Introduction

With the development of Waterbeach New Town moving forward as an allocated and consented part of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Local Plan, we are now undertaking consultation on the name of the new town and seeking input to a ‘repository’ of useful references and potential names for places within the new town, which will be designed and built over the years ahead.

This document provides guidance and information to assist consultees and stakeholders in responding to the two separate parts of the consultation exercise.

This consultation document is also in two sections and asks for comments in two separate sections. These are outlined on the next page

1. The naming of the New Town as a whole, and in combination with the existing settlement of Waterbeach.
2. Names for streets and public spaces, walking loops and play areas within the new development. This section focusses on the Barracks and Airfield part of the development, which is more advanced than the details for Waterbeach New Town East. It proposes an approach based on the heritage and ecology of specific character areas within the development, and suggests a series of names which could be used under this framework. Views are asked to shape the approach and the specific details of names coming forward. This will also support RLW in developing the approaches they take as they move forward the Resolution to Grant outline planning permission in February 2021.

This consultation has been prepared by the developers, with the agreement of South Cambridgeshire District Council, and will enable a final recommendation of the approach to be agreed by the District Council later this year, and a framework by which naming can be guided as the development rolls out over the next few years.

Opportunities also exist, going forward, to explore the heritage of the place and consider naming approaches for other aspects of infrastructure which impact on the development and local area. This includes roundabouts on the A10, which support the broader placemaking approach. The feedback on the principles and approaches set out here, will support the approach partners take with this going forward.

1. Process and Timing

The process will have 2 key stages and last 14 weeks, starting 1st April and completing 7th July. Timings and details of these are set out below:

Table continued on the next slide.

*Parish, County and District Councillors, Heritage Groups, Youth Representatives

2. Promotion & engagement

There will be a number of key approaches to ensure an inclusive and proactive approach to engaging people in this consultation, over the 2 stages, as set out on pages 5 & 6.

Stage 1: Wider Community Consultation

Wider stakeholders and the communities around the development will be consulted through the following means to inform the stages set out above.

• Door drop of the consultation document to residents of Waterbeach and Chittering and Landbeach and Horningsea to mark the first stage of the consultation. This will include a freepost return envelope.
• An online consultation portal - available at www.waterbeachconsultation.co.uk - will enable people to feedback digitally, and to download additional copies of the document and questions.

The consultation will be promoted through:

• Newsletter / e-news: The Urban&Civic (U&C) newsletter is door dropped to Waterbeach, Chittering, Landbeach and Horningsea residents, and U&C’s e-newsletter goes to subscribers signed up for information updates through previous consultation events or through the website.
• Social media and PR: Press releases to local media and use of social media by both developers and South Cambridgeshire District Council will promote the consultation and opportunities to engage with and access it.
• Face-to-face / Webinars: Two webinars* will be hosted by the developers to answer questions and promote the consultation. Comments given during these sessions will be recorded as feedback.

The review stage will include an opportunity to check if any issues occurred in Stage 1, and factor in any additional targeted work needed. This will be agreed by the developers and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Stage 2: Workshops

The reviewed options will be shared on the online portal and anyone who took part in Stage 1 will be contacted to comment on the preferred options being progressed.

Alongside that, workshops will be held with the themes and groups set out below.

These represent 3 core strands: representation of the current residents of the village and neighbours; heritage, to provide historical integrity to the future vision; and the voice of young people who represent that future. The 3 workshops include:

• Elected representatives: Waterbeach Parish Councillors, District and County Councillors, and nominated representatives from Landbeach and Horningsea;
• Heritage representatives: Members of the existing Waterbeach Heritage Group ¹ and representatives from Cambridge Past, Present and Future;
• The Youth Voice: a workshop with Waterbeach Action for Youth, with input from local schools

Write-ups from each stage of the consultation, including the workshops, will be included in the final submission report. A full copy of this will be available on this portal.