- Mereham
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Mereham is a potential new town near Ely in East Cambridgeshire. The developers, Multiplex Stannifer, have applied for planning permission but, as of yet, has not received it. The application for planning permission was turned down by East Cambridgeshire District Council but the developers have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and the decision has been called in by the Secretary of State. The inquiry closed, after a number of adjournments on 8 January 2008. The Planning Inspector, Richard Ogier, made his report in April 2008, and in August 2008 the Secretary of State for Communities, Hazel Blears, announced that permission for the development had been refused.
Mereham is a controversial issue, as the plans have already been rejected by East Cambridgeshire District Council, who were supported in the decision by Cambridgeshire County Council, and the refusal of necessary associated works to the A10 in the adjacent |District of South Cambridgeshire. The main issue is the size of the town which would consist of around 5000 new homes and the transport links to the development sites both to Ely and Cambridge. The site is south of the A1123, west of the A10, north of the River Ouse, and east of the B1049 Twenty Pence Road.
The three Local Authorities were represented by barrister Simon Bird and the developer by Robin Purchas QC and Craig Howell Williams. Over a week of the Inquiry was taken up by hearing evidence from local residents on a number of issues including traffic, impact on local wildlife and the potential drain on local services.
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Backlash and lawsuit
Say No to Mereham is a protest group of villagers in Haddenham, Wilburton, Stretham, and Witchford who are against the building of Mereham. Their purpose is to stop the building of Mereham, because they say the 'effect would be disastrous to East Cambridgeshire'. The group members are undeniably passionate about their cause, and overall community support is very much with them[citation needed].
According to a recent article in the Ely Standard newspaper, the campaign members are also seeking court action requiring Multiplex to reimburse their members for lost wages and expenses incurred during the public inquiry. The local district and county councils are also claiming costs incurred via their legal representatives[citation needed]. Some outside observers have speculated that the court claim is itself an attempt to bring more publicity to the protest effort[citation needed].
Decision
The Planning Inspector, Richard Ogier, assisted by specialist Highways Inspector William Wadrup submitted his report to Hazel Blears at the end of April 2008. The decision was released on Friday 29 August 2008, with all 3 appeals being dismissed by the Secretary of State.
Whilst Ms Blears concurred with the Inspector that there were significant deficiencies in the plans put forward by the Appellant, Stannifer Developments Limited, a point of potential concern for the residents of East Cambridgeshire is her apparent recognition of the inevitability of substantial new housing development in the district in the coming years, which she says is necessary to meet the needs for housing in the sub-region, which have not been satisfied by existing and future developments in and around Cambridge.
Disappointingly for the Councils and the Say No to Mereham Campaign no awards of costs were made in connection with the appeals. However, Council officials may take considerable pride in the outcome of the Inquiry, and the way in which their robust defence of an often challenging set of reasons for refusal was presented. Likewise it is clear from headlines in local papers that the actions of local residents will not swiftly be forgotten.
Re-submission
On 5 November 2008 the Ely Standard reported[1] that Multiplex Stannifer have re-submitted the proposal, this time to the East of England Regional Authority, which has a housing construction target for the area.
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