As you may know, the Planning Inspector has ruled that Queens’ College can go ahead with building plans adjacent to Paradise Nature Reserve. This despite a well-organised (and generously financed by many of you) campaign that included legal and environmental experts making presentations to the Public Inquiry. Thank you to all who supported the campaign.
The letters below have been sent to the Cambridge Independent, and we hope that it will be published in next week’s edition. We would encourage everyone to follow this lead and write to the local newspapers and to Queens’ College to register your views on this decision. The Bursar’s secretary’s email is: bursec@queens.cam.ac.uk
If you know any Fellow or donors to Queens’, please copy your letters to them. Thank you.
Dear Editor,
It is a sad day for Paradise Nature Reserve, and for the community, the city and the environment, knowing that irrevocable damage will now be done to this unique natural asset. It is shocking that this wild wet woodland should be exploited and so casually harmed by this development.
The Appeal was granted despite the Planning Committee reasserting their grounds for refusal of the application and stating that no amount of mitigation over light, noise, pollution and loss of habitat would protect against harm.
It was granted despite widespread opposition from the community, wildlife groups and all who love and care for this beautiful wild place.
This decision makes a travesty of the City Council’s policies, which are there to protect nature and the environment.
Trees will now be felled, protected species endangered, children’s health put at risk and the peace of the neighbourhood will be shattered.
I urge all who love Paradise, and all who have never walked there, to walk along the boardwalk before the views and landscape are dominated by massed high buildings, and the tranquillity is gone forever.
Go NOW, while the trees are still in their autumn glory. The bats have mated and are now hibernating. When they return in spring with their young, their flight and forage path over the poplars will be gone, and their habitat changed. Soon the bats will also be gone, along with the nesting birds.
As our patron Sir Partha Dasgupta said, priceless natural assets are continually being sacrificed for their perceived short-term gain. Soon Cambridge will have many fewer green spaces and Paradise is the only wild one.
It will now be irreparably harmed by a wealthy College — it is arrogant and untrue to claim that this massive development in such close proximity will benefit and enhance the Reserve.
Queens’ College has not respected the environment or the community in their determination to exploit the reserve to enhance their development.
We are, and surely future generations will be, aghast at such folly.
Pam Gatrell
Chair of Friends of Paradise.
Dear Editor,
Well, after thousands signed a petition, 200 people wrote in protest and 80 people attended the initial hearing, the City Council unanimously rejected Queens’ College’s proposal to build 3-storey student accommodation right up to the edge of Paradise Nature Reserve. However, Queens’ appealed this decision and after an 8 day hearing, the independent Inspector has overruled the City Council and allowed the appeal.
In order to make it remotely acceptable, the Inspector laid down 35 Conditions, including lighting, noise, traffic access, traffic timing, privacy for the primary school, protection of school children from dust, flooding risk, run-off and contamination, trees, ecology, and protection of habitat for bats and other wildlife. This illustrates graphically what a sensitive site it is and how totally unsuitable this major development would be.
However, this “victory” also illustrates what you can achieve if you have bottomless pockets and a complete disregard for local democracy, your neighbours, the environment (and also your reputation). Opposition continues and it is not too late for Queens’ to salvage their reputation by withdrawing from this plan.
Olwen Williams, local resident
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Please see below the final submission to the Public Inquiry on behalf of the Friends:
Friends of Paradise Nature Reserve 