17:12 Thursday 14th January 2016
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
DAVE WEBSTER: South Cambridgeshire District Council have refused planning permission for 144 homes in Waterbeach. The decision was made when a planning committee met yesterday. That committee also turned down another planning application for up to 76 homes in Foxton, 40% of which would have been affordable housing. Well with the pressure on housing in South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge at unprecedented levels, let’s find out why, because we’re being told that new homes need to be built. In fact David Cameron recently announced that that’s exactly what he would be doing and is completely behind the project, especially affordable homes. Well councillor Lynda Harford, who’s the Chairman of the Planning Committee on South Cambridgeshire District Council and also represents Cottenham joins us now. Good afternoon Lynda.
LYNDA HARFORD: Good afternoon Dave
“..they have these loopholes as you call them to jump through and bring forward these speculative applications.”
DAVE WEBSTER: So these planning applications, let’s deal with the one in Waterbeach first of all. Why were those 144 homes refused?
LYNDA HARFORD: You will recall that the original application for that site was refused by Planning Committee, who were trying at that point to support a South Cambs policy, or draft policy in the Local Plan, which wanted that piece of land to remain green open space, to protect the integrity of Waterbeach village from any huge new development. So those original 90 were given permission at appeal by an Inspector. Yesterday Committee was asked to consider a new proposal from the developer, increasing the amount of housing there by some 60%. So going from 90 houses to 144.
DAVE WEBSTER: So did you find this was just too much, it was just pushing you over the edge?
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