Comment
Draft North East Cambridge Area Action Plan
Representation ID: 53393
Received: 03/10/2020
Respondent: Mr Jonathan Heath
Access to nature in the north Cambridge area is already fairly limited. Both Milton Country Park and Ditton Meadows/Stourbridge Common do provide open accessible areas where locals can access nature. However both areas are experiencing increasing visitors and general footfall, reaching near capacity. Green areas at Science Park and Bramblefields are also under pressure from surrounding development. Nature in the area is increasingly under pressure.
The recent lockdown has shown that access to nature and green spaces is very important to people. The North East Cambridge plan is rightly trying to reduce car journeys for residents and this will mean more green spaces will need to be accessible by foot. I believe the plan needs to be more ambitious to include more green space and to target a greater than 10% biodiversity gain.
Developments in south Cambridge (Great Kneighton and Trumpington Meadows) have been very successful in incorporating green spaces into their developments. The latter collaborated with the Cambs Wildlife Trust to design wildlife meadows around the site, which has been very successful (this year the rare Small Blue Butterfly has been found breeding on site). Will local conservation bodies be consulted in the North East Cambridge development?
I know space is lacking at this development site and agree housing is a priority. However, the surrounding land at Milton CP and particularly Chesterton Fen could be significantly improved to benefit nature, as well as providing further access to green space for local residents. Certainly there is the potential to design ponds and include long grasses and wildflowers on this land (similar to what has been created at Great Kneighton and Trumpington Meadows), which will greatly benefit local nature and mitigate the negative effects towards biodiversity from the development.
Access to nature in the north Cambridge area is already fairly limited. Both Milton Country Park and Ditton Meadows/Stourbridge Common do provide open accessible areas where locals can access nature. However both areas are experiencing increasing visitors and general footfall, reaching near capacity. Green areas at Science Park and Bramblefields are also under pressure from surrounding development. Nature in the area is increasingly under pressure.
The recent lockdown has shown that access to nature and green spaces is very important to people. The North East Cambridge plan is rightly trying to reduce car journeys for residents and this will mean more green spaces will need to be accessible by foot. I believe the plan needs to be more ambitious to include more green space and to target a greater than 10% biodiversity gain.
Developments in south Cambridge (Great Kneighton and Trumpington Meadows) have been very successful in incorporating green spaces into their developments. The latter collaborated with the Cambs Wildlife Trust to design wildlife meadows around the site, which has been very successful (this year the rare Small Blue Butterfly has been found breeding on site). Will local conservation bodies be consulted in the North East Cambridge development?
I know space is lacking at this development site and agree housing is a priority. However, the surrounding land at Milton CP and particularly Chesterton Fen could be significantly improved to benefit nature, as well as providing further access to green space for local residents. Certainly there is the potential to design ponds and include long grasses and wildflowers on this land (similar to what has been created at Great Kneighton and Trumpington Meadows), which will greatly benefit local nature and mitigate the negative effects towards biodiversity from the development.