Draft Greater Cambridge Local Plan for consultation

Once again, given the blythe assumption of the 'need' for ever increasing 'economic growth' in the region, Cambridge Friends of the Earth refuses to respond in full to this 'consultation'. We feel that doing so would, potentially, provide credibility to the edicts driving the creation of this Local Plan, edicits issued by a government so environmentally and socially ignorant, so devoid of any breadth of vison, that it's leader, when confronted by the potential damage his Planning and infrastructure Bill could wreck on our environment can do no more than issue inane soundbites such as “build, baby, build” and brand people who want a say over how their neighbourhoods are developed as “time-wasting nimbys”, “blockers” and “zealots”.

There is a quote, attributed to Kenneth Boulding and popularised by Sir David Attenborough that "anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist". Given the continual push for growth in the region, far in excess of its ecological, environmental and social limits, do we have to assume that the Local Plan is beng promoted by madmen, economists or, quite possibly, mad economists?
Can those promoting this Local Plan and the 'Growth Agenda' tell us exactly how the thousands of proposed new houses will be supplied with water, given that approval for a new reservoir has, apprently, been delayed as neither Anglia Water or Cambridge water can explain how they can fill it with fresh water.

Our region has extremely low rainfall and our chalk aquifer, feeding our rare and precious chalk streams, is being over abstracted by millions of litres of water a day. Why has this headlong push for 'growth' in the region not been halted until this fundamental isuue has been fully resolved and how can we possibly believe all of the bland pronouncements in the Local Plan regarding the promotion and protection of biodiversity.

The world has never been more connected in terms of communication and transport links and yet we are told to believe that the hi-tech industries Cambridge specialises in all have to be located in proximity to each other, with all of the attendant increases in housing and infrastructure requirements, in the manner of 19th Century manufacturing, clustering in proximity to sources of coal and iron ore.

Why is central government, the driving force behind the need for this Local Plan, not considering other areas of the country, devestated by de-indstrialisation for more inward investment?

Which residents decided that thousands of new houses for sale are needed or wanted in the region? How many of these will be available for genuine social rent? We, again, notice that the number of houses planned in and around the City far exceeds the size of the City Council's Social housing waiting list; how likely is the proposed development bonanza likely to reduce this list to zero? We strongly question the blythe overall assumption that 'growth' is inevitably a good thing for the region and question who benenfits from this? A rising tide may well lift all boats, but that assumes everyone can afford a boat.

In summary, Cambridge Friends of the Earth, yet again, cannot and will not provide a veneer of democratic accountability by participating in yet another Consultation to, effectively, enable further environmental and social destruction of our region to placate the voracious appetttes of developers and landowners and the policies of an environmentally and socially ignorant administration, who can see no further than the next election.

Once again, given the blythe assumption of the 'need' for ever increasing 'economic growth' in the region, Cambridge Friends of the Earth refuses to respond in full to this 'consultation'. We feel that doing so would, potentially, provide credibility to the edicts driving the creation of this Local Plan, edicits issued by a government so environmentally and socially ignorant, so devoid of any breadth of vison, that it's leader, when confronted by the potential damage his Planning and infrastructure Bill could wreck on our environment can do no more than issue inane soundbites such as “build, baby, build” and brand people who want a say over how their neighbourhoods are developed as “time-wasting nimbys”, “blockers” and “zealots”.

There is a quote, attributed to Kenneth Boulding and popularised by Sir David Attenborough that "anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist". Given the continual push for growth in the region, far in excess of its ecological, environmental and social limits, do we have to assume that the Local Plan is beng promoted by madmen, economists or, quite possibly, mad economists?
Can those promoting this Local Plan and the 'Growth Agenda' tell us exactly how the thousands of proposed new houses will be supplied with water, given that approval for a new reservoir has, apprently, been delayed as neither Anglia Water or Cambridge water can explain how they can fill it with fresh water.

Our region has extremely low rainfall and our chalk aquifer, feeding our rare and precious chalk streams, is being over abstracted by millions of litres of water a day. Why has this headlong push for 'growth' in the region not been halted until this fundamental isuue has been fully resolved and how can we possibly believe all of the bland pronouncements in the Local Plan regarding the promotion and protection of biodiversity.

The world has never been more connected in terms of communication and transport links and yet we are told to believe that the hi-tech industries Cambridge specialises in all have to be located in proximity to each other, with all of the attendant increases in housing and infrastructure requirements, in the manner of 19th Century manufacturing, clustering in proximity to sources of coal and iron ore.

Why is central government, the driving force behind the need for this Local Plan, not considering other areas of the country, devestated by de-indstrialisation for more inward investment?

Which residents decided that thousands of new houses for sale are needed or wanted in the region? How many of these will be available for genuine social rent? We, again, notice that the number of houses planned in and around the City far exceeds the size of the City Council's Social housing waiting list; how likely is the proposed development bonanza likely to reduce this list to zero? We strongly question the blythe overall assumption that 'growth' is inevitably a good thing for the region and question who benenfits from this? A rising tide may well lift all boats, but that assumes everyone can afford a boat.

In summary, Cambridge Friends of the Earth, yet again, cannot and will not provide a veneer of democratic accountability by participating in yet another Consultation to, effectively, enable further environmental and social destruction of our region to placate the voracious appetttes of developers and landowners and the policies of an environmentally and socially ignorant administration, who can see no further than the next election.

Once again, given the blythe assumption of the 'need' for ever increasing 'economic growth' in the region, Cambridge Friends of the Earth refuses to respond in full to this 'consultation'. We feel that doing so would, potentially, provide credibility to the edicts driving the creation of this Local Plan, edicits issued by a government so environmentally and socially ignorant, so devoid of any breadth of vison, that it's leader, when confronted by the potential damage his Planning and infrastructure Bill could wreck on our environment can do no more than issue inane soundbites such as “build, baby, build” and brand people who want a say over how their neighbourhoods are developed as “time-wasting nimbys”, “blockers” and “zealots”.

There is a quote, attributed to Kenneth Boulding and popularised by Sir David Attenborough that "anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist". Given the continual push for growth in the region, far in excess of its ecological, environmental and social limits, do we have to assume that the Local Plan is beng promoted by madmen, economists or, quite possibly, mad economists?
Can those promoting this Local Plan and the 'Growth Agenda' tell us exactly how the thousands of proposed new houses will be supplied with water, given that approval for a new reservoir has, apprently, been delayed as neither Anglia Water or Cambridge water can explain how they can fill it with fresh water.

Our region has extremely low rainfall and our chalk aquifer, feeding our rare and precious chalk streams, is being over abstracted by millions of litres of water a day. Why has this headlong push for 'growth' in the region not been halted until this fundamental isuue has been fully resolved and how can we possibly believe all of the bland pronouncements in the Local Plan regarding the promotion and protection of biodiversity.

The world has never been more connected in terms of communication and transport links and yet we are told to believe that the hi-tech industries Cambridge specialises in all have to be located in proximity to each other, with all of the attendant increases in housing and infrastructure requirements, in the manner of 19th Century manufacturing, clustering in proximity to sources of coal and iron ore.

Why is central government, the driving force behind the need for this Local Plan, not considering other areas of the country, devestated by de-indstrialisation for more inward investment?

Which residents decided that thousands of new houses for sale are needed or wanted in the region? How many of these will be available for genuine social rent? We, again, notice that the number of houses planned in and around the City far exceeds the size of the City Council's Social housing waiting list; how likely is the proposed development bonanza likely to reduce this list to zero? We strongly question the blythe overall assumption that 'growth' is inevitably a good thing for the region and question who benenfits from this? A rising tide may well lift all boats, but that assumes everyone can afford a boat.

In summary, Cambridge Friends of the Earth, yet again, cannot and will not provide a veneer of democratic accountability by participating in yet another Consultation to, effectively, enable further environmental and social destruction of our region to placate the voracious appetttes of developers and landowners and the policies of an environmentally and socially ignorant administration, who can see no further than the next election.

Once again, given the blythe assumption of the 'need' for ever increasing 'economic growth' in the region, Cambridge Friends of the Earth refuses to respond in full to this 'consultation'. We feel that doing so would, potentially, provide credibility to the edicts driving the creation of this Local Plan, edicits issued by a government so environmentally and socially ignorant, so devoid of any breadth of vison, that it's leader, when confronted by the potential damage his Planning and infrastructure Bill could wreck on our environment can do no more than issue inane soundbites such as “build, baby, build” and brand people who want a say over how their neighbourhoods are developed as “time-wasting nimbys”, “blockers” and “zealots”.

There is a quote, attributed to Kenneth Boulding and popularised by Sir David Attenborough that "anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist". Given the continual push for growth in the region, far in excess of its ecological, environmental and social limits, do we have to assume that the Local Plan is beng promoted by madmen, economists or, quite possibly, mad economists?
Can those promoting this Local Plan and the 'Growth Agenda' tell us exactly how the thousands of proposed new houses will be supplied with water, given that approval for a new reservoir has, apprently, been delayed as neither Anglia Water or Cambridge water can explain how they can fill it with fresh water.

Our region has extremely low rainfall and our chalk aquifer, feeding our rare and precious chalk streams, is being over abstracted by millions of litres of water a day. Why has this headlong push for 'growth' in the region not been halted until this fundamental isuue has been fully resolved and how can we possibly believe all of the bland pronouncements in the Local Plan regarding the promotion and protection of biodiversity.

The world has never been more connected in terms of communication and transport links and yet we are told to believe that the hi-tech industries Cambridge specialises in all have to be located in proximity to each other, with all of the attendant increases in housing and infrastructure requirements, in the manner of 19th Century manufacturing, clustering in proximity to sources of coal and iron ore.

Why is central government, the driving force behind the need for this Local Plan, not considering other areas of the country, devestated by de-indstrialisation for more inward investment?

Which residents decided that thousands of new houses for sale are needed or wanted in the region? How many of these will be available for genuine social rent? We, again, notice that the number of houses planned in and around the City far exceeds the size of the City Council's Social housing waiting list; how likely is the proposed development bonanza likely to reduce this list to zero? We strongly question the blythe overall assumption that 'growth' is inevitably a good thing for the region and question who benenfits from this? A rising tide may well lift all boats, but that assumes everyone can afford a boat.

In summary, Cambridge Friends of the Earth, yet again, cannot and will not provide a veneer of democratic accountability by participating in yet another Consultation to, effectively, enable further environmental and social destruction of our region to placate the voracious appetttes of developers and landowners and the policies of an environmentally and socially ignorant administration, who can see no further than the next election.

Once again, given the blythe assumption of the 'need' for ever increasing 'economic growth' in the region, Cambridge Friends of the Earth refuses to respond in full to this 'consultation'. We feel that doing so would, potentially, provide credibility to the edicts driving the creation of this Local Plan, edicits issued by a government so environmentally and socially ignorant, so devoid of any breadth of vison, that it's leader, when confronted by the potential damage his Planning and infrastructure Bill could wreck on our environment can do no more than issue inane soundbites such as “build, baby, build” and brand people who want a say over how their neighbourhoods are developed as “time-wasting nimbys”, “blockers” and “zealots”.

There is a quote, attributed to Kenneth Boulding and popularised by Sir David Attenborough that "anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist". Given the continual push for growth in the region, far in excess of its ecological, environmental and social limits, do we have to assume that the Local Plan is beng promoted by madmen, economists or, quite possibly, mad economists?
Can those promoting this Local Plan and the 'Growth Agenda' tell us exactly how the thousands of proposed new houses will be supplied with water, given that approval for a new reservoir has, apprently, been delayed as neither Anglia Water or Cambridge water can explain how they can fill it with fresh water.

Our region has extremely low rainfall and our chalk aquifer, feeding our rare and precious chalk streams, is being over abstracted by millions of litres of water a day. Why has this headlong push for 'growth' in the region not been halted until this fundamental isuue has been fully resolved and how can we possibly believe all of the bland pronouncements in the Local Plan regarding the promotion and protection of biodiversity.

The world has never been more connected in terms of communication and transport links and yet we are told to believe that the hi-tech industries Cambridge specialises in all have to be located in proximity to each other, with all of the attendant increases in housing and infrastructure requirements, in the manner of 19th Century manufacturing, clustering in proximity to sources of coal and iron ore.

Why is central government, the driving force behind the need for this Local Plan, not considering other areas of the country, devestated by de-indstrialisation for more inward investment?

Which residents decided that thousands of new houses for sale are needed or wanted in the region? How many of these will be available for genuine social rent? We, again, notice that the number of houses planned in and around the City far exceeds the size of the City Council's Social housing waiting list; how likely is the proposed development bonanza likely to reduce this list to zero? We strongly question the blythe overall assumption that 'growth' is inevitably a good thing for the region and question who benenfits from this? A rising tide may well lift all boats, but that assumes everyone can afford a boat.

In summary, Cambridge Friends of the Earth, yet again, cannot and will not provide a veneer of democratic accountability by participating in yet another Consultation to, effectively, enable further environmental and social destruction of our region to placate the voracious appetttes of developers and landowners and the policies of an environmentally and socially ignorant administration, who can see no further than the next election.

Once again, given the blythe assumption of the 'need' for ever increasing 'economic growth' in the region, Cambridge Friends of the Earth refuses to respond in full to this 'consultation'. We feel that doing so would, potentially, provide credibility to the edicts driving the creation of this Local Plan, edicits issued by a government so environmentally and socially ignorant, so devoid of any breadth of vison, that it's leader, when confronted by the potential damage his Planning and infrastructure Bill could wreck on our environment can do no more than issue inane soundbites such as “build, baby, build” and brand people who want a say over how their neighbourhoods are developed as “time-wasting nimbys”, “blockers” and “zealots”.

There is a quote, attributed to Kenneth Boulding and popularised by Sir David Attenborough that "anyone who believes in indefinite growth on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist". Given the continual push for growth in the region, far in excess of its ecological, environmental and social limits, do we have to assume that the Local Plan is beng promoted by madmen, economists or, quite possibly, mad economists?
Can those promoting this Local Plan and the 'Growth Agenda' tell us exactly how the thousands of proposed new houses will be supplied with water, given that approval for a new reservoir has, apprently, been delayed as neither Anglia Water or Cambridge water can explain how they can fill it with fresh water.

Our region has extremely low rainfall and our chalk aquifer, feeding our rare and precious chalk streams, is being over abstracted by millions of litres of water a day. Why has this headlong push for 'growth' in the region not been halted until this fundamental isuue has been fully resolved and how can we possibly believe all of the bland pronouncements in the Local Plan regarding the promotion and protection of biodiversity.

The world has never been more connected in terms of communication and transport links and yet we are told to believe that the hi-tech industries Cambridge specialises in all have to be located in proximity to each other, with all of the attendant increases in housing and infrastructure requirements, in the manner of 19th Century manufacturing, clustering in proximity to sources of coal and iron ore.

Why is central government, the driving force behind the need for this Local Plan, not considering other areas of the country, devestated by de-indstrialisation for more inward investment?

Which residents decided that thousands of new houses for sale are needed or wanted in the region? How many of these will be available for genuine social rent? We, again, notice that the number of houses planned in and around the City far exceeds the size of the City Council's Social housing waiting list; how likely is the proposed development bonanza likely to reduce this list to zero? We strongly question the blythe overall assumption that 'growth' is inevitably a good thing for the region and question who benenfits from this? A rising tide may well lift all boats, but that assumes everyone can afford a boat.

In summary, Cambridge Friends of the Earth, yet again, cannot and will not provide a veneer of democratic accountability by participating in yet another Consultation to, effectively, enable further environmental and social destruction of our region to placate the voracious appetttes of developers and landowners and the policies of an environmentally and socially ignorant administration, who can see no further than the next election.