Month: February 2022

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Anglian Water Phase 3 consultation starts 24th February

Anglian Water have just announced the start of the phase 3 consultation on relocating the sewage works to Honey Hill, between Horningsea and Fen Ditton.

Phase 3 Consultation

Anglian Water has scheduled the Phase 3 Consultation for the 24th February to the 27th April 2022. All residents will have the chance to comment. Those comments will go to the Planning Inspectors; it is a real chance to get over to them our objections and, if the application is agreed, to lessen the effects on our communities. This is also the final consultation before Anglian Water submit their Development Consent Order application to the Planning Inspectorate.

Meetings

Anglian Water have said they will run some face to face meetings. So far they have said the following:

 

  • Wed 9th March – Online – 19:00 – 20:30
  • Tues 15th March – Main Hall, Milton Community Centre, 14:30 – 18:30
  • Wed 16th March – Fen Ditton Village Hall, 11:00 – 15:00
  • Fri 18th March – Main Hall, Quy Village Hall, 11:00 – 15:00
  • Sat 19th March – Tillage Hall, Waterbeach, 11:00 – 15:00
  • Tues 22nd March – Horningsea Village Hall, 15:00 – 19:00

 

Next steps

So look out for a leaflet from Save Honey Hill telling you what we consider are the important issues and please do complete the consultation when Anglian Water delivers their leaflets (you will be able to do it online or on their form). They will contact 10,600 properties so there is a good opportunity to make our voices heard.

As soon as the Save Honey Hill group have viewed the online consultation then we will publish guides to make it easier to comment on the consultation.

Everyone can help by completing the Consultation when Anglian Water publishes it. State your objections and let Anglian Water and the Planning Inspector know what you think must happen to make the plant less of a huge industrial blot on our landscape.

You can view the consultation now, however, as of the 24th many pages are not working. For example the interactive map does not even show the proposed sewage works site

IMG 5062

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Objections to Despoiling Cambridge’s Green Belt by Anglian Water

“Love every inch” – Be a Valentine to Cambridge’s Green Belt

The Cambridge Green Belt was established to protect the setting of thisLove Every Inch historic city and that of the necklace villages that surround it.

The proposed relocation of Cambridge Sewage Works to Honey Hill – close to four such villages – would permanently despoil countryside that carries substantial heritage and recreational value for residents and visitors, particularly from the adjoining parts of the city.

This would disfigure a unique Fen Edge landscape through which people have passed for hundreds of years. Honey Hill is located close to a network of roads, waterways and green  tracks that have led into and out of the city for centuries. And it is destined to become a waymark for future generations walking or riding into the fenland wilderness created by the Wicken Fen Vision.

Anglian Water is threatening to blight the Green Belt to enable the commercial development of its current Sewage Plant site. There is no operational reason to move the works, and there are no special circumstances that justify creating an industrial plant on Honey Hill. They claim this is an infrastructure project of national importance, but it is in effect an exercise in building houses on the Green Belt by other means.

On behalf of the communities of Horningsea, Stow cum Quy, Fen Ditton, Teversham, Barnwell and Marleigh we oppose the relocation of the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant at Honey Hill.

Save Honey Hill Group

supported by

The Federation of Cambridge Residents’ Associations

Campaign to Protect Rural England

Friends of the Earth (Cambridge)

Friends of the Cam

The Green Party (Cambridge)

Cambridge and Peterborough Climate Action Coalition

 

If you would like to add your name to the list please contact us.

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Anglian Water’s Surveys on Honey Hill and its surrounding areas.

sunset over diggers.

As is fairly obvious to anybody passing, for the past few months Anglian Water have been conducting surveys on Honey Hill. They are surveying the ground for where they propose to relocate the sewage works to. They are also surveying the pipeline that will bring sewage from Waterbeach New Town and also the pipeline that will discharge into the River Cam.

Some of these surveys are under permitted development and Anglian Water received planning consent for these surveys (21/03583/FUL) for the rest.

These photos show the size of these surveys and the associated mud and debris on the roads, pavements and cycle path.

SHH_Surveys-006-2022-02-05
SHH_Surveys-005-2022-02-05
SHH_Surveys-001-2022-02-06
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SHH_Surveys-004-2022-02-06
SHH_Surveys-002-2022-02-06
SHH_Surveys-007-2022-02-05
SHH_Surveys-008-2022-02-05
SHH_Surveys-013-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-014-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-015-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-016-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-010-2022-02-06
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SHH_Surveys-011-2022-02-06
SHH_Surveys-017-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-018-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-009-2022-02-06
SHH_Surveys-019-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-020-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-021-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-022-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-023-2022-01-27
SHH_Surveys-024-2022-01-27

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Pressure mounts to halt dislocated NECAAP

North East Cambridge development plans come under fire from local campaign groups

Increasingly, more groups and Councillors are expressing their concerns about the overdevelopment of Cambridge, including the planned relocation of the sewage works to Honey Hill. Much concern has also been voiced about the draft Local Plan and the implications of the North East Cambridge Area Action Plan (NECAAP) redevelopment and housing (planned for the current sewage works site) and the environmental and general impact the overdevelopment of Cambridge will have on all of our lives.

“creative carbon accounting”

Green Party city councillor, Hannah Copley, has accused local authorities of “creative carbon accounting” in development plans for North East Cambridge1. Like us, Cllr Copley believes moving the sewage works is unnecessary and that the environmental consequences of doing so have not been properly assessed. Cllr Copley, who represents Abbey Ward, said: – “The North East Cambridge development can only go ahead if the sewage works moves, and the sewage works is only moving so that the land can be developed. These two projects are intrinsically linked…We need to include the entire lifetime carbon emissions of the destruction, rebuilding and relocation of the new sewage works”. She questions “The completely unnecessary destruction and rebuilding of the waste water treatment works, and the loss of Green Belt land… The Cambridge Green Belt is being dismantled piece by piece”2

“Many residents are shocked at the level of growth proposed…and the plan’s failure to consider the overall environmental capacity and climate change impact and the effect on the historic environment (built and natural) in a holistic way”

In response to the Local plan, Friends of the Earth, has accused the councils of “hypocrisy” … who “on the one hand spout bland platitudes about cutting carbon dioxide emissions and on the other, countenance further pouring of concrete, building of roads for ever increasing traffic levels and continual gnawing away at the Green Belt in a Local Plan that has anything but good wishes towards anything local”3. Wendy Blythe of FeCRA states “Many residents are shocked at the level of growth proposed…and the plan’s failure to consider the overall environmental capacity and climate change impact and the effect on the historic environment (built and natural) in a holistic way”.4 CPRE and Friends of the Cam have raised their concerns about the lack of water and space to support the level of housing growth suggested in the Local plan. CamDEAG warns “Cambridge is being exploited for financial gain”. Concern has also been expressed about flood risk and food supply5

“You’re introducing another 18,000 people to an area and the assumption is that they will go elsewhere for their cultural and leisure facilities.”

In the Cambridge Independent Newspaper6, Independent Cambridge City Councillor, Sam Davies, expresses her concern about the density of housing proposed and the lack of leisure and social amenity space on the NECAAP development, planned for the existing sewage works site in Milton. “You’re introducing another 18,000 people to an area and the assumption is that they will go elsewhere for their cultural and leisure facilities.” It is widely acknowledged that Milton Road is already at capacity and there is concern about the impact the increase in population in this area will have on our roads7. James Littlewood, Chief executive of Cambridge Past Present and Future, has expressed concerns about the potential impact of thousands of future residents on Milton Country Park. He has told councillors that not enough open space is allocated for future residents8. Councillor Anna Bradnam has also expressed her concerns over lack of sports and Faith facilities and a cemetery9

Concern has also been expressed by our MP Lucy Frazer10 and Councillors Claire Daunton11 and Anna Bradnam about access to the proposed new sewage works site at Honey Hill. All favour option three, a dedicated service from the layby on the A14 to the site. Anglian Water prefers Option 1, on Horningsea Road.

 

Glossary: –

  • NECAAP – North East Cambridge Area Action Plan
  • CPRE – Campaign for the Protection of Rural England
  • FeCRA – Federation of Cambridge Residents’ Associations
  • CamDEAG – The Cambridge Doughnut Economics Action Group

 

  1. Written question to City Council Planning & Transport Scrutiny Committee, 114th Jan 2022 [↩]
  2. Cambridge Independent Jan 12-Jan 18 2022 p9 [↩]
  3. Cambridge Friends of the Earth Facebook page [↩]
  4. https://www.fecra.org.uk/update-14th-december-2021/ [↩]
  5. Cambridge Independent Jan 5-Jan 11 2022 p9 [↩]
  6. Cambridge Independent Newspaper Jan 12th to 18th [↩]
  7. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/new-north-east-cambridge-district-to-have-no-pool-or-sports-9235120/ [↩]
  8. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/8-350-home-north-east-cambridge-plan-will-protect-villages-a-9234459/ [↩]
  9. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/8-350-home-north-east-cambridge-plan-will-protect-villages-a-9234459/ [↩]
  10. https://www.lucyfrazer.org.uk/news/update-cambridge-waste-water-treatment-plant [↩]
  11. Lib Dem Flyer, November 2021 [↩]