Campaigners welcome delay to sewage plant decision

Steve Reed says they want more time to consider the proposals

Campaigners opposed to plans to relocate a sewage treatment works have welcomed a delay in the decision being made.

A statement issued by Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said the department wanted more time to consider the issue.

Anglian Water was asked by the government to look at relocating it from the existing site in the north of Cambridge, to allow the area to be used for housing. It has submitted plans to build a new facility on Honey Hill near Horningsea, on the outskirts of the city.

A campaign group called Save Honey Hill said the delay demonstrated due diligence on the part of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Campaigners say they do not want to see the sewage works built on green belt land

The campaign group said it does not want to see a new facility set up on green belt land.

The Secretary of State received the Development Consent Order application on 12 July 2024 and had been due to make a decision on 12 October.

However a written statement issued by Defra said the deadline would be extended to 12 January 2025 "to allow additional time for Defra officials to conduct further consultation on emerging planning policy and analysis of responses to the consultation".

It added that the delay was "without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant development consent".

Catherine Morris, from Save Honey Hill campaign group, told the BBC: "With major changes proposed in the National Planning Policy Framework still out for consultation, it seems only sensible to give this very important decision all the time and consideration it justly deserves."

If the relocation goes ahead, it would allow a new district to be built in the north east of Cambridge. It is expected to include 8,350 homes and 15,000 new jobs.