Category: News

Grantchester Parish Council is asking all residents to take part in an important Housing Needs Survey to help shape the future of our village.

The purpose of the survey is to understand whether there is a need for affordable housing for people with a strong local connection to Grantchester.

Every household will receive a paper copy of the survey through the post, along with a Freepost envelope for return. The survey can also be completed online using the link below:

Complete the survey online

Responses are completely confidential and the survey is being carried out independently by Cambridgeshire ACRE, a charity that supports rural communities. The costs are being covered by South Cambridgeshire District Council, so there is no cost to the parish.

Even if you do not currently have a housing need, your views are still very important. A strong response will help us build a clear picture of local opinion and inform decisions that could benefit Grantchester for generations to come.

Deadline for responses: Friday 26 September 2025

If you need an additional copy of the survey—for example, for a family member who has moved away but wishes to return—please contact Cambridgeshire ACRE directly, russell.moore@cambsacre.org.uk or 01353 865040.

Thank you for taking the time to have your say.

Why not be part of this year’s Grantchester Charity Fun Run, taking place on Sunday 28th September 2025—a much-loved village event that brings our community together and raises vital funds for two outstanding local charities: ACT (Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust) and Maggie’s Centre Cambridge.

It also helps to raise essential funds for our Club, so your support—whether by running, volunteering, or spreading the word—is truly appreciated and makes a real difference.

There’s a choice of 10k and 3k routes, both starting and finishing in the heart of Grantchester, with plenty of cheer and camaraderie along the way.

You’re warmly encouraged to sign up to run (either solo or as part of a team), or to support the event as a marshal or on-the-day volunteer. It’s a brilliant way to be part of something positive and community-spirited.

To register or find out more, visit: www.grantchester10k.org

It’s been one year since we started the rollout of our brand new full fibre network in your area, and we’re throwing a little get-together to say thanks for your support.
Join us for drinks, nibbles and even a few freebies (yov’ll need to grab them quick!)
The Grantchester Green Man (CB3 9NF)
Wednesday 20th August
5.30pm – 8pm
No need to RSVP
Whether you’re already connected to our network or not, we’d love to see yov. CityFibre representatives will be there if you want to learn more about the work we’re doing in Grantchester and beyond. Or just come for the drinks!
Thanks for being part of the journey-we can’t wait to celebrate with you.

GCP have been in touch to update us on the latest developments on the Barton Greenway.

They will shortly be starting works on Barton Road (A603) to widen and improve the existing walking and cycling path. The works will extend from the A603/M11 roundabout up to approximately the Barton Road lay-by closest to the city centre. Their contractor, M Group (formerly Milestone Infrastructure), has already constructed a temporary off-road path which will enable them to safely divert pedestrians and cyclists while the main path is closed.

Enabling works along Barton Road will begin from w/c Monday 11 August for three weeks. The works will be carried out overnight between 8pm-6am. During this time, temporary traffic lights will be in place to maintain traffic flow. Each morning the road will be reinstated to two lanes.

Works will then formally begin from w/c Monday 1 September for approximately 15 weeks to widen and improve the walking and cycling path that runs alongside Barton Road. Upon completion of the main works, there will be a three-week demobilization period, where they will remove the site compound from the layby and remove the temporary path, taking the total programme of works to approximately 21 weeks.

The works will be carried out during off-peak hours from 8pm-6am with a nighttime road closure and diversion route in place. The official diversion route will be Cambridge Road (A603) – Ermine Way (A1198) – Old N Road (A1198)– A505 – A10 – Hauxton Road – High Street – Trumpington Road (A1134) – The Fen Causeway (A1134) – Newnham Road (A603) – Barton Road (A603). During the day, the road will be re-opened with a speed restriction and temporary traffic lights in place to enable pedestrians and cyclists to cross at specific locations (push button lights). The diversion route has been selected so that it is suitable for all vehicles, including HGVs, along roads that are designed for higher volumes of traffic to ensure vehicles are able to flow freely.

While they are undertaking the works, they will close one lane on the A603/M11 roundabout. This is to ensure speeds are in line with the temporary 30mph limit on Barton Road and to facilitate access to one of the site compounds located just off the roundabout. By having their compound off the carriageway, this enables them to minimise their works impact to users of Barton Road and ensure the road is kept open during the day.

There are three ways to keep up to date with works on Barton Road:

1. Sign up for the GCP monthly greenways newsletters at www.greatercambridge.org.uk/email-updates (select ‘Greenways’)
2. Visit the Barton Greenway web page: www.greatercambridge.org.uk/barton-greenway
3. Contact M Group if you have any concerns or questions during the construction of the scheme. You can emailGreenways@milestoneinfra.co.uk or call the 24-hour phone line 0800 028 1363

Broadway will be closed to traffic from 9am to 5pm on 1st and 2nd of May, from outside number 35 to outside number 81. See map

RTM-DWG-2619-1178186-77-Broadway-Grantchester-Cambridgeshire-and-Peterborough-CB3-9NQ-52.1836520.094335973

Grantchester Road, Newnham will be closed for one day on 31st August 2024. See PDF for details

Road-Closure-24-1088-Grantchester-Road-Newnham-Order

Children in Grantchester are set to get an upgraded playground thanks to a £72,000 Landfill Communities Fund grant from FCC Communities Foundation. 

The money will be used to replace tired and outdated play equipment at the Recreation Ground on Stulpfield Road in Grantchester, adding to the play and exercise value for all youngsters and making the playground a more sociable and inviting place.

Lesley Sherratt, Chair of Grantchester Parish Council, believes the upgrade of equipment and seating on the Recreation Ground will make a huge difference to the lives of families living in the area. 

She says “This refurbished playground will provide a real boost to young families and other residents in Grantchester.  It’s fantastic that FCC Communities Foundation has awarded us this money and we’re really looking forward to Phase 2 of this refurbishment, focussing on younger children and parents/grandparents, taking shape over the next few months”.

FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Penny Horne, FCC Communities Foundation grant manager, says: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Grantchester Recreation Ground – Upgrade of Children’s Playground project and pleased our funding will provide such a fantastic facility for children and young families within Grantchester. FCC Communities Foundation is always happy to consider grant applications for projects that make a difference to local communities and we’re really looking forward to seeing this one take shape soon.”

Lesley hopes the new play equipment will be ready to use by late June

The existing playground for children in the village was installed 20 years ago when the land was acquired in 2003. At the time it was funded with the financial support from WREN – the predecessor to FCC.  Most of the equipment is now beyond its recognised life. The Parish Council therefore wants to upgrade the Recreation Ground to provide a safe, accessible and inviting play area, for children, parents, grandparents and carers.

Phase 1 of the refurbishment, paid from the Parish Council’s own reserves, was undertaken in October 2023, and replaced two major climbing structures for school age children.  Phase 2 addresses the needs of pre-school children as well as adding to the play and exercise value for all youngsters and making the playground a more sociable and inviting place for all within the village.

Additional seating and tables will provide areas for visitors to enjoy this less well-known area of Grantchester.

News just in from Whippet:
“We’re aware that the journey from St Neots to Cambridge at 0720, via Cambourne and Comberton, is often delayed by traffic on the A428. From 1 April, this bus will depart St Neots earlier at 0705 (0725 in school holidays). We’re using the additional time on this journey to also serve the villages of Abbotsley, Great Gransden and Caxton and avoid traffic congestion on the A428. This journey will continue to call at Wintringham.

We will also be extending the 1632 journey from St Neots, that currently finishes at Barton, through to Central Cambridge.

Buses on route 18 will leave from bay 3 in Drummer Street bus station, instead of bay 5.

Click here to download the new route 18 timetable”

The Combined Authority has launched a survey asking the public to share their views on electric vehicles (EVs) and how best to meet the need for more charging points across the region.  With the transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles affecting everyone – whether you drive an EV or not – they are encouraging as many people as possible to have a say. The Combined Authority wants to make sure they are planned for in the right way, informed by people’s views.  The Combined Authority’s vision for charging points is:  “For everyone in the region to have the necessary electric vehicle charging infrastructure available in the right place at the time they need. This charging infrastructure will be high quality, safe , affordable, environmentally sustainable and accessible. “ The survey only takes five minutes and can be found here, along with further information: https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/ev-charging/.   Fill in the survey here People have until March 26, 2024, to take the survey before it closes.  For those who prefer to email feedback, use: transport@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk  For responding by post, request a hard copy of the survey by emailing  transport@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk or call 01480 277180.

South Cambridgeshire Community Meetings

These meetings are quarterly and held online from 7pm-8pm. They allow members of the public to virtually meet their neighbourhood officers and hear about recent activity. Attendees will also get the opportunity to raise any concerns they have and help shape future priorities.

Dates for the forthcoming community engagement meetings:

• 28 February
• 22 May
• 28 August
• 27 November

If you would like to attend, please visit the neighbourhood page and click the link on the date. You will be sent to Event Brite to register for free and will be sent a meeting link –https://www.cambs.police.uk/police-forces/cambridgeshire-constabulary/areas/campaigns/nhp/neighbourhood-policing/South-Cambridgeshire/