Stay of execution for campaigners against St Albans Recreation ground plans

Residents angry about plans to build homes on a recreation ground have been granted a stay of execution.

Cambridge City Council confirmed on Tuesday (July 9) that following comments from residents, it was making changes to its plans to redevelop the community centre at the Meadows.

The current plans, which the council has been consulting on, would result in a reduction of the green space at St Albans Road recreation ground.

Campaigner Lucy Seymour, a member of Friends of St Albans Road Rec, said she was pleased with the news, but added: “We’re going to keep campaigning. We won’t be lulled into a false sense of security.”

The scheme proposes redeveloping the existing Meadows Community Centre and Buchan Street Neighbourhood Centre site to include affordable housing, a larger community centre and improvements to the open space.

The existing playing pitches, multi-use games area, ‘witches hat’ roundabout, zip wire, skate ramp, and the children’s area on the recreation ground are all being retained, but there will be a reduction in the green space. Residents say they have been told that the reduction is around 15 per cent, but they argue it is much closer to 20.

The council says it is working to refine and improve the scheme. In particular, it says it is looking again at how the new centre and housing will relate to the open space at St Alban’s Recreation Ground, and enhance the relationship between the centre and the open space.

A council statement said: “To enable this review, time frames have changed and the planning application will not now be submitted in July. It is anticipated that there will be a further public consultation after the summer holidays where the revised proposals will be shared with the public.”

A dedicated email address for enquires has been set up: meadows@ip-cambridge.co.uk.