HUNTINGDONSHIRE will robustly resist any proposal to put a 20,000-home new town that could grow into a mini-city between Huntingdon and Alconbury, the district council has promised. The idea emerged from a study carried out for the East of England Regiona

HUNTINGDONSHIRE will robustly resist any proposal to put a 20,000-home new town that could grow into a mini-city between Huntingdon and Alconbury, the district council has promised.

The idea emerged from a study carried out for the East of England Regional Assembly as part of a review of the regional spatial strategy, the over-arching planning policy for the East of England.

HDC is working with strategic planners from Cambridgeshire County Council and the other four districts on a response to EERA's consultants' idea.

Last week, Councillor Peter Bucknell, HDC's cabinet member for strategic planning, said: "I can understand the concerns in Alconbury and the Stukeleys. The figure was a minimum of 20,000 homes, but it's just a study at the moment.

"I hope we shall find that the study is flawed, because a minimum of 20,000 [extra homes] would be devastating for the area.

"We shall be doing a robust response with our partners," he promised.