Date published: 2007/03/01
The Cambridge Evening News says:
Seven sites across Cambridge could house a controversial transit site for travellers.
Cambridge City Council officers have been investigating potential sites, most of which are within built-up residential areas.
The work follows an abandoned project in Cowley Road last year.
Proposals for a site where 10 caravans could stay for up to three months were opposed by several businesses and were eventually deemed unsuitable. The council is now searching for a new site.
Potential sites highlighted in the fresh study include land behind 24- 34 Whitehill Road, Abbey; land opposite 1-12 Headford Close, Abbey; a garage area in Hawkins Road, King's Hedges; garages adjacent to 30-36 Mortlock Avenue, East Chesterton; land between Malletts Road and Fulbourn Road, Cherry Hinton; garages off Fulbourn Road in Cherry Hinton and East Pit, Lime Kiln Hill, Cherry Hinton.
...
Coun Ian Nimmo-Smith, leader of Cambridge City Council, said:"It is very likely that some of the sites will not progress beyond this stage as serious proposals for sites.
Indeed, it may be that none of the sites currently being looked at are considered suitable for further investigation.
"Inevitably we must consider sites in order to rule them out, and we are being open and honest about those we have had a preliminary look at so far.
"Identifying sites will always bring some degree of opposition.
We would want, therefore, to be very clear about which we want to investigate in more detail. We do not want to raise concerns about sites which we do not in the long run intend to bring forward.
"The need for a site is reinforced each year as the council and other landowners deal with unauthorised encampments in a wide variety of unsuitable sites, such as public open spaces, residential areas, park and ride sites and business parks.
"Finding a solution to the problems of illegal encampment caused by the lack of a site will therefore benefit everyone, not just gypsies and travellers, but the city as a whole."
Nimmo-Smith is either stupid or disingenuous. Using the royal "we", he says that "we do not want to raise concerns about sites which we do not in the long run intend to bring forward". But of course by announcing these seven potential sites he has already blighted the nearby areas and it would serve him right if the local residents sued him for loss of value. And it should also be noted that it is only the poor areas of Cambridge which are being suggested for these sites. Perhaps Nimmo-Smith should volunteer somewhere a bit closer to his house (on Chesterton Road). Even better, there is plenty of land in Newnham. Perhaps the rich people of Newnham, who make up most of the Cambridge ruling elite, should show some social solidarity and accept a big traveller site in their back yard. But the Lib Dems who lord over Cambridge are rich, and as ever they believe it is the ordinary people of Cambridge who should carry the can.
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