Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has approved the relocation of the Cambridge sewage works to Honey Hill – a local beauty spot nestled between Horningsea and Fen Ditton.
The controversial plans will relocate the existing Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) from Cowley Road, Cambridge, to green belt land known as Honey Hill – despite the examining authority recommending refusal.
The plans are set to cost around £400 million, with the relocation to make way for the North East Cambridge development, which will include 8,000 homes and commercial buildings.
Local residents have long been speaking out against relocating the sewage works into Cambridgeshire’s precious green belt, with local action groups including Save Honey Hill campaigning against the plans.
Cllr Graham Cone (Fen Ditton and Fulbourn) expressed his concern for this decision:
“As District Councillor for the Fen Ditton and Fulbourn ward, I am disappointed that the Secretary of State has granted permission for the relocation of the Waste Water Treatment Plant between Horningsea and Fen Ditton (land known as Honey Hill). This is despite the Examining Authority recommending refusal due to the impact on heritage and green belt.
“The main reason given for overturning the recommendation is due to housing. I have been saying for years that including the housing numbers on the existing Waste Water Treatment Plant site within the Local Plan is the same as building houses in the green belt due to the relocation. I am sorry to say I have been proven right on this issue.
“I would like to thank the local Parish Councils, the Save Honey Hill Group and local residents for all of their work in making the case against the relocation. I will continue to work with residents to get the best deal going forward despite this being a huge blow.”
Cllr Heather Williams, Leader of the Conservative Opposition at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said:
“I’m so deeply saddened by this news because I know just how much work and effort has gone in by local residents over many years now and this must be a really distressing time for them.
“Unfortunately, the government does not seem to care about the impact their decisions have on local residents on this and many other issues. This is a bad day for the residents in the Honey Hill area. It’s a bad day for the green belt. But ultimately, it’s the first step in a dangerous course of decision making of which the true ramifications of what will happen over the next few years we are yet to discover.”
