Councillors pour cold water over plans for Melbourn housing development
Barrington Parish Council is holding two public meetings on a homes plan for the village. - Credit: Archant
Councillors have poured cold water over plans for a housing development off new Road in Melbourn.
Councillors have poured cold water over plans for a housing development off new Road in Melbourn.
Endurance Estates Strategic Land submitted a planning application for up to 199 houses and a 75-bed care home to South Cambs District Council last week.
Melbourn district councillors Jose Hales and Val Barrett released a joint statement saying: “Melbourn has been growing steadily since the 1950s and it is this organic growth that residents think best suits the village. Building about 200 houses will increase the population by 11 per cent in one fell swoop.
“This proposal does not bring with it the improvements to infrastructure that Melbourn needs. We have long-standing problems with traffic congestion in the centre of the village, and the sewage system is now at the limit of its capacity.
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“Endurance Estates says it will include a care home. But its residents will be stuck in the middle of a large new development when their roots and friends will be in the rest of the village.
“Driving them into the centre of the village will only add to congestion and parking problems.
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“We want our elderly residents to feel part of the community in which they have spent their lives.”
Melbourn county councillor Susan van de Ven said: The impact of speculative planning applications in our area – Barrington, Melbourn and now also Foxton – will exacerbate already very difficult points of tension on our roads.
“The sudden announcement of plans to build a care home on the proposed Endurance site is insensitive.
“If Endurance is sincere about the care of frail elderly people in Melbourn, it should direct its resources toward purchasing Southwell Court, a perfectly lovely and much-loved care home, and run it as a going concern.”
Melbourn Parish Council revealed in October that it was in ‘total opposition’ to the proposal after a consultation found 86 per cent of individuals, schools and businesses surveyed were against the plans.
