Cambridgeshire
Main towns: Cambridgeshire refers to the area administered by Cambridgeshire County Council. The five districts of Cambridgeshire are Cambridge City, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire.
Demographics: The county has a fairly low percentage of black or minority ethnic residents, with the figure standing at just 4%. The ethnic population is concentrated in certain areas. For instance, in Cambridge over 10% of residents class themselves as belonging to an ethnic minority. This is largely due to the number of overseas student and academics who travel to the famous university. The largest ethnic minority in the county is travellers but there is a steadily increasing number of Eastern European migrant workers.
The county ranks 134th out of 150 on the national index of deprivation, meaning that it is a largely prosperous place. However, there is a significant variation across the county. South Cambridgeshire is one of the least deprived places in the country, ranking 345th out of 354, but Fenland ranks at number 142. Some rural areas in the Fens are significantly deprived, whilst in Huntingdon and Cambridge it is the urban areas which are most deprived.
Cambridge University is internationally renowned for both education and research, meaning that it attracts significant commerce high technology and knowledge based industries. .
The council is Conservative run.
Population: The County has an estimated population of 752,900 people. However, this figure is expected to increase by 23% before the year 2021.
Places of Interest: Located in the East of England, Cambridgeshire is a largely rural county. It includes the university city of Cambridge, the cathedral city of Ely and several historic market towns. As such residents and visitors can enjoy the country side – including the River Cam – or the hustle and bustle of the thriving, world famous university town. The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the English speaking world and is considered one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions.
The River Cam offers opportunities for boating, angling, rowing, sailing and swimming. The river does occasionally flood, so whilst houses situated close to the river offer beautiful views, they may be at risk of flood damage. However, the river has not flooded since 2001, when it flooded twice, in February and then in October.
House/Flat Prices: The average property price in Cambridgeshire today, including houses and flat, is £210,000. The average price five years ago, in February 2004, was £165,000.
Planning issues: The county faces significant challenges posed by levels of growth. In an attempt to combat this issue, it is expected that that 47,500 new homes will be created by 2016, as well as 75,000 new jobs. As such, Cambridge and the surrounding area are currently undergoing major redevelopment. Much of the county is a designated area of growth and there is likely to be significant change in the coming years. The creation of a new settlement at Northstowe between St Ives and Cambridge is expected to result in 10,000 new homes.