Green light for Northstowe Temporary Community Facility

Published: 09 March 2023

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s plans for a temporary community centre at Northstowe have been approved by its Planning Committee at yesterday's (8th March) Planning Committee meeting.

The District Council submitted a planning application for the centre in mid-January. Following a consultation run by the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service, the Council’s Planning Committee met yesterday to consider the proposals.

Committee members voted to support the plans for the new building, which will be placed on land owned by the Council next to The Green, on Pathfinder Way. The centre will be alongside the area earmarked for Northstowe’s permanent community centre.

See here for the full SCDC press release.

The Town Council had previously provided comments on the application, following a discussion at its January Full Council meeting. At yesterday's SCDC Planning Committee meeting Deputy-Mayor Cllr. Paul Littlemore was also present to represent the Town Council and provided a further statement in support of the application:

Northstowe Town Council supports this application, its primary purpose is to bridge the gap of provision from the closure of the Community Wing in June 2022 and the construction and opening of the permanent facility which is now expected in 2025. Since the closure of the community wing many groups have found it difficult to secure access to space to use for a wide range of activities, including community events, meeting space for community groups and operation of the previously very popular community café. This space is essential to getting those activities back up and running located within the heart of our community.

Earlier in the planning process we provided comments on three areas, Hours of construction not being in line with the site wide conditions of Monday to Friday 0800-1700, 0800-1300 on Saturdays and no working on Sundays and mandatory use of white noise reversing alarms on construction vehicles associated with the construction of the facility. These items have been included in the officer’s report and are covered by condition in the recommendation.

We also sought assurance with regards to the two parking bays proposed in the plans and that this would not inhibit any future installation of an EV charging point in the adjacent area.  We have since had such an assurance.

I hope you will accept the officer’s recommendation and approve this application today, to give our community the space it needs to flourish.