Lib Dems attack plans which could swallow Green Belt farmland (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

Lib Dems attack plans which could swallow Green Belt farmland

January 28, 2010 6:19 PM

Sian Reid

Angry Cambridge Lib Dems have attacked proposals for development on prominent Green Belt farmland to the south of the City.

They fear if building were to take place on land south of Glebe Farm and the Addenbrooke's Access Road and on land to the south east of the city between Wort's Causeway and Fulbourn Road, it would damage the city setting.

The two sites have been proposed to the East of England Regional Assembly in response to its recent consultation on plans for the East of England to 2031, despite the fact that a government inspector rejected building on part of the Wort's Causeway site for the 2006 Local Plan.

Cambridge Executive Councillor for Change and Growth, Sian Reid said: "Plans in the pipeline under the 2006 plan are enough to satisfy the needs of the city and enough for the city to cope with. We need to focus on getting that right and not to be distracted with these silly plans and fights.

"it is vital that we keep a lid on growth so that we don't destroy the city setting. These are areas of prime open arable land in the Green Belt and must not be considered as possible building sites."

Lib Dems claim the Addenbrooke's Access Road is a "sensible Green Belt boundary". The road was designed to serve the hospital and its expansion, which brings the promise of new jobs, and not as a housing estate link road, they claim.

They also believe the land south of Glebe Road is too close to the M11 which would cause serious disruption to people living on the site.

Building on land between the Wort's Causeway and Fulbourn Road would add to the already congested local roads network and access to Addenbrooke's