Warning of future 'flooding on a scale of frightening proportions' in Cambridgeshire after brownfield plan announced

Cambridgeshire faces 'flooding on a scale of frightening proportions' if it is overdeveloped - a charity has warned. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough countryside charity, CPRE, said high levels of development in the county, combined with ongoing climate change and a sinking eastern region of the county, could cause disaster.

The charity raised its concerns after new Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the Government's plan to build 1.5 million new homes across the country over the course of the next five years.

The CPRE said it welcomed Labour's commitment to building on brownfield sites but were concerned about the impact on Cambridgeshire's green belt. The charity has previously raised concerns that flooding in the county could lead to Cambridge becoming "Cambridge-by-the-sea".

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Alan James, the Chairman of Cambridgeshire CPRE, said: “The green belt has many purposes. It is crucial for food security, also to lessen the impact of climate. During the election campaign, the Liberal Democrats promised bold, urgent action to tackle climate change.

"Let’s hope our three newly elected Liberal Democrat MPs deliver on this promise and help oppose developments in areas most at risk. The quickest and most climate-friendly way to combat the present housing shortage is to bring back into use the current, roughly one million empty homes in this country and to re-develop the 1.3 million registered spaces on brownfield sites.”

In her announcement, Ms Reeves said Labour would reform the planning system to make it easier to build houses on less desirable parts of the green belt, which Sir Keir Starmer has dubbed the “grey belt”. The Government will also prioritise building energy infrastructure projects, and lift a de facto ban on onshore wind projects across the UK.

The CPRE is also concerned that the definition of 'grey belt' may be open to a loose interpretation. Dr James added: “Cambridge’s green belt is tiny. It the only green belt in the eastern region and the oldest in the country outside London.

“Another job of the Cambridge green belt is to protect the countryside surrounding Cambridge and to safeguard the city’s setting. Any further building will have a major – and potentially catastrophic effect on the character of one of the country’s most historic cities."

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