[Members] Last chance to have your say on Cambridge Civic Quarter Plans - deadline tomorrow 28 July

[Wendy Blythe]

Dear all,



*Update 27 July, 2024*



STOP PRESS *Last chance to have your say on the emerging Cambridge civic
quarter plans*



Click on link below



https://x.com/greenarteries/status/1817211990311305692



*Deadline for responding is tomorrow, Sunday 28 July*


Email info at cambridgecivicquarter.co.uk and/or respond to the survey on line

https://engage.cambridge.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/cambridge-civic-quarter



Thank you for letting us know your views. Regarding Cambridge market
square, John Preston, historic environment consultant, is concerned that a
brief for Riba Stage 1 has still not been completed. See John and Kati
Preston’s letter in the *Cambridge Independ*ent. Link below.



https://x.com/greenarteries/status/1817244005266047130



The *Cambridge Independent* reported (2 July) that the suggestion of
incorporating temporary market stalls into the layout of the market
alongside new permanent stalls to enable events had generated a range of
comments.



“We still need to determine what type of events could take place, how
regularly, and at what time.”



Market trader Glenys Self, who runs the Friends of Cambridge Market, feared
“the cost of a team to put up and take down the stalls could be too much
for the cash-strapped council – and might force it to shut the market down.”
  See link below

https://premium.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/could-cambridge-market-become-too-expensive-to-run-9372751/



In 2023 city council proposals to the CPCA for funding towards a number of
strategic initiatives included *£1.5m *of match funding to support the
enhancement of the Market Square in Cambridge as part of a central
‘Cultural Quarter’. Link below



Draft 2024/25 Corporate Strategy and Budget and Medium-Term Financial Plan
2024/2028
<https://cambridgeshirepeterboroughcagov.cmis.uk.com/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/2200/Committee/63/Default.aspx>
,



‘Quarters quite the thing these days in Cambridge’ – a new Rose Quarter.
Click on link

https://x.com/markrwilliamson/status/1729913561047044323?s=20



*How will Cambridge handle the tourist industry? *

*https://www.dw.com/en/mass-tourism-sparks-rise-in-locals-resentment/a-69728392
<https://www.dw.com/en/mass-tourism-sparks-rise-in-locals-resentment/a-69728392>*

The plans for the Guildhall and the Corn Exchange?

https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/cambridge-bid-considers-its-options-after-hoteliers-reject-v-9375294/

The *Cambridge Independent* reported (17 July) that to introduce the levy,
Cambridge BID (Business Improvement District) needed majority support in a
ballot of 23 hotels in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. But *only six
voted in favour*
<https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/2-per-night-visitor-levy-proposal-for-cambridge-rejected-by-9374507/>,
with 16 saying no and one vote proving invalid.

At the Sept 2023 Cambridge Market Stakeholders meeting the new Chief
Executive of Cambridge BID referred to the investment bid submitted that
week which she said was “commercially driven”. A recording of the meeting
was not available to the public owing to technical problems but at a
previous Market meeting City council officers had referred to a report on
cultural events for the city centre (not available to the public).

In June *The Times* reported that King’s College planned to increase ticket
prices for King’s College Chapel by up to 20 per cent.


https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/tourists-will-pay-more-to-meet-bills-for-kings-college-chapel-b7g0pqllb


The report in *The Times* noted that the College’s proposed financial plans
stated that they were based on “reasonably good prospects” and that
“particularly that surpluses can be increased from visitors”. See also a
similar, *Guardian *report, link below

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/mar/22/china-cambridge-university-poet-xu-zhimo-farewell-property

*The Times *noted the role played by King’s College’s memorial garden in
attracting tourists.

“Prominent on the shop’s website is a book dedicated to Xu Zhimo, a King’s
alumnus described as the father of modern Chinese poetry, who is honoured
in a memorial garden at the college. One of his most famous poems is
called *Taking
Leave of Cambridge Again*, written in the 1920s, and it attracts many
Chinese tourists to the college”.

*The Times r*eported that “the college planned for significant and
continued growth in forecast income and that their business plan stated
“drivers of continued tourism from China look robust.” Link below

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/tourists-will-pay-more-to-meet-bills-for-kings-college-chapel-b7g0pqllb


*Are plans for the new Civic Quarter and hotels and cultural events based
on the same tourism projections as those made by King's College ?*

The company Welcome to Cambridge makes the decisions about the city centre
and its green spaces as councillors have delegated decision making to
officers.

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14174291/officers

Board members include representatives of:

Cambridge Bid https://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/bid-team-board-1

( BID members include Cambridge University, colleges and the business group
Cambridge Ahead)

Curating Cambridge, formerly Fitzwilliam Enterprises, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Cambridge University

King’s College

Cambridge City Council officers ( as cllors have delegated )

Best wishes,

Wendy
Wendy Blythe
Chair, FeCRA

www.fecra.org.uk
www.facebook.com/CambridgeRAs
www.twitter.com/fecra2
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