Representation by Marc Ridyard
- Date submitted
- 18 July 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I object to the Anglian Water (AW) application for a Development Consent Order to relocate the Cambridge Waste Water Treatment Plant to the area between Horningsea, Fen Ditton and Stow Cum Quy, known as Honey Hill. Claiming that the relocation (Anglian Water has admitted there is no operational need to move the sewage works at Milton, which were recently updated) is a nationally significant infrastructure project whilst placing the burden of access and egress on two tiny village C-roads is outrageous. If this project is of such national significance then a nationally significant road, such as the A14, should bear the brunt of the access and egress points. The ‘very special circumstances’ required to justify relocation of a functional treatment works to this Green Belt location have not been met. Other options exist for development of North East Cambridge and for the provision of housing and jobs that do not require development in the Green Belt, which is inappropriate and by definition harmful. Building on Green Belt is contrary to national and local planning policy. It is there to protect the setting of our historic city and prevent urban sprawl. Honey Hill should have been discounted as an option right from the start because of the Principal Chalk Aquifer which makes it unsuitable for sinking the structures necessary for infrastructure of this kind which would have been far more appropriate for a flat, fenland setting. Anglian Water did not consider whether an upgraded plant on the existing site could address waste water treatment needs. The proposed decommissioning strategy of the Milton site seems woefully inadequate and the environmental impact claims cannot possibly add up when the associated carbon cost of a cement heavy construction is taken into account. This entire project appears to be an extraordinary waste (pun intended) of taxpayer money, £227Million of it!