Open space
Around 47,500 new homes are planned with schools, shops, hospitals and other facilities, but Cambridgeshire has very few public open spaces in the countryside compared with other counties. Creating a huge and accessible area of countryside for people to enjoy on Cambridge's doorstep is one of the main objectives of the Wicken Fen Vision.

Wildlife
Wicken Fen is a unique and important place, home to an amazing 7,800 different species of animals, birds, fish and amphibians, insects and plants. But it is too small to provide a sustainable home -- to help rare species become established they need more space to expand their territories, and they need the right sorts of habitats to help them thrive.

The wider environment
Peat soils contain vast amounts of carbon, and when they are farmed this is released into the atmosphere contributing to global warming. There is a need to change the land-use and protect the peat soils across the area by using the land for wildlife, for grazing and as public open space.