Eviction in Stretham East
Cambridgeshire District Council voted to refuse Long Term Land Limited’s application for 126 affordable homes on Cambridge Road in Stretham. Instead, they voiced great displeasure that the proposal was “too large” for the village’s size. The outline application the council approved last year was for 83 affordable homes on the same site. They knew how acutely their own city was in need of affordable housing.
The council’s planning officers had already seen a healthy pattern of under-delivery with regards to affordable housing over the years in East Cambridgeshire. With over 1,000 households now rated as in urgent housing need on the district council’s housing register, the need for affordable homes is still urgent. Councillor David Brown asked Long Term Land Limited to justify their jump. He questioned why they all didn’t ask permission for more homes, particularly with the obvious demand for them and without a good reason.
The first proposal for 126 homes would have added 43 units on top of the 83 homes already approved. Planning officers have agreed that the originally accepted maximum amount of homes would fully satisfy the projected need for affordable houses in Stretham and Little Thetford. LAND advocates support this max development figure of 44 to 72 homes as enough.
Chris Frost, an attorney for Long Term Land Limited, emphasized that affordable housing provisions must do the most good. He shone a spotlight on this need in places it’s needed most immediately. He stated:
“An issue in principle of coming back and maximising the benefit of providing affordable housing where it is required.” – Chris Frost
Even with the expanded proposal having been rejected, Long Term Land Limited retains the right to develop the land into at least 83 affordable homes. They still need to submit more detailed plans later this year. From a practical standpoint, the council is concerned about the capacity of the community and infrastructure for new developments. This decision underlines all those fears.
