The plans are part of a wider £19.2 million project

Plans to redesign a major Cambridge venue that hosts events and gigs has taken a step forward. The proposals for Cambridge Corn Exchange, which are part of a £19.2 million project, have been approved.

Cambridge Corn Exchange, considered the largest performance venue in the East of England, would see upgrades to the main auditorium, improvements to foyers and bar areas, changes to the surrounding public space, improved seating, acoustics, sound quality and lighting.

These plans are part of the Civic Quarter redevelopment project “to reimagine the area in Central Cambridge”, according to Cambridge City Council. The plans comprise of work to the Guildhall, Corn Exchange, Market Square, and public spaces in-between.

Under the plans, the Corn Exchange would also be upgraded with energy-saving measures including solar panels and energy systems to manage comfort levels.

The Corn Exchange would be closed during construction, with the aim to reopened within 18 months. The possibility of opening a temporary venue is being considered, to avoid absences of events.

Cllr Dr Antoinette Nestor, Cabinet Member for Cultural Services, said: “Cambridge Corn Exchange is the largest performance venue in the East of England, vital to Cambridge’s cultural life, and the proposed enhancements will ensure it continues to thrive, with enhanced seating arrangements and facilities including more toilets and new lifts to ensure everyone can enjoy the venue.

“While we need to invest in the Corn Exchange to ensure its longevity for the future, we recognise that closure will create a two-year absence of cultural and community events which will be felt locally as well as by those who visit Cambridge for cultural experiences. We are determined to carefully consider whether it is viable for us to create a temporary venue for the two years to ensure people can still enjoy the majority of the Corn Exchange’s annual programme during the closure.”

In a planning committee meeting held last week, councillors decided to defer the Civic Quarter plans which would see the Market Square upgraded. The plans would see the historic setts relayed to create a more level and accessible surface.

The proposals were deferred due to concerns raised by the county council’s highways department for a flush, level surface around the market, according to Cambridge City Council. Before the application is brought back for determination later in the year, the city council will take another look at road safety, cycle parking and traffic regulation orders.

The Guildhall, where the planning committee meeting took place, has also had plans approved. These plans include a public café, new work space for commercial tenants, and Changing Places toilet.

Before any work can start, a further decision on whether to proceed with the project will be taken by Cabinet and Full Council in autumn 2026. If approved, work could start on site from January 2027.

Some areas of the county will see bigger rises than others

Council tax bills are set to rise for most households in the country from April. The bulk of councils are set to increase bills by the maximum amount. This stands at 4.99 percent without town halls having to trigger a referendum.

Peterborough council falls into this category. It means Band D bills in the city will be increasing by £88 a year to £1,851. That’s not including any extras like parish precepts or police and fire services.

Increases vary across the rest of Cambridgeshire. The County Council is upping its bills by 4.99 percent. Huntingdonshire District Council are increasing their bills by 3.01 percent, while Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire are increasing theirs by 2.99 percent. Both East Cambridgeshire and Fenland are set to freeze their portion of people’s bills.

It means people in Cambridge will see their Band D bills rise by £92 to £2,025 when including the county council increase. In Huntingdonshire, Band D bills will be up by £90 to £1,956, in South Cambridgeshire by £90 to £1,966, in East Cambridgeshire by £85 to £1,928, and in Fenland by £85 to £2,040.

Some local authorities in England were given special permission by the government to go beyond the maximum. North Somerset and Shropshire will both be increasing bills by 8.99 percent. Worcestershire County council, meanwhile, will be putting up bills by 8.98 percent.

Both Trafford and Windsor & Maidenhead will be increasing by 7.49 percent, and Warrington by 7.48 percent.

You can find out how much your bills will increase by using our interactive. Simply enter your postcode to see the increase by your council.

The percentage increases have been collected thanks to extensive research by the Mirror. They cover the rises in every lower tier and upper tier council. They do not include, however, police and fire increases, parish council precepts or mayoral increases.

The council have pledged to spend £41 on maintaining and repairing council houses, including issues with damp and mould

Cambridge City Council will be increasing rents for its council houses as part of a 10-year plan to improve the properties. The council has set out plans to invest significantly in the repair, maintenance and improvement of its tenants’ homes and build 1,300 more new council homes over the next 10 years.

The proposals include spending £41 million during 2026-2027 for the management, repair, maintenance and improvement of council homes, paid for from housing rents and service charges – a significant investment to improve the condition and energy-efficiency of council homes for its tenants.

As part of this, £9.8 million would be invested in improving the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of council homes in the coming year, as part of a £39.3 million programme over the next four years to make more homes warmer, fit for the future and with lower energy bills. This project will complement the council’s vision for the city to be net zero carbon by 2030.

It also proposes an additional £750,000 per year to address damp, condensation and mould, supporting full compliance with Awaab’s Law. In addition, there would be significant ongoing investment in the management of homes, including using new technology and additional officer posts to boost the council’s tenancy audit programme, its support for tenants and to allow better management of rent arrears.

The report also sets out the council’s proposals on council rents for the year ahead. For 2026-2027, rents are proposed to rise by 4.8 percent, in line with the new Rent Standard issued by the national Regulator of Social Housing this year.

This would mean an average increase of £6.14 per week for tenants on the lowest rents (discounted to around 40 percent of market rents), or £9.44 per week for those on ‘affordable rents’ (discounted to around 60-80 percent of market rents). A £9.44 weekly increase means that some households could be paying up to £490 extra each year.

Currently 65 percent of council tenants receive some form of benefit support, with 55 percent receiving maximum housing benefit or Universal Credit housing costs. For most of these households, any rent increase will be fully covered from their benefits, meaning that there will be no net financial impact on the household.

Cllr Gerri Bird, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Despite significant financial challenges as a result of increasing regulation, cost inflation and high interest rates, the council remains ambitious and committed to investing in our existing council homes so that all tenants can benefit from improvements – and in helping tackling the wider housing crisis by building new, modern energy-efficient council homes and homes for private sale.

“Increasing rents is always a difficult decision, and we are mindful of the financial pressures facing our tenants. However, it is necessary so we can continue to invest in high quality housing within the city. We will continue to provide financial and budgeting advice to anyone who needs it and will work with tenants to ensure they are claiming all the financial assistance they are entitled to.”