Cambridge residents set to fight on over planning row
Residents living adjacent to a proposed new housing development have vowed to continue their opposition to the plans – despite Cambridge City Council approving the scheme.
Residents living at North Cottages, off Trumpington Road, in Cambridge were dismayed that members of the planning committee voted to approve plans to build four new properties on the site of the old Zaha grill restaurant.
The plans were given the go ahead on September 4 in spite of safety concerns from residents over the lack of access for fire engines along the entire the lane at North Cottages.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that plans to fight any fires on the lane would be dealt with by running hoses from water supplies on Trumpington Road, as its firefighters have done on two previous occasions.
But despite the setback residents have vowed to continue their fight to overturn the planning decision.
Resident Ian Morris, who spoke at the planning meeting, warned that the fight would go on and the council was wrong if it thought that approval would be the end of the issue.
He said: “Any assumption that this is the end of the matter is misguided.”
The residents are now preparing to seek legal advice on their next move and many of them are urgently seeking clarification on their house insurance policies. They are concerned about the lack of relevant cover should a blaze destroy their home without the fire service being able to deal with it because of the lack of access.
