If you’ve ever thought you’d like to be a local councillor, this coming year is the best chance you will ever get. And you won’t need to join a political party either.
Read the full article...First update for Netherhall Farm housing estate plans
Read about what the group behind the estate between Worts’ Causeway and Beaumont Road (‘GB1’ or ‘Netherhall Farm’) has submitted in its first update.
Read the full article...Are experimental road closures at least worth a try?
The ideas were at least partially informed by input from the public and local organisations, but it’s a shame that side of things couldn’t have gone further.
Read the full article...The new Wort’s Causeway housing estates: what now?
We need to demand improvements. And, it should be said, the developers will expect us to do so. That’s the way the game is played.
Read the full article...Cambridge to be stripped of say in its own transport issues
Why Cambridgeshire County Council needs to suspend a cynical proposal, and how you can show you agree.
Read the full article...This blog succumbed to coronavirus too
I’ve been devoting my spare time in the last month to being part of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum team. I’m sure regular readers will understand.
Read the full article...Cambridge City Council elections 2020 – a long range forecast
Normally I’d only write about the Cambridge City Council elections a couple of weeks before they took place, but this May’s elections are a bit different!
Read the full article...The Prospects for South Cambridgeshire in the 2019 General Election
Both Ladbrokes and William Hill have suddenly written off the Conservatives’ historical dominance and have the race almost too close to call. Suddenly, it’s all quite exciting. Our vote could actually make a difference!
Read the full article...Could the combination of Heidi Allen and the Lib Dems swing South Cambs?
Last night our MP Heidi Allen announced that she was joining the Liberal Democrats. Will it be possible for her to be re-elected at the next General Election? Or is Queen Edith’s destined to have a Conservative MP once more?
Read the full article...Plans for ‘Newbury Farm’ development released
The planning application for the southern half of the huge new housing development off Worts’ Causeway is now available for our inspection.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Queen Edith’s Way
Almost inevitably, after this house was hugely extended, comes the application to make it into a “house of multiple occupancy”.
Read the full article...Campaign to save 291 Hills Road is defeated
Queen Edith’s may be a special part of the city, but the most important lesson in this campaign has been that almost all these properties could be demolished, and there is nothing the residents or planners can do to prevent it.
Read the full article...Why we all need to keep an eye on Worts Causeway developments
GB1 and GB2 could easily become yet another disastrously-managed piece of Cambridge property development. We all need to be watching.
Read the full article...Queen Edith’s City Council Election Results 2019
George Pippas re-elected as a city councillor for the ward After one of the more interesting election campaigns of the past few years in this ward, Liberal Democrat former mayor George Pippas (above right) was tonight elected for a further year as one of Queen Edith’s three city councillors. Independent candidate Sam Davies was runner-up,
Read the full article...Queen Edith’s City Council Hustings Event, 25 April 2019
Queen Edith’s Community Forum held its traditional “Meet The Candidates” event before the 2019 election, and here’s what happened.
Read the full article...Queen Edith’s City Council Election Preview 2019
It’s that time when this blog looks at the forthcoming Cambridge City Council election in Queen Edith’s, and tries to work out what’s going to happen.
Read the full article...200 Student Rooms at the Bell Language School
Plans have been submitted for a major redevelopment of the Bell Language School on Red Cross Lane, with up to 200 student accommodation rooms.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Queen Edith’s Way
The owners of the former “Hollies” residential care home on Queen Edith’s Way have notified the council of their intention to demolish the building.
Read the full article...Yellow lines for Baldock Way to be discussed next week
I hope the council committee approves these proposals. It’s a shame that motorists couldn’t be community-minded or considerate enough to avoid having to implement them, but that’s the way it is.
Read the full article...The community’s ‘Saving Raylands’ campaign continues
Many people have asked for an update on the threatened demolition of the house at 291 Hills Road and its replacement with two unpleasant blocks of flats by local company Gibson Developments. After the refusal of permission for the development by the City Council’s Planning Committee in April, the company has returned with a whole
Read the full article...Celebrate a local family house before it’s destroyed forever
The historic family homes at 291 and 292 Hills Road may be about to get demolished. On Sunday afternoon, neighbours and other local residents will be gathering outside 292 Hills Road to celebrate its distinguished history.
Read the full article...Stay of execution for 291 Hills Road …but now it’s 292
The history and sheer class of 292 Hills Road (York House), built by Cyril Ridgeon in 1924, clearly doesn’t mean enough to stop the current owner from wanting to destroy it. Neighbours have tried to get the house listed, with support from CambridgePPF, but their request was rejected.
Read the full article...Queen Edith’s City Council Election Preview 2018
There are plenty of people on social media suggesting that we should vote on national issues, such as Brexit, to indicate our support or otherwise for the government. Please don’t do this. Local elections are about local authority services, and Queen Edith’s needs great councillors to stand up for our area. Here’s my summary of the choice we face in next week’s city council election.
Read the full article...It’s 291 Hills Road – The Video
Local residents campaigning to save 291 Hills Road from developers have produced a video making their case.
Read the full article...5 observations on the Cambridge South East Transport proposals
Here are my thoughts on the Cambridge South East Transport project. It seems to me that the authorities consider this to be more about the people out in the countryside who they want to get into and out of Queen Edith’s more quickly. We need to make sure that our voices are heard.
Read the full article...Is A Busway To Queen Edith’s Coming Down The Road?
The authorities reckon they can solve congestion coming into Queen Edith’s by building a new Park & Ride, right out at the A11, the other side of Babraham, then creating a bus service from there which will be good enough to get people out of their cars. This will have a big impact on us for many years to come, but they’ve only given us a few weeks to work out what it all means and have our say. Here’s everything I know, and what we can all do.
Read the full article...Campaign to save 291 Hills Road: the latest news
This is not NIMBYism. Many of the supporters of the campaign (including me) accept that we have an affordable housing shortage in the area. But more three-quarters-of-a-million-pound flats is not what the area needs – there are plenty of unsold examples of those. Here’s how you can help.
Read the full article...Surprise yellow lines on Baldock Way to join new ones on Cav Ave
A surprise proposed new section of double yellow lines has been unveiled by the county council for the stretch of Baldock Way between Blinco Grove and Cavendish Avenue.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Nightingale Avenue
Another application to demolish a house and squeeze two new ones in its place.
Read the full article...How to have your say on the latest Cambridge Local Plan changes
This may be of interest to you if you’re of strong constitution when it comes to reading administrative documentation, and are concerned about subjects including the Wort’s Causeway development, cycle parking, on-street deliveries, tall buildings, parking stress, traveller sites, student accommodation, access to the railway station, and more. Grab a coffee and read on.
Read the full article...Updates to current local development applications
Several of these local developments will be coming up at this month’s City Council Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 January.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Queen Edith’s Way (yet another one)
Here we go again on Queen Edith’s Way. This time it’s a bungalow which they want to demolish to build four blocks of flats.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Mowbray Road
Another application to demolish houses and replace them with apartment blocks, this time on Mowbray Road by the Budgens roundabout.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Queen Edith’s Way
Another application to demolish a 4 bedroom detached house and replace it with a “residential development of flats” (2 one-bedroom and 3 two-bedroom).
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Mowbray Road
Application to extend and convert a detached house to form 7 ‘residential units’. There is far less information given than is usual with applications like this.
Read the full article...Flats at 291 Hills Road: Cambridge Deserves Better
The proposed demolition of the house at 291 Hills Road (‘Raylands’) and its replacement by a modern collection of flats has motivated many local residents to organise in opposition to the plan. Here’s an update on what’s happening.
Read the full article...Huge new housing development planned for Cherry Hinton
Initial proposals have been announced for 1200 houses and flats on what’s called “land north of Cherry Hinton”, but which in reality is the southern part of the Cambridge Airport site.
Read the full article...Yellow lines for Netherhall Way and Beaumont Road
The County Council is planning to put yellow lines in Netherhall Way, Chalk Grove and Beaumont Road.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Hills Road
Gibson Developments Ltd want to demolish another house on Queen Edith’s Way (at the corner of Hills Road), this time replacing it with 15 flats.
Read the full article...Taj Tandoori on Cherry Hinton Road reopens
Earlier in the year, a decision was made to completely refurbish the back and front of this Queen Edith’s institution. To everyone’s delight, the Taj Tandoori has now finally reopened. I went to try it out as soon as I could.
Read the full article...New IMAX Screen 9 at The Light Cinema in Cambridge
The Light’s new Screen 9 opened at exactly the right time for the one film this year which simply demands to be seen on a big, high-quality IMAX screen: Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. Here’s my experience.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Baldock Way
Sorry it took me a while to draw attention to this one. Another in a series of applications to demolish a bungalow by the Baldock Way allotments, which is not particularly old or in poor repair.
Read the full article...Presenting our Parliamentary Candidates
Last night there was a slightly unusual – but highly successful – event to meet the candidates for South Cambridgeshire’s next MP, held at the wonderful Royal Oak pub in Barrington. Here’s what happened, and video so you can watch it yourself.
Read the full article...The June 2017 General Election here in Queen Edith’s
As ever, I think I will decide where my vote goes based on where it stands most chance of making a difference ? at a local MP level. So who do we have to choose between?
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Queen Ediths Way
Cambridge Live, the charity set up to run local events such as the Cambridge Folk Festival, wants to build new gates on to the field opposite Netherhall School.
Read the full article...Planning Application News: Cavendish Avenue
Yet another application to divide a garden in two, and build a house in the half away from the applicant’s house but up against a neighbour’s house.
Read the full article...Thoughts on last week’s local election results
The Queen Edith’s Community Forum put in a lot of effort this year to inform residents about the election, including holding a hustings event and including a four-page preview inside the Queen Edith’s Community News magazine. Did turnout in Queen Edith’s increase, possibly as a result? Well… maybe.
Read the full article...City Council continues to wave through new houses
Sound objections from local residents were once again ignored by Cambridge City Council’s Planning Committee this week, which approved new houses in Queen Edith’s Way and Cavendish Avenue without addressing neighbours’ concerns.
Read the full article...My view of the local elections in Queen Edith’s 2017: Part 3
Our current County Councillor – Amanda Taylor – was elected in 2013, and she is standing for re-election. There are several issues which make the result rather uncertain however, which I discuss in this third part of my election guide.
Read the full article...My view of the local elections in Queen Edith’s 2017: Part 2
Sitting here in Queen Edith’s, I can’t muster up any enthusiasm for this election. Here’s why.
Read the full article...