Representation by Rhian Benstead
- Date submitted
- 9 July 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Why are we using £227 million of taxpayers’ money to fund the completely unnecessary move of a perfectly functionable sewage works from its current location to a green belt area, which is contrary to national and local planning policies. Green belt was given that status for a reason, but that seems to be conveniently being ignored. The existing location has scope to expand and is already equipped up to 2050, whereas the new site is much smaller and on green belt land. Anglian Water admits there is no operational need to move. It’s madness. The disruption will be massive to the area, to the communities and to the wildlife. The construction traffic will make life miserable for those moving around the area, it is already very busy and this will make it much worse. Especially if the construction traffic will be using existing single lane roads and a new slip road off the A14 is not built. Cambridge City Council has an ambition to be carbon net zero by 2030. The impact of the carbon generated by this proposed project is ridiculous and completely goes against the net zero goal. It will have severe consequences to the environment. Are the people responsible for the decision to move comfortable with commissioning the build on a Principal Chalk Aquifer? When there is no real justifiable reason to move the site in the first place. What about the impact on neighbouring sites of Wicken Fen, Quy Fen and the Cambridgeshire Dykes. Remember the image of the gorilla trying to fight the bull dozer from pulling down it’s habitat. This project will unnecessarily destroy the existing environment. There is also the matter of odour affecting local schools, businesses and residents. As well as people trying to get their children to school and getting to work. Can they put themselves in the position of the local residents, if they lived here, would they still be supporting the move? Think long and hard about that!