Picking the right site for us

In order to fully consider whether a site is right for the group and the wider community around Cambridge, we have put together the attached Site Selection Criteria (thanks to James Shorten and Debbie Wildridge et al), which considers our agreed vision, ethos, and wider issues in determining the criteria to judge any potential site, and to help all of us in considering whether we would like to be part of the community in any proposed location.

cclt site criteria 20151118

As a steering group we have been actively searching for sites for the last 6 months and have /continue to speak with landowners all around Cambridge. The site that is currently closest to fulfilling the CCLT site criteria is in Whaddon.

Please do read through the following brief report and leave your comments/ indicate your support or not, as we can only move forward with developing the village on this site with enough support.DSCF0744

Whaddon  on google maps

Debbie Wildridge’s short report (with my input) on her/my visit to Whaddon.

The landowner is Ken Green a retired farmer  in his 80s. His son runs the 9 hole golf course in the village, along with a community shop/post office and bar in the club house.

Ken seems to own quite a bit of the village in pockets of grazing, and is well known to all in the village.

 

Ken is interested in building two retirement bungalows – one for himself and one for a friend which would be somewhere near the entrance (the view of the gates is taken from the first entrance. Otherwise the only near neighbour is Bumpkins which is in the old Methodist chapel.)

Ken has only spoken to South Cambs (SCDC) once about the idea of building on the site (for his bungalows) and they were not keen so he didn’t pursue it further. We will be consulting with SCDC in order to get their opinion on the liklehood of planning permission being granted.

He is not thinking of selling the land other than to CCLT, and is very open and supportive of our vision and ethos.

The site is a good one – 20 acres, sloping from left to right slightly as viewed from the road. South facing in my pictures across the meadow with the fencing in the foreground. It has two entrances from the road but one is on a fairly sharp curve. There are views towards Cambridge across the fields as the site is the highest point in the village.

The site is currently used for grazing horses, and the soil quality and depth is very good. (I am not sure of the soil type at this point)

The site is bounded by trees on all sides, but aside from that is a blank canvas, allowing for the potential implementation of all our design elements.

Neighbours -The neighbouring gardens are backing up from houses on the Meldreth road and there is a good break of shrubs and trees between them and the site.

The village of Whaddon is small but it’s parish council have identified the need for at least 6 affordable homes in their housing needs survey, along with community facilities particularly for children and teenagers.

There are two primary schools nearby in Orwell and Meldreth and a large secondary school

Public/ green transport – Meldreth and Royston railway station are quite close and allow access by train either into Cambridge (and London), and it is possible to cycle or bus to the station. It is 12 miles from central Cambridge.

The only fly in the ointment may be the distance from Cambridge, but the proximity to two railway stations, means access to Cambridge within 30 minutes if you cycled to the station. Train times to Cambridge are between 14-20 minutes.

In order to fully consider whether a site is right for the group and the wider community around Cambridge, we have put together the attached Site Selection Criteria (thanks to James Shorten and Debbie Wildridge et al), which considers our agreed vision, ethos, and wider issues in determining the criteria to judge any potential site, and to help all of us in considering whether we would like to be part of the community in any proposed location.

cclt site criteria 20151118

Please do add your comments on the Whaddon site to the form below, and please indicate if you would be interested in being a resident there if it were to go ahead.

Whaddon is not the only site we are considering but it does have the greatest potential in the opinion of the CCLT steering group.

2 Comments

  1. Helen Holmes on 10th December 2015 at 6:12 pm

    Nice that Whaddon site is close to train station. What sort of food shops are in Whaddon itself? Looks like a nice area, Bassingbourn had an active Transition group last I heard a few years back. Thanks for the update.

    • damien on 10th December 2015 at 6:30 pm

      Whaddon only has a small general store in the golf club, as there is a supermarket very close in Royston. I hope that we could develop a small shop selling whatever we produce (and other items) in the eco village – food, crafts, art, etc. Simon Saggers is in Bassingbourn, Green Party candidate and smallholder of Guilden Gate. Hugh went to view this site in the summer.

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