The biggest individual seat up for grabs is the role of directly elected mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and leader of the area’s Combined Authority.
An example of English devolution, the organisation has offered greater powers and finance for major projects in areas such as transport, affordable housing and developing economic growth.
The incumbent, Conservative James Palmer, has attracted significant attention during his term as the first ever directly elected mayor for the area, and he will face strong opposition.
The mayor is the executive leader, but the Combined Authority board is filled by the leaders of councils across the area and is majority Conservative, which could pose an interesting political question should another party snatch the mayoralty.
8 topics we can expect to dominate Cambridgeshire politics in 2021
Some of the most influential political seats in the county are up for grabs in the year ahead
Cambridgeshire will go to the polls in the local elections in May (Image: Rui Vieira/PA Wire)
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Anthony Browne - South Cambs MP. Picture: Stephen Frost
- Credit: Archant
Politicians have slammed plans for 25,000 new homes on land around our villages, that were revealed on Tuesday.
Ian Sollom is a the Lib Dem parliamentary spokesperson in South Cambs. Picture: Chris Sidell
- Credit: Archant
The proposal by developer Thakeham is for a new town and connecting villages around Barrington, Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth, Foxton, Melbourn, Meldreth, Orwell, Shepreth, Whaddon and Wimpole.
Conservative South Cambs MP Anthony Browne said: “I am extremely concerned about the impact of yet another enormous development on the character of South Cambridgeshire. Whatever the context, a new town is both unwanted and unsustainable.
The South Cambridgeshire District Council offices. Picture: Google Street View
- Credit: Archant
Councillors are reassuring residents that proposals published by developers for a new town in South Cambridgeshire have absolutely no planning status, and it is far too early to say whether the location is suitable for any development.
Plans for 25,000 homes in a new town, with a series of connected new villages on land around Barrington, Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth, Foxton, Melbourn, Meldreth, Orwell, Shepreth, Whaddon and Wimpole, will be assessed in the same way as over 650 other sites that have been put forward for the new Greater Cambridge Local Plan.
Published:
12:07 PM December 8, 2020
Updated:
6:31 AM December 10, 2020
A new town in South Cambridgeshire has been proposed by Thakeham. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto
- Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Plans for 25,000 new homes on land around many of our South Cambs villages have been proposed by developer, Thakeham.
The proposal is for land around the villages of Barrington, Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth, Foxton, Meldreth, Orwell, Shepreth, Whaddon and Wimpole.
If approved, the plans would bring a new town and a series of connecting villages which would be the UK’s “first zero-carbon community,” the developer says.
Thakeham said its vision is for an “infrastructure-led plan for 25,000 zero-carbon homes in South West Cambridgeshire” which would include 10,000 affordable homes and biodiversity net gain of at least 20 per cent.