On 9 January, the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) submitted a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application to the Department for Transport to seek approval for a new busway, travel hub and path for walkers and cyclists to the southeast of Cambridge. The busway will run from a new Park and Ride site (south of the Fourwentways roundabout where the A1307 crosses the A11) to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The proposed route runs across the lower slopes of the Gog Magog hills. This is known as the Cambridge South East Transport (CSET) scheme. The GCP will be required to submit their proposals to a public enquiry which it is expected will be held in late 2025.
The CSET scheme has been under consideration by the GCP since 2016 so the Trustees have had much time and plenty of opportunity to reflect on its advantages and disadvantages as the GCP developed its detailed plans.
Right from the outset, the Trustees were concerned about the potential adverse effects on the local environment. Although other flaws in the scheme have become apparent, which have bolstered their view that The Magog Trust should oppose the scheme, the Trustees’ primary consideration was, and remains, the environment.
One of the aims of the Trust is:
…. the conservation, protection and restoration of the countryside in Cambridgeshire….
Specifically, there are three aspects of CSET which are detrimental to the countryside either owned by the Trust or in the immediate vicinity of its land:
The loss of anticipated biodiversity gains
A major consideration of the planning inspector, when he granted permission for the Strawberry Fields Retirement Village on green belt land, was the anticipated improvement in biodiversity from the countryside park which would accompany the development. Specifically, the benefits of the park were to be a 234% increase in biodiversity and an increase in the local chalk downland of 18.7%.
The CSET plan anticipates that one third of the area of the proposed park will be required for the busway. This will result in a proportionate loss in the expected environmental gains.
The Magog Trust is the organisation designated to deliver the countryside park so it has a direct interest and concern about CSET’s impact.
The visual impact
The CSET route is through the green belt and crosses the lower slopes of the Gog Magog hills, one of the few attractive hillsides in South Cambridgeshire. An important feature of the Trust’s land holding on Magog Down is its view of the landscape towards the south and west. This will be severely compromised by a 14m wide concrete busway and associated river bridges.
The creation of further opportunities for development on the green belt
By reason of its damaging environmental impact on the land it passes through, the busway will impair the quality of the remaining green belt in its immediate vicinity which, in turn, is likely to render it more vulnerable to development, especially potential infill housing from the Stapleford village boundary up to the busway.
The “Better Ways for Busways!” (BW4B!) campaign group comprising local parish councils, some local landowners and charitable organisations (including The Magog Trust) is challenging CSET on a range of issues. It is not against transport improvements in the area and so has highlighted an alternative approach involving bus lanes along the main Cambridge-Haverhill road (A1307). This option is potentially capable of providing substantially the same benefits as CSET but at a much lower cost and to a faster timescale. More importantly to the Trustees, it will not have the devastating impact on the environment of CSET. However, the GCP steadfastly refuse to consider this option seriously.
Having given the matter careful consideration, the Trustees have decided to support BW4B! in opposing CSET at the forthcoming public enquiry by making a £50,000 donation towards its costs. The Trustees are confident this can be made without impairing the Trust’s finances which will remain very strong.
The Trustees will be happy to respond to any comments or questions you may have. Please send them to the Chairman at admin@magogtrust.org.uk.