Stop Forest City
Forest City 1 (FC1) is a privately backed proposal to build a new city of up to one million people on 45,000 acres of farmland east of Cambridge. No planning application has been submitted. No enabling legislation has been passed.
Independent, evidence-based analysis of what is claimed, what is confirmed, and what remains unknown.
What the proposal claims
45,000 acres
claimed footprint
The proposal describes one of the largest greenfield developments in UK history. No official site boundary has been published.
400,000 homes
claimed housing target
Larger than Bristol, in a region the Environment Agency classifies as under serious water stress.
Up to 1 million
claimed population
No published masterplan, transport strategy, or environmental impact assessment supports this figure.
What is Forest City 1?
Forest City — also referred to as Forest City 1, Forest City One, or FC1 — is a privately led proposal to build what its promoters describe as "Britain's first new city in over 50 years." The scheme targets approximately 45,000 acres of countryside east of Cambridge, between Newmarket and Haverhill, with a claimed capacity of 400,000 homes for up to one million residents.
The proposal is promoted by Albion City Development Corporation Ltd (ACDC), a company incorporated at Companies House in October 2025. The delivery model described on the developer's website combines a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with a Community Land Trust (CLT), claiming this structure would deliver homes at "60% below market rates."
The proposal depends on Parliament passing bespoke legislation to establish a development corporation with compulsory purchase and planning powers. The UK government has confirmed it has "received proposals" and that officials would review them, but has also stated there are "no current plans to establish a development corporation" in connection with this scheme.
Forest City 1 explained“This proposal would erase ancient villages … destroying vast tracts of irreplaceable countryside and productive farmland.”
— Nick Timothy, West Suffolk MP
What has been confirmed — and what has not
The Forest City 1 proposal is at a pre-planning stage. The distinction between what is claimed by the developer and what is independently confirmed is critical.
Publicly confirmed
- The developer has published a proposal describing scale, location, and governance model
- Albion City Development Corporation Ltd was incorporated at Companies House in October 2025
- The Ministry of Housing has confirmed it has 'received proposals' (Parliamentary written answer)
- Officials have agreed to review the proposal and meet with promoters
Not publicly evidenced
- No planning application has been submitted to any local authority
- No environmental impact assessment has been published
- No water supply or wastewater strategy has been evidenced
- No transport infrastructure plan has been published
- No site masterplan or boundary has been officially released
- The government has stated 'no current plans' for a development corporation
Until formal planning, environmental, and infrastructure assessments are completed and published, this proposal remains conceptual.
Evidence-based concerns about Forest City 1
These issues are grounded in publicly available evidence, planning policy, and regional data. Each links to a detailed analysis.
Loss of productive farmland
The proposed site covers approximately 45,000 acres of countryside described as largely grade 2 under the Agricultural Land Classification — land that falls within the 'best and most versatile' category protected by the National Planning Policy Framework.
Serious water stress
The Environment Agency classifies East Anglia as an area of serious water stress. Cambridge Water's resource management plan describes significant supply constraints, including large reductions in chalk aquifer abstraction. No water supply solution for a city of this scale has been publicly evidenced.
Unresolved infrastructure delivery
The proposal claims delivery of schools, hospitals, and transport 'from the start,' but no infrastructure delivery plan, funding model, or phasing strategy has been published.
Impact on villages and communities
The proposed footprint encompasses established villages including Cowlinge, Great Thurlow, and Withersfield. The developer's governance model would require development corporation powers that could override local planning authority decisions.
Untested affordability claims
The developer claims homes at '60% below market rates' via a combined SEZ and CLT model. No independent economic assessment of this cross-subsidy mechanism has been published. Resale restrictions, mortgage availability, and downturn resilience remain open questions.
Governance and democratic accountability
The proposal depends on Parliament granting development corporation powers, including compulsory purchase authority. This would transfer planning and land acquisition decisions away from elected local councils to an appointed body.
Where is Forest City 1 proposed?
No official site boundary has been published by the developer. This map shows the indicative area based on the stated 45,000-acre footprint, east of Cambridge between Newmarket and Haverhill.
Forest City 1 location mapThe developer's claimed process
The developer's website describes a five-phase delivery process. These phases are not part of any confirmed statutory or regulatory timeline.
- 1
Claimed phase 1: Prove demand
Claimed current phase. No formal demand assessment has been published.
- 2
Claimed phase 2: Build the business case
No business case or financial model has been made public.
- 3
Claimed phase 3: Deep feasibility studies
No feasibility study results have been published.
- 4
Claimed phase 4: Pass legislation and establish development corporation
Requires an Act of Parliament. The government has stated it has 'no current plans' to establish a development corporation.
- 5
Claimed phase 5: Break ground
Depends on completion of all preceding phases, plus planning consent and environmental approvals.
Large-scale infrastructure projects in the UK typically take decades from concept to construction. No confirmed timeline exists for this proposal.
Forest City 1 timeline and current statusRead the guides
The homepage is an overview only. Evidence-led detail lives on these pages so searchers and neighbours can land on the right topic.
Forest City 1 explained — the main guide to Suffolk, Cambridge, scale, delivery model and what is evidenced.
Forest City 1 location map — where the proposal sits in relation to Suffolk, Cambridge, Haverhill and Newmarket—with careful notes on uncertainty.
Forest City 1 timeline and current status — dated milestones from Parliament and the public record.
Who is behind Forest City 1? — Albion City Development Corporation (ACDC) and what Companies House confirms.
Forest City 1 water supply concerns — serious water stress in East Anglia and what credible planning would need to cover.
Forest City 1 farmland concerns — best and most versatile land, policy context and alternatives.
Sign the Stop Forest City petition — if you want to register concern while applications and legislation remain outstanding.
Latest news & updates
Stay informed with the latest developments on the Forest City proposal.
What is Forest City?
Developers propose building Britain's first new city in over 50 years on farmland east of Cambridge: 45,000 acres, 400,000 homes, and around 1 million residents.
Latest Planning Update
A summary of the most recent planning developments and what they mean for the local community.
Why are locals concerned?
From farmland loss to water stress, infrastructure pressure to democratic concerns. Here's why opposition is growing.
Forest City 1: frequently asked questions
Evidence-based answers to the most common questions about the FC1 proposal.
This proposal affects your community
No planning application has been submitted and no legislation has been passed. Now is the time to make your position known.
Stop Forest City