Residents concerned over landfill site development

Rev Karin Voth Harman said residents fear what may be in the landfill site

A group of residents have raised environmental concerns over a development at a former landfill site.

Cambridge City Council approved planning permission in September for a new science district to be built around Burnside Lakes near Cherry Hinton, Cambridge.

After the Environment Agency raised concerns to the authority over contamination at the site, the developer Mission Street was given conditions to adhere to and will contribute Section 106 money, which will be spent on local facilities.

The residents' group, Cherry Hinton Against Reuse of Landfill in Spite of Evidence (Charlie), said the conditions were not stringent enough.

What is the proposal?

The lakes were former chalk pits, some of which were later used as landfill sites in the mid-20th Century.

The project will provide 1,000,000 sq ft of building space and open up lakes at Burnside that are currently closed to the public.

It would be built partly on the site of old cement works, and the developer plans to make "significant ecological improvements".

The planning documents for the Science District said two of the lakes would be opened to the public as part of plans for it to become an "urban country park, in an area where accessible open space is in short supply".

An artist-in-residence will employed and there will be a STEM-based educational outreach partnership with the Cambridge Science Centre.

Developers said the site would include an "urban country park"

What are residents' concerns?

Karin Voth Harman is the vicar at St Andrew's Church in Cherry Hinton and said the residents' group had concerns over not knowing what was in the landfill site.

"There are all kinds of things in that landfill, we don't know what they are. There has been some testing done but, of course, they can't test for everything."

She added that she wanted to see "proper consultation and dialogue with local residents".

She added that the group thought there may additional pressure on the developer because of the government's plans for a growth corridor.

The Government has confirmed plans for the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, which would see thousands of new homes and jobs created between the two university cities.

David McLean claims there is already some evidence of pollution in the area

David McLean is a local resident and father of a two-year-old daughter. He was concerned there may already be pollution affecting the lakes.

"They've made new boreholes for monitoring purposes. That in itself has a risk of creating new pathways.

"In the last couple of years there has been some large algal blooms in the lake, which is probably from nitrates that have come from the landfill into the lakes."

He also raised concerns about toxins soaking through the chalk stream and the chalk aquifers in the area.

Testing work appears to be under way at the former landfill site

What does the council say?

Cambridge City Council said: "The applicant has undertaken an extensive assessment of contamination risks and is committed to ongoing monitoring, remediation, ground improvement and foundation strategies to minimise pollution risks."

The authority assured residents that the conditions set by the council and the Environment Agency "would be closely monitored".

"This is a complex site to develop and the decision to support the scheme was taken in light of all necessary expert and legal advice available to the council to ensure necessary environmental safeguards."

What has the developer said?

Mission Street told the BBC its redevelopment plan will improve the area. It said it would reduce "contamination to levels that are acceptable and strictly regulated".

"Our proposals for the site will achieve to the satisfaction of all relevant statutory bodies, while also bringing forward land to create an urban country park for the community's full use and enjoyment."

"Throughout the planning application process, we have worked closely with the local council and Environment Agency. We have also held several public consultations with local residents, to keep them updated at every stage.

"Our proposals centre around the development and delivery of an open and inviting innovation district – one of the most groundbreaking globally – on disused land, satisfying national policy that prioritises brownfield first."