The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Council leAder dubs home plAn ‘vAndAlism’
Development would be ‘environmental vandalism’ says city council leader
Building 2,500 homes in Peterborough countryside would be “environmental vandalism” according to the leader of the city council. Councillor John Holdich has criticised Peterborough City Council’s proposals for a new development just north of Castor and Ailsworth.
North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara has also hit out at the council, claiming it should be “embarrassed” by its consultation on the scheme.
Joining the leading Tories intheiroppositionistheWildlife Trust which claims the housing development would cause a “serious negative impact” for the nearby Castor Hanglands nature reserve.
Cllr Holdich represents Castor ward on the council and warned that the developmentwould“destroythenatural beauty” of the area.
The council leader, who said he made his reputation in 1977 fighting off proposals for a Castor township, also believes a major development would have ramifications for commuters, with an influx of traffic coming into the city centre through Thorpe Road.
He said: “Thorpe Road is pretty chocker now. This would have an adverse effect onthe WestwardofPeterborough.”
Askedaboutbeingopposed to his own council’s proposal, Cllr Holdich replied: “I’m not in trouble yet because it’s a consultation. It’s not council policy yet.
“But, if it goesaheadwewill doourbestto protect whatwe have here.”
Theproposedsettlementis included in a draft Peterborough Local Plan.
The plan states that new developments were based on findings from the council’s GrowthStrategyEvidenceReport. However, that report has not yet been finished.
MrVara, avocalcritic ofthe development, wrotetocouncil chief executive Gillian Beasley saying: “That the Growth StrategyEvidenceReportdoes not yet exist makesamockery of the consultation, and such a glaring omission is frankly embarrassingforthecouncil.”
The council said it post- poned publishing the report as it is continuing to gather evidence for it.
Aconsultation onthedraft plan has now finished, and a council spokesman said the comments will help formulate a fully developed local plan which will be released in May. He added that residents will then have more opportunities to comment.
The proposed new settlement, called the ‘Great Kyne,’ also includes plans for a new country park, employment land and a cemetery.
However, the Wildlife TrusthaswrittentothePeterborough Telegraph to speak out against the plans.
See Letters on pages 36-37