Wenny Meadows: Campaigners plan judicial review over Chatteris development

Fenland District Council has given the go ahead for 93 houses to be built on Wenny Meadows

Campaigners trying to save a piece of grassland want a judicial review after plans for nearly 100 houses to be built on it were approved.

Fenland District Council has given the go ahead for development on Wenny Meadows in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.

The Save Wenny Meadows group said it had taken legal advice and was talking to The Wildlife Trust and the Green Party about crowdfunding.

Developers Cannon Kirk UK Ltd said it did not wish to comment.

The council's planning committee approved plans for 93 homes to be built and said it will safeguard public access to part of the meadow, as it is currently private property and could become an official public space, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

During the debate, the developer's agent Andrew Hodgson also increased the developer contribution to local services from £28k to £82k.

The Save Wenny Meadows group has said it is the only natural green space within walking distance of the town centre

It is thought that 350 homes could eventually be built and campaigners trying to protect the land from development have said it is home to "priority species" and there are concerns over the impact on biodiversity.

Save Wenny Meadows said bats, owls, snakes, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, shrews, voles and toads, all live there and it is the only natural green space within walking distance of the town centre.

Out of 555 people living nearby who commented on the scheme, 551 were against it.

After the result, Kirsty Patterson from the group, said in a Facebook post: "I am devastated but we are moving forward. This is not the end.

"We are talking to The Wildlife Trust and the local Green Party about crowdfunding to take the decision to a judicial review.

"We are also waiting to hear if the secretary of state may still decide to call the decision in."

She told the BBC: "You have to take this level of upset and you have to take it and channel it in the most positive way that you can."

Secretary of State for Housing, Michael Gove, had also asked to be told about the council's decision after being asked to look at it by Friends of Wenny Road Meadow. 

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