Representation by Douglas Peter William Russell
- Date submitted
- 17 July 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I believe there are a number of reasons that relocation of the sewage works should not go ahead, any one of which should be compelling enough, but together are overwhelmingly strong reasons not to move it. Firstly, building on green belt land is contrary to national and local planning policies. Claiming the move is essential infrastructure is disingenuous because the current sewage works is adequate and could easily be upgraded for future capacity. As there is a plan to build houses on the vacated brownfield site, this is tantamount to building a housing estate on green belt land, but much worse because of the size and magnitude of the new works. Honey Hill is a beautiful area which is a classic part of Cambridge's northern approach. Building an immense structure there (which can't even be sunk into the ground like most sewage works at this site because of the principal chalk aquifer) is going to strongly detract from that. It's also teeming with wildlife and an integral part of fens that need to be preserved. This will be destroyed by the works. People also make frequent use of this area, walking dogs, running, cycling or just enjoying nature. Claims that people will flock to the site to use paths built around the sewage works site are pure fantasy, nobody goes to nature to be near a multi storey building full of human waste. So effectively this area that is used for recreation and preservation will be lost. The construction and operational traffic of the site is going to overwhelm the already overburdened local infrastructure and happens to lie directly between Horningsea and the local primary school in Fen Ditton. Many children cycle to school, but I'm certain that with a large increase in very heavy traffic, that will cease to be the case. It's going to be dangerous for adults cycling and walking along this popular route as well. The Honey Hill site is prime agricultural land, and in times of growing food insecurity, it seems illogical to be sacrificing it. Moving the sewage works is going to be an enormous endeavour with a very high environmental cost. Immense amounts of carbon will be emitted. As we try and achieve net zero as a country and across the globe, funding projects that emit carbon which are not absolutely essential makes no sense. Government funding should really be reserved for projects that actually benefit the public. This project does not. It is clearly the right thing to do to leave the sewage works where it is, free up public money to be invested elsewhere, and consequently avoid a huge negative impact to both the local and global environment.