Moving Cambridge to city status
How can Cambridge accommodate expansion but still keep its unique village feel? looks into some of the planning to help guide the future of the town.
Cambridge is facing unprecedented growth with more to come.
With more housing development on the horizon with another 2500 houses predicted to be built over the coming years, the Cambridge Community Board is planning ahead as to how the town should look in the future.
Over the past two years around 300 houses have been built per annum which is double the amount predicted by the Waipa District Council’s forecast of 2008.
Cambridge Community Board chairman Mike Pettit says the world had changed since then and so has Cambridge which now boasts the velodrome, an expressway that by-passes the town and huge volumes of sports people wanting to come to the town.
The perplexing question is how, and although there is no hard and fast data available at present the town is filling up with families as the schools can confirm.
GROWTH STRATEGY
Pettit is a part of a committee initiated to formulate a growth strategy for the town.
The Cambridge Growth Strategy Committee consists board members and representation from business, and promotion groups who collectively bring a broad area of influence in the town.
Working alongside council staff, the committee is looking at the big picture as to what sort of town Cambridge should be, and is working towards developing a charter document.
‘‘The charter should be seen as a document of intent for the town to give developers the opportunity to see what sort of town Cambridge wants to be,’’ Pettit said.
‘‘Rather than just a blank paper we want them (developers) to think how they can add to the culture and character of our town with their new proposals.’’
The committee has already identified what Pettit refers to as big box shopping (shopping malls) for the suburbs.
‘‘It’s important that we retain a vibrant town centre. Realistically we won’t be able to avoid this type of complex but they need to be far enough away from the town’s centre as not to split the town like they have in other centres.
‘‘They are not a great fit for Cambridge as it will change the culture and dynamics of the town,’’ he said.
Once the charter is completed, it will be available for consultation next year. The committee is looking into offering much needed
‘‘The charter should be seen as a document of intent for the town to give developers the opportunity to see what sort of town Cambridge wants to be.’’
solutions for the use of conference and accommodation facilities.
Other areas on the radar include education, infrastructure and age-care resources.
‘‘Growth is inevitable, we will grow into a small city very shortly, but we need to take a balanced approach to that if we are to retain the type of town that makes Cambridge what it is,’’ he said.
Reaction on social media to the news, Cambridge could be a small city has been mixed but all will have the opportunity to have their say when the charter document is released for comment.