I AM pleased that Councillor Nick Guyatt believes in consultation, with around a 100 people registering their disagreement with the recent Huntingdonshire District Council car parking issues.

HDC has at least watered down the changes to car parking charges based upon the views of these residents.

I wonder whether Cllr Guyatt and HDC will now look at Bearscroft Farm development in Godmanchester in a similar manner. Thanks to Godmanchester Residents against Bearscroft (GRAB) over 2,000 residents have shown their disagreement with the 753 dwelling proposal with a petition. Also, a large number of people have raised their objections on the HDC planning consultation website. Our Godmanchester district councillors, town council and also (I am sure) the potential candidates for the county council elections are against it. So, if everyone is against the development in its current format then why are the HDC cabinet and the officers of the HDC planning department still wishing to go forward with the current proposed scheme? Do they no longer listen to what people say?

Godmanchester residents are not ‘NIMBYs’ and understand the need for more houses. Over 200 plus houses haver been built in recent years and it must be remembered that Bearscroft was originally proposed before Alconbury Weald with 5,000 homes was even an option.

Seven hundred and fifty three houses is too many dwellings for the local Godmanchester and south Huntingdon infrastructure to take. This site will generate around 1,000 cars, and I am being very conservative here. This will mean at least 200 extra cars going in and out of Huntingdon during the ‘rush hour period’ as well as an increase for the A14. This coupled with the increase in the cycle and pedestrian traffic going to the pinch point of the Godmanchester/Old Bridge Hotel corner will cause major problems.

The proposals by Fairfield Partnership of increased buses and increased traffic lights throughout our town will not hide the impact on Godmanchester and the A1198, which will be substantial. There are many other issues I could raise as reasons for not progressing with such a large development.

Steve Ingram and his HDC planning team must ensure the scheme does not have a major detrimental effect on current residents and through-traffic users.

Sustainability is mentioned in many HDC and Government documents and such a large development of 753 houses would not provide a good quality of life for residents both old and new.

Our local councillors are our representatives and should listen to the people who have elected them.

ROGER COXHEAD

Dove House Close

Godmanchester