Issue 2 Merehamnewsletter Inquiry starts at the Arkenstall Centre in Haddenham on 9th October The fight against Mereham continues The last three weeks have seen intensive work in the continued fight against the Mereham development. A team of planning officers and legal experts have been putting together the case against the development to concentrate on the areas which they believe will defeat the appeal. East Cambridgeshire District Council is going to focus on four main areas. 1) Mereham is simply not Looking towards Haddenham from the River Great Ouse necessary. The District is on target to reach its’ allocation 2) Mereham would bring an simply result in local roads of new homes as part of estimated 12,000 people to being clogged with additional the Local Development the district and an additional traffic with no outlet onto major Framework, the forward plan 14,500 vehicles to our roads. routes or a dedicated transport for East Cambridgeshire. Over The Developer has failed system such as the train or 8,600 homes are already to show that the proposed guided bus. planned for the district by infrastructure improvements 2021 which meets growth rate are realistic and adequate 3) The location of Mereham requirements set by Central to cope with the increased is entirely unsuitable for a Government. The 5,000 numbers of people and traffic development on the A10 new homes at Mereham are generated as a result of the corridor. The aim of new large therefore not needed. development. Their plans will scale developments should East Cambridgeshire District Council 2 be that they are close to as it is also known, is the These main arguments the centres of employment document that all authorities in together with more detailed areas, have good transport the region must work towards points will form the basis of links and are sustainable. for the future. Nowhere in this the Council’s fight against Mereham meets none of plan is there reference to a the Mereham development. these criteria and far from need for a new development Numerous businesses, improving the economy of East on this scale in East organisations and individuals Cambridgeshire, it will blight it. Cambridgeshire; Mereham is support the arguments put therefore unnecessary and forward by the Council and 4) The East of England Plan contrary to wider plans for the will attend the Inquiry to make or Regional Spatial Strategy development of the region. their views clear. How will Mereham affect your drive to work? Driving to Cambridge on the This is due to Twenty Pence Road is going inadequate to be a whole new congested transport experience if the proposed provision Mereham development wins made by the its appeal. developers of Mereham to The latest figures reveal that develop the on an average weekday, over road network 5,500 cars use the B1049 to take into between Wilburton and account the proposed at potential hazard locations’ Cottenham – this quadruples increase in traffic which 5,000 which would drive more to over 24,000 as vehicles new homes would create. vehicles onto the heavily pass through Histon and congested A10. Impington. Even the stretch of Mereham’s own website says: road between Haddenham and ”The conclusion of the traffic Councillor Bill Hunt, District Wilburton carries 9,400 cars modelling is that only the and County Councillor for every working day. Multiplex Stretham Roundabout shows Stretham and Haddenham, Stannifer have made only minor any additional congestion said: “I estimate that if provisions in their planning as a direct result of the Mereham went ahead, it application for improvements or development of Mereham would take at least ten years changes to the Twenty Pence and this is not significant. to complete. That could be Road, one of which is signage All junctions analysed will ten years of hell for local at the Wilburton junction to still experience a degree of residents. Just imagine how direct Cambridge traffic onto congestion after Mereham has many eight-wheel lorries the A10!. been completed, but delays bringing gravel from Block in general will be kept at or Fen Mepal would have to Whether it is a route to below the levels which would come through Witcham Toll, work, a shopping trip or a be experienced if the new Haddenham and Wilburton. I short cut to the A14, many community did not go ahead. “ estimate that traffic levels for residents of Fenland and East HGVs bringing aggregates Cambridgeshire will find their The website goes onto through the villages could hit journeys will become subject suggest potential ‘traffic at least ten per hour.” to heavier and increasingly calming measures along the slow and jammed traffic. B1049 Twenty Pence Road 3 Join the fight! Developers • Sign the Downing Street Petition by following the link from submit new www.haddenham.org.uk • Register your objections to the proposal by writing to the following: evidence 1) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: with weeks Hazel Blears MP, Jubilee House, 51 The Crescent Salford, M5 4WX to go 2) The Planning Inspectorate, Room 4/04 Kite, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Multiplex have submitted Bristol, BS1 6PN over 300 pages of extra 3) Editor, The Ely Standard, 38 Market Street information on their Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS proposals with only one 4) The Barton Willmore Planning Partnership month to go before the 1 High Street, Chesterton, Cambs, CB4 1WB Inquiry. (Multiplex Stannifer Agents) • Sign the petition in post offices at Wilburton, Stretham, The extra evidence has only Haddenham or on the Ely Market stall on Saturday just been made public and September 22nd and 29th means that the District and • Register your wish to speak at the Inquiry by emailing County Council will have to Lynette Duncan at [email protected] examine the new documents or by calling her on 01403 217 799 in the remaining days before • Download, print and display a Say NO to Mereham poster at the 9th October. www.eastcambs.gov.uk/mereham • Buy and display a Say NO to Mereham sign by calling Julie Councillor Phillip Parr on 01353 741 380 Read, Chairman of the • Collect and display a car sticker from the Ely Standard office Planning Committee at at 38 Market Street, Ely East Cambridgeshire • Volunteer your services to help with the various District Council, said: “It demonstrations or take on campaign tasks by contacting is unbelievable that the Julie Parr on 01353 741 380 developer should submit so much evidence with so little time to go before the Inquiry Together we will win begins in October. There are over 300 pages of detailed information which officers and lawyers are now having Tell Gordon Brown what to work through. you think of Mereham “This is simply not good enough. Whether the The Haddenham ‘Say no to Mereham’ group have registered developer thinks this will put an online petition on Number 10 Downing Street’s website in the them at an advantage I don’t fight against Mereham. Click on www.haddenham.org.uk and know but everyone fighting follow the links to register your support for the fight against the the Mereham development development. will make sure they are ready to go come the 9th Members of the Public can also contact their Parish Councils who October.” should be able to supply them with ‘Say No to Mereham’ signs. 4 Your guide to appearing at the Inquiry Appearing at a Planning addresses areas that are seeing if there are others who Inquiry can be a daunting relevant to the decision and will be sharing your argument. experience for anyone whether that the Inspector can take into they are an experienced account. It should cover the If this is the case you should lawyer or a local campaigner. impact the development will discuss your planned The most important thing is to make on your lifestyle, home arguments to see if one get your message across in or business. It is important that person speaking would be the best way possible. your argument is not lost in more effective. Make sure that emotion – that will not win the whoever does the speaking To do this you should first case against Mereham – cold makes it clear that they are register your intention to hard facts will. representing a number of speak with the Programme people – the more people the Officer for the Mereham The Inspector will not want to better! Inquiry at: lynetteduncan@ hear a repetition of arguments personaassociates.co.uk. but will be looking for different The key thing to remember is Once this is done you will be reasons from people as to why that you are entitled to have given a time slot during the Mereham should not be built. your say. Be clear, concise and Inquiry which is expected to Ideally, this means speaking informative and try to remain last six weeks. to people you know are also factual rather than emotional. It is important that the giving evidence or talking to argument you present your local Parish Council and Contacts East Cambridgeshire District Council: Telephone number: 01353 665555 Giles Hughes, Head of Planning and Economic Development: [email protected] Councillor Philip Read - Sutton ward - 01353 778603 Councillor Bill Hunt - Stretham ward - 01353 663732 Councillor John Seaman MBE - Stretham ward - 01353 740477 Councillor Ian Allen - Haddenham - 01353 664993 Councillor Gareth Wilson - Haddenham - 01353 740617 Councillor Pauline Wilson - Haddenham - 01353 740617 Cambridgeshire County Council: Telephone number: 0845 045 5200 Mark Vigor, Head of Strategic Planning: [email protected] Planning Inspectorate: The Customer Support Line on 0117 372 6372 To gain your right to speak at the inquiry, email the Programme Officer who has been appointed for this inquiry, Lynette Duncan at Persona Associates at: [email protected].