Representation by HELEN FRANCES SANTILLY
- Date submitted
- 14 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
To build on Agricultural green belt is not in keeping with national or local planning policy. This project is not of national importance and should not be allowed on this beautiful greenbelt which wicken fen nature reserve had ear marked to extend the reserve as part of Wicken Fen Vision. They were not even officially told about the proposed development. South Cambridgeshire council and Cambridge City wish to move the sewage works to make way for high density housing. Both Cambridge city and South Cambridgeshire have many vacant houses some which are new but not selling, particularly in south cambs where estates like Northstowe are still being built but not bought. Housing Infrastructure fund (HIF) is for housing it is not there to support a rich private company to move a sewage works that was only updated a few years back at the customer's expense. It is not there to move a sewage works to precious greenbelt. The existing works does not need to be moved and can be updated in situ. The new works cannot be carbon neutral the old works will be carbon heavy to clean up and the new works will be cement heavy. The land is not just polluted but all the current buildings and cement etc will need to be moved. Already the possibility of moving to greenbelt has meant work has been undertaken which has disrupted nature. Particulary the large population of Skylarks which breed on this land every year. these birds are red listed, these breeding birds, nest less than one meter each side of the existing single lane track. Huge heavy lorries drove along next to the nests to move a few hundred metres further into the site. These heavy noisy vehicles definitely disturbed last years birds. It was a sorry sight. It has been stated that this lovely greenbelt is devoid of wildlife due to intensive farming. This is blatantly untrue. This site is red listed on geological magic maps. This means that the aquifer there is in danger of being polluted. This means that farmers are restricted in what they are allowed to use, farmers have treated this land with great care. Of the sites they chose this one was the only one marked red on the magic maps this is due to risk of pollution.This alone should have discounted this site immediately. it is a totally unsuitable place for a sewage works, An independent survey of insects and bees has been done on this site for over 20 years. We see foxes, deer, hares, badgers (Sets close to the track) and other small mammals which regularly use the ditches and hedges which have been there for years and years. Building on here will destroy these nature pathways. As well as Skylarks and other small birds many different birds of prey hunt and live here, owls are numerous and they hunt and nest in the area. Due to the presence of the principal chalk aquifer, the buildings cannot be buried 50% as they currently are on the present site. Defra state this land has an increased risk of water contamination. Some residents in Horningsea use wells fed by this aquifer. I am sure you will hear from many scientists and geologists that this will not prevent pollution of the nearby area of Special scientifc interest (SSI) nor of the current Wicken Fen reserve to the east. The height of buildings varied on the proposal but some will be as tall as the pylons. (taller than our village church) but pylons are a totally different dimension and on the whole do not restrict views. These digestors are like massive upside down buckets and will have several times the impact of a pylon. This is totally unsuitable for a Fen landscape. Horningsea has a conservation area which is compromised by this proposal. Denny Abbey close to proposed site is historically important. The existing works were updated a few years ago at increased cost to all water users. Approaching Cambridge from the east the current first sight is this attractive agricultural Fenland. With this proposal it will be an eyesore of buildings as high as the pylons but certainly not as invisible. This is not in keeping with the historical nature of Cambridge nor with the Fen landscape. They will be like enormous upturned buckets. A definite blot on fen landscape. At night the whole site will be floodlit just 200m from Horningsea village and as close to Fen Ditton and the primary school. This in itself will ruin the wildlife such as owls and bats which are seen regularly. It is surprising that surveys do not reflect the abundance of wildlife we see on our walks. Just a walk up there will show anyone how the wildlife enjoy this area. This will be totally out of keeping on a Fen landscape even with a 'Bund" around it. 25 feet of soil is not going to mask these massive buildings. A sewage works can not improve on hundreds of years of greenbelt. All this to grab HIF funding. The Consultation clearly stated that HIF funding would not be supplemented from any other source to make improvements to the structure. It will not be state of the art. Honey Hill has been chosen as it is the closest site to existing pipes and is the cheapest option. . We are concerned for the animals and for the loss of precious greenbelt which was a welcome break duing covid. Cambridgeshire is losing greenbelt daily. The density of proposed housing is great and with so many moving away from cities and towns is not appropriate at this time. A few green spaces are not going to make up for the loss of beautiful greenbelt nor for the loss of nature due to light pollution. Currently the road off the A14 leads to a B road to the South towards Fen Ditton and the Primary School. To the North towards Horningsea this is an unclasified road, it is proposed that hundreds of heavy lorries day and night will use this to access the site. Our children cycle just short of two miles to school along the cycle path alongside this unclassified road and across two slip roads of the A14, bringing this sort of traffic off at junction 34 is totally unacceptable. The whole project is unacceptable. The consultation results showed 27 per cent of participants either supported or strongly supported relocating the waste water treatment works, 53 per cent either did not support or strongly opposed relocation, and 20 per cent were neither supportive or unsupportive. There was no option to choose leave it where it is. This was a previous option about 8-10 years ago when Honey Hill was proposed and deemed to be unsuitable. It is now a cheap option with HIF money being offered to smooth the way.