From the Cambridge News
Plans for a council to buy a rundown Travellers’ site have won support.
The £1.1 million project to purchase and refurbish the nine plots at Grassy Corner, off Fen Road in Chesterton, will now be considered at a full meeting of South Cambridgeshire District Council after it was backed by cabinet members.
The council wants to offer the pitches to Travellers on its housing waiting list.
The Government has already pledged £500,000 and another £300,000 is hoped for.
Cllr Mark Howell, the cabinet member for housing, said: “We have already had some very positive feedback from residents from the travelling and settled communities during our initial discussions but as with all development we know there are a number of concerns we will need to address.
“We are very committed to working with everyone locally and if councillors put a budget in place to take the project forward later this month we will begin to work on the finer details of the project which will include us consulting fully.
“We have a legal duty to provide pitches to meet the needs of growing families currently living in the district and investment in Grassy Corner would transform it for the benefit of everyone living nearby as well as people who could live there in the future. Without investment replacement pitches would be needed elsewhere in the district.”
Cllr Ian Manning, who represents East Chesterton on Cambridgeshire County Council, spoke at the meeting and called for city residents to be consulted.
He said: “Fen Road is a dead end, so any changes made at the South Cambs end inevitably affect the residents of the East Chesterton end.
“I’ve approached the cabinet so we can start to try and work together. I want to make sure that all residents feel adequately consulted over changes.”
The council meets on September 26.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.