At the end of January, Cambridge United submitted a formal representation to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan…
The Local Plan is a significant milestone for the future growth of the city. It is a joint initiative between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, setting out a shared strategy for development, housing and infrastructure up to 2041.
As the primary planning document for Greater Cambridge, it guides where and how new homes and jobs are delivered, while placing strong emphasis on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable transport.
Cambridge United is keen to play a full and constructive role in the future of the city we are proud to represent. As one of Cambridge’s largest civic institutions, the club recognises that it has a unique responsibility and opportunity to contribute both on and off the pitch.
In the interests of transparency for supporters and stakeholders, we believe it is important to share our submission in full. A copy can be found here.
The submission highlights the central role Cambridge United plays within the city and its communities. It underlines the importance of the club to Cambridge and its people, including the work of Cambridge United Foundation, which engages with more than 11,000 unique individuals each year and generates £1.1m in social value annually.
Our representation supports the continued development of the Cledara Abbey Stadium, while also exploring the potential for a new, circa 15,000-capacity multi-purpose arena. A preferred option identified within the submission is a location at the proposed Cambridge East site. This follows the recent announcement of a new station at Cambridge East as part of the East West Rail project, which is due to open in 2031.
Chief Executive Officer Alex Tunbridge said, “Our Local Plan submission has been made primarily to highlight the value of the club to the city and to ensure that Cambridge United is at the heart of key conversations about the future planning of Cambridge.
"Whilst the Cledara Abbey Stadium is our spiritual home, a financially viable and deliverable redevelopment is not straightforward for multiple reasons as Paul Barry made clear last autumn. For that reason, the Owners and Board are open minded about a potential future relocation.
"Any conversations about this potentially happening are at a very early stage. Remaining in the Abbey Ward or as close to it as possible would be our ambition, should redevelopment of the Cledara Abbey Stadium not be feasible.
"The club has now commissioned an Economic Impact Assessment to better understand our current financial and economic contribution to the city, and to help illustrate the additional positive impact that could be generated by an increase in capacity, either at the Abbey or at a new site.
"We appreciate that the submission is a long and detailed document, but we believe it is important that supporters and stakeholders are fully aware of the opportunities being highlighted. We will continue to communicate openly as matters progress. We are ambitious for the future of both the city and the club within it."
