The Rainbow Rocket climbing centre in Cambridge is set to expand with a new facility, enhancing community access to climbing activities.
Cambridge: Exciting news for climbing enthusiasts! The Rainbow Rocket climbing centre is getting a new, bigger location. The city council just gave the green light for this expansion.
Jeremy Leong, the director, shared that their current spot is packed, with around 250 visitors daily. They want to make climbing more accessible, especially for kids, which the new facility will allow.
He mentioned that the new site is over twice the size of their current one. This means more room for everyone and the chance to offer children’s classes, which they can’t do now because of space issues.
Plus, this expansion will create about 20 new jobs, which is fantastic for the local economy. Even though the new site is in a protected industrial area, Jeremy pointed out that no one has shown interest in it for industrial use.
They’ve been looking to expand since 2020 but haven’t found a suitable spot until now. Jeremy believes this climbing centre will promote a healthy, community-focused activity in Cambridge.
Support for the plans is strong, with 182 people signing a petition and local councillors backing the idea. Councillor Elliot Tong said it’s something the community really wants.
However, there was some pushback from planning officers who were concerned about losing industrial space. They felt the marketing for the site wasn’t enough and that it could lead to a permanent loss of industrial jobs.
Councillor Katie Thornburrow expressed her mixed feelings, recognizing the need for more exercise space while also valuing industrial units. Councillor Katie Porrer echoed this sentiment, suggesting that if they approve the change, it should only be temporary.
In the end, the committee decided to approve the application but with restrictions to ensure the space remains a climbing centre. It’s a win for the climbing community in Cambridge!
