Report commissioned by South Cambridgeshire District Council along with Cambridgeshire Horizons, English Partnerships and Gallagher Estates to consider how to set up a Local Management Organisation for the new town of Northstowe. Follows an initial report which recommended the formation of a development trust.

The research aims to provide a form of route map to ensure that the stated objectives of creating a truly sustainable community will be achieved, and maintained over the foreseeable future. It is also intended to act as a basis for bringing the current stakeholders together around a shared vision.

This report follows the first phase of the Northstowe Local Management Study, Who Runs This Place?, which drew on research into what was involved in creating a successful new town, seven case studies of different management approaches, and alternative ways of financing sustainable development.

Northstowe is considered to be an opportunity to develop a community different to the usual expansion of a city over rural land with the potential to play a critical role in the continuing success of Cambridge as well as test whether the UK can make the building of ‘sustainable communities’ a reality.

The report builds on previous reports and research to present developing scenarios for how the Northstowe development trust might operate in its first three years.

This ranges from a discussion paper prepared by URBED to a consultation paper as part of the 'work in progress' on Phase Two of the LMO study produced by both authors. Which considered the potential roles and delivery responsibilities of the proposed Northstowe Trust and other bodies as well as the options for establishing robust democratic relationships and good governance.

This second phase report concludes the investigation of how a Northstowe Trust might relate to other organisations, specifically Registered Social Landlords, Parish Councils, and the proposed EnergyServices Company (ESCo).

Conclusions state that with the strong early start provided through stakeholders’ contributions of the bulk of the initial set-up and core costs, there are also several other relevant funding sources for the Northstowe Trust, which will help overcome the shortage of capital for innovation.

There are also a variety of income-generating ideas which need to be further explored, and which will enable Northstowe to fulfil the stakeholders’ objectives, and create a distinctive place with a strong image and ethos.

URBED
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7831 9986
n.falk@urbed.com

Marilyn Taylor Associates
Phone: + 44(0) 20 7263 4978
mzt@blueyonder.co.uk

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/08/2006

URBED and Marilyn Taylor Associates

research

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Land use

Urban sprawl