Campaigning for a neighbourly Beehive

We believe in a development that respects our community, our homes, the climate, open spaces and our cityscape.

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Learn more about our concerns by reading and sharing this website.
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Read our blog.

Together, we can make a difference. Thank you.

Current status of the application

The case officers have forwarded all the representations made to them on the application to the Planning Inspectorate. These will be considered by the Inspector when determining the application. If you wish to make comments, or modify/withdraw your previous representation, you can do so online or by email to alison.dyson@planninginspectorate.gov.uk.
All representations must be received by 1st April 2025. The Planning Inspectorate does not acknowledge representations. All representations must quote the Inspectorate reference CU/RTI/Q0505/3360365.

Timeline 2025

Feb 12th 2025 At the Planning Committee meeting on 12 Feb 2025, those attending found out that Railpen lobbied the Secretary of State to get their plans called-in, thus bypassing local democracy. The plans were debated in full, and we shared our concerns in objection. the Planning Committee was unanimously minded to refuse on the grounds of ‘loss of residential amenity’ as advised by the case officers. You can read about the concerns over loss of daylight and sunlight in this correspondence.

Feb 27th 2025 The Neighbour Appeal Notification Letter was posted from the case officers to parties who commented. You can find this letter on the Greater Cambridge Planning Portal. It explains the process after RailPen lobbied the Goverment to call this application in. Read our press release in response to the events of 12 February, 2025

March 2025 Silverwood Close and St Matthew’s Gardens residents are collaborating on residential amenity reviews (which we requested in 2024, our request was refused.)

12th March 2025 the Freedom of Information request is responded to. Residents of ‘four streets’ are mentioned as ‘small but vocal group of immediate neighbours’ who ‘influenced’ planning officers. The loss of residential amenity affects many homes and we have found no record of Abbey being the poorest ward in the country (in fact, Cambridge doesn’t appear on any list).

On 26 March 2025, we attended a great meeting with the Cambridge Room and met with people experienced in planning from Cambridge and beyond. We thank them for their facilitation of this event.

Read more on our blog

Featured

Planning isn’t sexy but it’s important

We were delighted to be included in The Cambridge Room event on 26 March, their first talk on ‘Let’s talk about the Beehive’ and grateful to know that our work has been recognised with comments on how helpful our website is and our considered contributions to the planning process.

Freedom Of Information request fulfilled

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request allows the public to access information held by UK public authorities, requiring these authorities to respond with the requested information within 20 working days, unless an exemption applies

Current status of the Beehive planning application

An update on the status and an invitation to comment with points of concern that you may wish to cover.

The Planning Inspectorate process

What happened at the planning committee meeting on 12 February when the Beehive plans were discussed? Here’s our summary of what we expect to happen next.

How to help

Railpen have lobbied the Secretary of State to get their plans called-in, thus bypassing local democracy. Here’s how to help if you want a better plan for the Beehive site.

Planning committee refusal but there’s a catch

The proceedings of the planning committee meeting, their decisions and all the comments and reports will be sent to the Planning Inspectorate for review. Because the committee can’t actually refuse due to the ‘calling in’, as recommended by the case officers, they were ‘minded to refuse’, so had this been a standard planning meeting, we’d have been very pleased with the results, which was a unanimous refusal on the grounds of residential amenities.

Read our comments on the revised plans by Railpen

(We) recognise the redevelopment of the Beehive Centre. However, we are convinced that the proposals represent over development, failing to respect its location, setting and context.

The volume of development proposed is not needed, is too extensive for the area to accommodate and would result in unacceptable harm to the City skyline … and surrounding urban character, to heritage assets and to neighbouring housing.

Our views on the revised plans, 2024

“We consider that the proposed development, despite changes from 2021 proposals, represents a massive over-development of the site that is surrounded by two-storey residential neighbourhoods.”

— Sarah Nicholas, Cambridge Past, Present and Future (from Cambridge Independent, 11/8/23).