Councils combine to draw up county's housing plans

Two local authorities have agreed to consult the public on their shared proposals for housing.

Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council said more than 48,000 homes needed to be delivered by 2045 to meet growth.

Proposed developments included 13,000 homes north of Cambourne and 6,000 south of Cambridge at Grange Farm.

Katie Thornburrow, a Labour city councillor, warned without a cohesive local plan, the government could force its own blueprints on the county.

It came during a night of number-crunching at a joint meeting between the two authorities on Tuesday.

Studies showed there would be about 73,300 new jobs created across the city by 2045, the meeting was told.

To meet this growth, a draft local plan proposed 48,195 homes to be built by then at a rate of 2,295 properties per year.

Under the existing non-joined up approach, 37,865 homes are due to be constructed by 2045.

Tumi Hawkins, a Liberal Democrat district councillor, said building at Grange Farm was proposed to meet the extra demand.

She added delivering growth sustainably was "key to having a healthy greater Cambridge".

Cabinet members on both councils agreed to hold a public consultation on their draft local plan proposals.