The land is not in the Green Belt and is owned by one of the Cambridge colleges. It is outside the village envelope - though it is next to it. The proposal would be for houses of different types, with 40% of them being affordable, and those being managed by one of the housing associations.
Points made to the developers, who will put their bid in in next month to the district council, is that Royston Rd itself and the crossroads with Duxford Rd and Station Rd is increasingly busy and with the commuter cars the road is also too narrow. Other points included what would happen to the trees planted by the parish council along the road. People welcomed the play space included in the design.
The presence of great crested newts was raised. They are definitely there!
I asked what would happen to the very tip of this triangle of land, all of which is owned by the college but isn't included in this proposal - it might well come forward as a small development of under a certain number so there would be no money coming with it and no affordable houses. I asked that the developers go back to the college to find out their intentions for the whole site.
As the houses will be within walking distance of the station I am sure they will sell - even though so close to the A505.
If approved - and it probably will be - the development does one other thing - it grows the number of houses at Whittlesford Bridge (ie that part of the village which has the A505 to its south and is linked to the main village by Duxford Road). I have asked that we cost out what an improved cycle path would cost to improve access between the two settlements.
I have agreed with South Cambs planning dept. that it will meet now with the parish council to take a strategic view of the three sites being developed: the scrapyard site at Station Rd and the two sites on Royston Rd (ie this one and one nearer to Duxford Road. Totally nearly 100 extra houses over the next 5 years.
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