South Cambridgeshire District Council councillors voted on Thursday to submit the new Local Plan to the government for independent examination. The plan includes a proposal for a new settlement on Waterbeach airfield which will mean that in the long term we will have a community of 8,000-9,000 homes (about five times the size of Waterbeach and a similar size to Ely now) located just north of us (See {2533>this article for a full analysis).

At the meeting, councillors heard how the range of opposing views submitted during three extensive rounds of public consultation had shown that it is not possible to prepare a plan that has complete consensus, but all comments had been taken into account to help prepare the best plan for the area as a whole.

The Council will submit the plan to Government around the end of March, and then the Secretary of State will appoint an independent planning inspector to carry out an examination of it. This will include holding a series of public hearings, which are anticipated later this year.