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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