for the city and a strategy to cope with future expansion, according to industry leaders speaking at Estates Gazette’s Cambridge Question Time.
With its entrepreneurial university, thriving technology and science scene, and shared bid for devolved powers from Whitehall, Cambridge is ripe for development, the debate heard. However, with a lack of office supply and affordable housing, there are concerns about how the East of England city will accommodate its growing population.
Mike Shaw, head of national strategic development at Savills, was adamant that full devolution was the way forward.
But Peter Seaborn, planning partner at Mills & Reeve, said this would be difficult to achieve without the city first appointing a single point of contact.
Chris Goldsmith, managing director at Turnstone Estates, agreed. He said: “Being able to focus around a Boris [Johnson] or someone who had a vision for the place would help and would also provide us, as developers, political stability to make sure Cambridge is working as a whole.”
Goldsmith added that the government would still need to be involved in the way the city connected to the rest of the country.
With office deal volumes in Cambridge down by one-fifth on last year, the debate also covered how the city could preserve its heritage centre while meeting demand for modern, flexible offices and housing.
Cambridge Question Time was held at Cambridge University’s Clare College on 27 November. It was organised by Estates Gazette in association with Savills, Mills & Reeve and CRS.
The panel comprised:
- Presentation on Cambridge Quality of Life Survey by Hans Pung, president, RAND Europe
- Mike Shaw, head of national strategic development, Savills
- Peter Seaborn, planning partner, Mills & Reeve
- Clair Rickaby, senior underwriter, CRS
- Chris Goldsmith, managing director, Turnstone Estates
- Claire Ruskin, chief executive, Cambridge Network
- Chaired by Damian Wild, Editor, Estates Gazette
