Stapleford & Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan Submission Version

Dear Sir/Madam

I am contacting you in my capacity as Group Chair of the Cambridge Group of the Ramblers, a statutory consultee for developments affecting public rights of way. I am responding to your consultation on the Stapleford and Great Shelford Neighbourhood Plan 2024-2041.

The Cambridge Group of the Ramblers is very supportive of the proposals to develop and enhance the network of Public Rights of Way and permissive paths mentioned in Sections 10 and 11 of you Neighbourhood Plan. There are many people using these footpaths for primarily recreational purposes, good mental and physical health and enjoyment of being in a rural and picturesque environment. There are a number of organisations who organise group led walks several days each week including the Cambridge Ramblers Group, U3A, the Cambridge Rambling Club, as well as local groups and dog walkers. Your proposals are appreciated by a wide network of people outside of your parishes. We particularly endorse the creation of paths beside Haverhill Road and Granhams Road to the Clay Pit Nature Reserve and the permissive path near White Hill Farm and the permissive paths connecting to Jenny’s Path. In the plan could Jenny’s path be enhanced to a Public Right of Way (bridleway status)?

The area that I, and my Committee, are greatly concerned about are the proposals for the Cambridge South East Transport Busway (CSET Busway), the plans as they relate to public rights of way and long-used permissive paths in the vicinity of Nine Wells, a small historic woodland area which is the source of the Hobson’s Conduit.

At present there are a number of footpaths which are very well used for recreation; Nine Wells wood is accessed partly by Great Shelford Public Footpath 2, but also by permissive paths running from both the Addenbrookes complex and Urwin Gardens. A footpath also runs alongside the western edge of Nine Wells, linking up with the Great Shelford to Addenbrookes DNA cycle path. These paths mean that is possible to access Nine Wells directly from Great Shelford Village and also provide circular walks from Addenbrookes itself.

The CSET busway plans as they are now formulated indicate that the permissive path network is to be extinguished, breaking direct links from both Great Shelford and Addenbrookes. The plans show the maintenance track and cycleway along the west side of the new busway, with no access from Nine Wells, on the east.

The permissive path network, established many years ago, recognised the substantial growth of employment on the Addenbrookes campus; every day many people are able to make use of these paths for recreation. With the huge increase in jobs envisaged now for future years it is vital that provision is made for outdoor recreation, which the Nine Wells area can provide. Yet now this is threatened to be lost! It is imperative that this valuable footpath network is retained, together with a link to the cycleway alongside the busway.

It is also of concern that there appear to be no improvements to the public rights of way network along other sections of the busway. During earlier consultations, it was stressed that the new cycleway would provide opportunities for new links and circular routes for recreation. In particular, the opportunity should be taken to provide a link north to the Magog Trust reserve.

The Cambridge Ramblers Group has made representation on the CSET Busway proposals. We wanted to alert your planners to the possible impact of the busway on your neighbourhood plan and in the hope that there may be some development opportunities in common.
With kind regards

Jane Crawford-White
Chair Cambridge Ramblers Group