Victory for residents in Godmanchester as under-threat homes are listed

Artist's impression of Corpus Christi Lane developement (Image: Archant)

Residents of Corpus Christi Lane, in Godmanchester, were shocked to find out last year that The Church Commissioners, which owns the houses, was proposing jointly with developer Kier Living to demolish the homes to make way for a new development.

Plans submitted to Huntingdonshire District Council in October indicated that the three pairs of semi-detached homes would have been demolished and replaced by up to 20 homes on the site and an adjacent paddock.

But residents facing having their homes demolished have succeeded in scuppering the plans after their homes were listed by Historic England – protecting them from development – earlier this month.

Kirsite Freeman, who lives in one of the now listed homes, posted on the Godmanchester Living Facebook page: “I’m so overwhelmed by it, thank you sincerely to everyone who has made it happen without all your hard work and effort it would not have happened.”

The six timber-clad houses were considered to be of particular historic interest by Historic England.

On Historic England’s website, it states the houses had been listed because: “They are significant physical records of the social and economic history of this country immediately after the Second World War.”

“They represent an impressive example of prefabricated rural housing, notable for their quality of materials and construction.”

The houses in the street that have become listed by Historic England include 1,3,5,7, 9 and 11 with 6 and 8 already listed.

Following the decision The Church Commissioners announced that it would continue to talk to residents about any further plans for the street.

A spokesman for the commissioners said: “The Church Commissioners support the work and mission of the Church of England across the country. We have a legal duty to maximise support for the mission and ministry of the Church of England across the nation and even-handedly across generations.

“Our land holdings enable us to provide much needed affordable and market value homes across the country. We are reviewing the recent decision to place the houses on Corpus Christi Lane on the statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. We will continue to liaise with our tenants in relation to any future proposals for the land.”