‘Game-changing’ Cambridge South railway station must meet high standards on biodiversity, says council
Cambridge South railway station will be a “game-changer” but must meet “high standards” on biodiversity, South Cambridgeshire District Council has said.
Confirming its response to the public inquiry on Network Rail’s plans, the Liberal Democrat-run council’s cabinet said on Monday (January 11) that it supported the scheme in principle but called for more protection for nature and trees during its construction.
The station is due to be built on Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2026 to serve the hospitals, research institutes and businesses on site and ease congestion.
Cllr Neil Gough (Lib Dem, Cottenham) said: “Cambridge South station is a critical piece of infrastructure in our area which will significantly improve connectivity to the Biomedical Campus and it’s a piece of infrastructure strategically we are very supportive of.
“But equally we need to make sure that it is done in an optimal way and we have been very clear on our expectations on projects such as this that we expect mitigation of the impact to the best of the developers ability particularly on the environment.”
Cllr Gough said there had been “significant progress” on many areas of concern with Network Rail, with council officers being satisfied that either the issues had been addressed, or will be addressed.
Two areas remain where the council has “significant reservations”, relating to the mitigation for the loss of trees and assurance on biodiversity net gain.
Council leader Cllr Bridget Smith (Lib Dem, Gamlingay) said: “Cambridge South station is going to be a complete game changer both for the health providers, but also for all the businesses around the location where it is going to be.
“It should have been delivered years ago, that’s why we have worked really hard.
“The reservations that this council have highlighted - which, my understanding is, very much reflect the concerns of the county council as well - are absolutely the reservations that our residents would be raising with us.
“It’s about trees, it’s about biodiversity and it’s about making the most of the opportunity to enhance nature.
“Our residents expect us to be holding Network Rail to account on this, we’re setting really high standards for nature and biodiversity, and part of our job is to hold other organisations to account to make sure that they share our really high ambitions around this.
“Whilst we are very keen for this station to progress, it’s got to be really, really good.”
Cllr Smith added that she did not believe ‘it will take them a lot to get over the final hurdle’ due to the positive responses received so far from Network Rail.
The council said it was:
- Encouraging Network Rail to minimise any disruption during construction, include noise mitigation and involve local residents in discussions from an early stage
- Asking for the impact on National Cycle Network 11 route to be minimise and urging consultation with cycling groups
- Seeking discussions over air quality monitoring.
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