Council’s anger at home plan
CAMBOURNE councillors sold on the idea of having three separate settlements have been left fuming by revelations that developers are pushing for almost 1,000 new homes. At the annual parish meeting, it emerged that the Cambourne Consortium of developers
CAMBOURNE councillors sold on the idea of having three separate settlements have been left fuming by revelations that developers are pushing for almost 1,000 new homes.
At the annual parish meeting, it emerged that the Cambourne Consortium of developers is intending to submit planning applications for an extra 950 homes in Upper Cambourne.
This brings the total number of homes to at least 4,300, more than was predicted in the master plan.
Kate Wood, South Cambridgeshire District Council's planning officer, said: "As much as we love Cambourne, it is not special and it is treated in the same way as the other villages. We can never say that's the end of it.
"We still do not know the final number of houses that will be built. We are looking up to 2012 but beyond that we cannot tell you what will happen. We can only really guess at the final number."
The increase is thought to be due to new Government regulations which call for higher population densities. It is intended that Cambourne will now be classed as a single rural centre rather than three separate settlements as councillors had hoped for.
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Three separate planning applications, each for 110 homes, in Upper Cambourne have already been submitted by developers.
Parish councillors are now calling on the district council to stand up to the developers.
Cllr Peter Drake, chairman of the planning committee, said: "I am not happy about this. Cynics might say South Cambs has let us down.
"The people of Cambourne were sold on the plan for 3,300 homes, not 4,300. We expect some form of backing from the district council."
Cllr Ruth Poulton, parish council chairman, said: "This is very disappointing news. We want it to remain as three villages and we are calling for you to say enough is enough.
