'Undercooked' retirement flats plan for 17th century Cambridge hall rejected
Cambridge City Council has rejected plans to build two blocks of retirement flats in the grounds of a 17th century hall, with one councillor describing them as 'undercooked'. Trumpington Investments Ltd had applied for planning permission to build a new retirement village in the grounds of Anstey Hall.
Councillors at a planning committee meeting on Wednesday (September 4) were generally supportive of the plans but said they needed more concrete details before any plans could be approved. Officers recommended that councillors refuse the application over concerns about protected open space, the uncertainty of future use of Anstey Hall itself, and the site's location in an area of 'very high' archaeological potential.
Cllr Nadya Lokhmotova described the plans as "very undercooked". She said she favoured opening the grounds to the public and believed that providing homes for older people was a key benefit of the plans.
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Historic England had objected to the plans claiming the development of 87 two-bedroom flats would 'harm' the hall. A report discussed at the planning meeting said: "The proximity of these large residential blocks would compromise the appreciation of the Hall in what survives of its open setting."
Cllr Katie Porrer said the application had "too many loose ends" and noted that previous plans to build retirement flats within the grounds of Anstey Hall were refused by the city council last year. She said: "There's been no pre-application engagement on this, which is really disappointing."
Councillors and council officers said that a funded pre-application process would have improved the 'half-formed' plans. Cllr Katie Thornburrow said: "The scheme hasn't overcome the problems of the last scheme and the last scheme wasn't approved, so why would this scheme be approved?"
Cllr Philippa Slater, speaking ahead of the debate, said the plans would be a "more beneficial use of our heritage". She said: "We don't need a carefully preserved memory of a former land-owning class."