4.3.17

Showing comments and forms 1 to 3 of 3

Object

Grafton Area of Major Change SPD 2017

Representation ID: 32001

Received: 04/11/2017

Respondent: Mr John Coyle

Representation Summary:

The City is swamped with Student Accommodation. It is obvious that accommodation is required for the lower paid workers within the area where they will be employed. It is time the City Council insisted that all future Student Accommodation should pay Section 106 money for the 40% affordables that they are not providing.

Full text:

The City is swamped with Student Accommodation. It is obvious that accommodation is required for the lower paid workers within the area where they will be employed. It is time the City Council insisted that all future Student Accommodation should pay Section 106 money for the 40% affordables that they are not providing.

Object

Grafton Area of Major Change SPD 2017

Representation ID: 32064

Received: 01/11/2017

Respondent: Frances Dewhurst

Representation Summary:

Housing. We need more housing in Cambridge but "affordable" is not affordable for the lower paid. Social housing, not student or private housing would be a good idea, but no more parking, the area is heavily congested.

Full text:

I am a local resident living in Christchurch St

These are my comments on the exhibition shown today at the Grafton, but first of all I think you must consider extending the consultation period. I was only notified of this by a leaflet through the door last week, and it is only by chance I was free to go today. There must be many others in the area who will have missed this. Why did you not leaflet us at the beginning of the consultation period in September?

1. Improving the area around the Grafton particularly the service areas we have to walk through for various activities would be a good,

2. Because the Grafton is shut at night, or almost shut apart from access to the cinema, it acts as a barrier. It is especially annoying if you forget and try to get in or out by one of the locked doors and then have to walk quite a long way round at night through the depressing service area to get home. Some thought given to enabling a better through route would be good.

3. I have very little interest in the shopping offer in the Grafton which doesn't cater for middle-aged middle-class women. I spend my money elsewhere. Nor will a gym be of much interest. The discussion I had at the display seemed all about serving younger incoming Cambridge residents. But the population of Cambridge is aging and older people have more cash. A bit more thought should be given to who might use the facilities here.

4. There are parking queues in Newmarket Rd at the weekends which block the street. Most of the people seem to be families. Attracting more people to central Cambridge to shop seems an odd idea. I think it is a fantasy to imagine these families will arrive from e.g. Waterbeach by bike, or bus as they will not want to carry purchases home. People now have the option of park & ride, but it is still busy. How are you planning to manage the transport of the increased numbers?

5. Housing. We need more housing in Cambridge but "affordable" is not affordable for the lower paid. Social housing, not student or private housing would be a good idea, but no more parking, the area is heavily congested.

6. The picture of Fitzroy St showed a bland and anonymous shopping area. It could be anywhere. Where is the veg stall and the hot dog stall? The veg stall plays an important part in our community as people stop there and chat. They also take veg shopping to elderly people in the area. You don't get that at Waitrose. We need more of the idiosyncratic and particular, not less.

7. Shopping in Fitzroy St and Burleigh St needs to retain units that will be affordable for shops that serve local people, such as the vacuum cleaner shop. I would prefer to shop locally and on foot and would spend more in the area if there were more e.g. food shops. (Wilko has been a welcome addition to the area extending the range of goods available.)

8. East Rd. This is a fairly horrible street and the shops/restaurants seem to be marooned. The pavement is too narrow to encourage lingering, and the buildings lack any kind of coherence. So yes, to ideas about how this could be made more attractive.

Frances Dewhurst

Object

Grafton Area of Major Change SPD 2017

Representation ID: 32085

Received: 06/11/2017

Respondent: Mr Martin Lucas-Smith

Representation Summary:

Scarce land should be used for conventional residential dwellings rather than student housing. Student housing continues to fuel short-term language school building which does not represent a long-term asset to the city.

Full text:

Scarce land should be used for conventional residential dwellings rather than student housing. Student housing continues to fuel short-term language school building which does not represent a long-term asset to the city.