13
Buckden Roundabout
September 2017
Letters to the Editor
Sir,
We are very disappointed to learn of the Government
Inspector’s decision to now permit the building of the
180 houses on land off Lucks Lane, Buckden; despite all
our best efforts and the assistance and support, includ-
ing financially, of many villagers over the last 18
months.
His decision was based on his finding that the Hunts
District Council cannot demonstrate a five-year-plan for
housing construction and that they are unlikely to be
able to do so for the medium term future. Accordingly,
any housing construction on any land around Buckden
and indeed throughout Huntingdonshire, subject to cer-
tain conditions, is now permissible to fulfil the shortfall
over the coming years.
Gladman, the land bankers involved in this Buckden
site, and others will now have free rein in planning ap-
plications for any development around Buckden and
other Hunts villages, knowing that, subject to certain
conditions, their application cannot be refused until the
HDC can meet the housing quotas stipulated by the In-
spector.
The Inspector chose to ignore or dismiss our (and the
Buckden Parish Council’s) evidence and arguments re
highway and village congestion and safety, pedestrian
safety, heritage, coalescence of Buckden/Stirtloe, public
transportation, the school and surgery etc., instead he
accepted all Gladman’s evidence and arguments. Those
are his prerogatives and his findings, and he cannot be
challenged further in the courts, even if we had the
funds and expertise to do so.
The PBF Group is devastated by this news for Buckden;
we did our best for the village and thank all our sup-
porters for their time, efforts and funds in trying to pre-
vent this unsustainable development from going ahead.
Again, we thank all those who have been involved in
this campaign and hope that the burden of this devel-
opment will not lie too heavy on us all.
Yours faithfully,
Barry Jobling
Chairman
Protect Buckden’s Future Group
Sir,
Building in Buckden helps the “housing crisis.” Nonsense.
There is a housing issue for some, but not all. Housing
affordability has consistently fallen over the last 40
years. Building “more” fails to address this, e.g. Bucken
20% only on social need. Typical.
The recent Inquiry was farcical, ignoring the detriment to
environment and local community.
A stable population needs 2 percent of its income for
infrastructure maintenance. Population growth of 1 per
cent needs 3 percent of income, 2 per cent growth
needs 4 percent of income, and infrastructure tasks and
cost doubles. More downward pressure on amenities
like doctors, schools.
UK population in 2015: 65 million; 78million plus by
2039, 100 million plus by 2100. Adding a city the size of
Liverpool every year. These figures mean future crisis.
There is already major pressure to encroach on the
green belt.
The UK depends for over 50% on food imports. Rising
world population, with global warming, means food pro-
duction problems are increasing. GM is not a magic bul-
let solution. Assuming other countries are going to be a
perpetual food basket is nonsense, as is concreting over
more and more of the UK.
UK living standards are based on a use of 1.7 earths.
Sustainability is achievable, but more people and more
building magnifies the problem.
Solution? The cheapest, quickest most sustainable and
achievable is to stop population expansion.
“All environmental problems become ultimately impossi-
ble to solve with more people.” (Sir David Attenborough)
Not changing this condemns our children and grandchil-
dren to a far worse world.
Willing to do something? Questions? Contact
huntspm@gmail.com
Yours sincerely,
John Davies
Population Matters
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the views of the Roundabout