[Members] Draft Cambridge Air Quality Action Plan; City Car Club ; Greenways - Drop in event Comberton/Melbourn; Update: Ditton Meadows enclosure

[Wendy Blythe]

Dear all,

*Update 1 February, 2018*

*Draft Cambridge Air Quality Action Plan, 2018 – 2023 (attached) **Comments
deadline 13th February *

As time is short the Environmental Quality and Growth Team at the City Council
are happy to receive individual comments . Contact:

*Anita.Lewis at cambridge.gov.uk* <Anita.Lewis at cambridge.gov.uk>.

She would find comments *on **Chapter 4 Air Quality Action Plan Measures,
page 37 to 47, particularly helpful.  *

·         *Are you in agreement with these measures? *

·         *Do you have any comments to make.  *

·         *Are there any areas that could be improved?  *

·         *Are there any other measures that could be included?*

There are many other areas of work which support the main measures.  These
are included in Table 4.1, page 49 onwards, which lists all of the measures
in the standardised format required by Defra for reporting to the EU.
Please feel free to comment.

The plan will go to the Environment Scrutiny Committee in March.  There
will be a wider consultation and further opportunity to shape the Air
Quality Action Plan, over the summer.

*Car Club within the City*


Transition Cambridge have asked us to forward this link to the webpage for
the group working for a City Car Club  (Note website is still under
construction).

https://www.transitioncambridge.org/wiki/CleanWheels/WhatIsACarClub

The group is working alongside both the County and City Councils on
development of a citywide survey.

*Greenways –reminder of today’s final drop in event re options for
Comberton and Melbourn *

*01/02/2018** - 5:30 — 8:00 PM*, Trumpington Meadows Primary School,
Kestrel Rise, Cambridge, CB2 9AY

*Note* Comberton proposals affect Senate House Passage, Trinity Lane,
Garret Hostel Lane, links to University Library as well as Adams Road and
Wilberforce Road.
<https://citydeal-live.storage.googleapis.com/upload/www.greatercambridge.org.uk/transport/transport-projects/Appendix%209%20Melbourn.pdf>
Ditton
Meadows Fence Enclosure - Update: Re condition discharge Planning
Application C/5005/16/CC/C7


We have written to Emma Fitch in support of the objection from Cambridge
City Council officers to the proposals to fence off the cycleway and the
concerns about closing off the Public Right of Way (Harcamlow Way) from the
footbridge over the railway heading north-east across the river.

While supporting the principle of the Chisholm TraiI, we also expressed
concerns from residents that little consideration had been given to
landscaping in this very sensitive area in our letter to the Planning
inspector (attached). See also link below.

http://fecra.org.uk/letter-planning-inspector-re-chisholm-trail/


This enclosure is not only harmful in its environmental impact but also
runs counter to a key aim of the trail, which is to open up access to the
meadows.



Many different reasons have been put forward for the fence, including: to
protect cyclists from cows, to protect cows from cyclists, voles from cows,
nesting birds from dogs. It does not seem, however, that there has ever
been any public discussion of why a fence should be needed at all in this
location or why it should be a planning condition for the Trail. There is
free access to other Cambridge commons and open spaces such as Grantchester
Meadows (owned by Kings), which all have cows, cycle paths, nesting birds,
and dogs with no need for fences.



The Chisholm Trail is the first of the ‘Greenways’, an initiative welcomed
by many residents and we would like it to be a success in both transport
and landscaping terms. It is good news that it has been approved by the
Planning Inspector, but a fence is not supported by cycling groups, the
County Council’s cycling officer, community groups and residents or the
City Council's landscape officer, and no clear rationale has been provided
as to why it is necessary.



We therefore support the requests from councillors to call this planning
condition into committee for determination because of the high importance
of ensuring the character and nature of Ditton Meadows to the whole city.
It is very important that full justification - in a public setting - is
made for the request by the land owner (Gonville and Caius College) to
erect a fence. It should then be for the elected members to decide whether
the planning condition referred to should be discharged or not.



Should you wish to support the requests from councillors to call this
planning condition into committee you can email


*Emma.Fitch at cambridgeshire.gov.uk* <Emma.Fitch at cambridgeshire.gov.uk>



Best wishes,



Wendy

Wendy Blythe
Chair, FeCRA
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