Council chiefs call for end to Cambridgeshire eco-town 'charade' » Housing » 24dash.com

Council chiefs in Cambridgeshire are calling on Government to end the eco-town 'charade' that is Hanley Grange after developers have decided to press on despite losing a third of the land.

Jarrow Investments and Tesco have changed their plans for the site following the news that the UK's largest charity Wellcome Trust and local landowner would not support them.

Despite having already consulted on a scheme that changed from 8,000 homes to over 12,000, Jarrow have said they are carrying on regardless with 6,500.

Council chiefs say enough is enough and have called for the Government to throw these plans out as they claim they bare no resemblance to what the Minister first agreed should be shortlisted.

Councils from across Cambridgeshire, along with local MPs and Cambridgeshire Horizons, have been campaigning against the eco-town plans for Hanley Grange.

In a statement issued to 24dash.com, Cambridgeshire County Council said: "Once again there is no detail about this latest proposal, but the reduced size means less jobs and facilities are likely to be included encouraging more people to get into their cars, blocking up local roads and turning Hanley Grange into a commuter town.

"There will also be less development value to fund the huge investment needed for transport improvements and other infrastructure. This undermines the viability of the project even further.

"Councils across Cambridgeshire, together with Cambridgeshire Horizons, support sustainable low-carbon developments, but all agree that Hanley Grange is not the right site. Authorities want to see Government instead turn its attention to ensuring that Northstowe can be a real success."

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Matt Bradley, Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure, said: "This is now just a farce and if it wasn't for the devastating consequences this may have it would be laughable.

"These plans are completely different to what Government saw at the start and what Cambridgeshire residents were asked about. Ministers must now say enough is enough and throw these plans out. If they don't it would show a complete disregard for the proper, managed, planning procedures.

"They should turn their attention to making Northstowe, which has undergone those proper procedures, but which needs significant support, an exemplar sustainable development."

Alex Plant, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Horizons, added: "The Hanley Grange proposals continue to jeopardise the managed housing growth for Cambridgeshire that has been agreed through years of debate and public consultation. Without seeing the revised plans we are unable to comment in detail. However, the key issues surrounding providing and funding of sustainable transport solutions are still there - and indeed may be worsened by this smaller scheme."

South Cambridgeshire District Council's portfolio holder for new communities, Councillor David Bard, said: "These proposals from Jarrow Investments seem to be a constantly moving feast.

"We've seen various different versions since it was first announced, none of which are suitable for the site we're talking about, or the wider area.  How can we, or the public, have any confidence in any proposals when they are different from one moment to the next? 

"This latest version would seem to be able to deliver the proposed 6,500 homes only at the expense of employment space and the open spaces mentioned in the original proposal.

"We will continue to argue that, for a wealth of very good reasons, this is not a good idea and will distract from the very real challenge of delivering the already planned-for new communities of Cambridgeshire."

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Tim Stone, local member for Duxford, said: "This announcement flies in the face of public opinion. I have been at public meetings were representatives of Jarrow have said that Wellcome's involvement were key to their plans, but this is obviously not the case.

"This is not NIMBY-ism, encouraging more environmentally friendly development is a good idea. However, this scheme is being built on prime agricultural land and would lead to more cars on our roads.

"This completely disregards local concerns and proper planning procedures and I ask the Government to delete this from their shortlist and end the anguish it is causing locally."