Recent news articles:

November 2007

Listen to the people and reject Mereham - CEN 24th Nov 2007 - THE Government must listen to "the voice of the people" and turn down plans for a new town, an MP has told an inquiry. Jim Paice, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, made his objections to the proposed Mereham development as local residents handed over a 7,846-signature petition against the plans. Considering the rural nature of the area, this is a huge number of singatures and shows massive opposition across the region.
Protesters to hand in petition - CEN 21st Nov 2007 - PROTESTERS hope a 6,000-strong petition will flatten a developer's plans for a new town. 'Say No to Mereham' campaigners will hand a petition to Richard Ogier, the planning inspector leading an independent inquiry into Multiplex Stannifer's proposed development, on Friday.
Councillor fears 'cut and run' at Mereham - CEN 20th Nov 2007 - AN OPPONENT of the Mereham new town fears a developer could "cut and run". Coun Bill Hunt has led opposition to the multi-million pound plans for a 5,100-home town. It is a raw attempt to turn agricultural land into building land. He thinks bringing supplies of water, electricity and gas to the rural site on the A10 near Stretham will be so expensive that the project will not be viable for developer Multiplex Stannifer.
A10 widening would 'create danger' - CEN 15th Nov 2007 - WIDENING of the A10 proposed as part of the Mereham development would put drivers in "unacceptable" danger, a council expert has told an inquiry.
'Close The Inquiry' Councillor Tells MP - Ely Standard - 15th Nov 2007 - GOVERNMENT minister Hazel Blears has been warned that the only way she can keep credibility intact is by closing down the Mereham inquiry. The call came from Haddenham County Councillor, Bill Hunt, after Ms Blears gave assurances in Parliament that the project for 5,000 new homes would be decided "in accordance with all the local plans".
Multiplex A10 Change Bid - Ely Standard 15th Nov 2007 - But Amanda Mays, Cambridgeshire County Council's team leader for accident investigation and prevention, told the inquiry on Tuesday that the changes do little to address the existing safety issues or to improve the overall capacity of this already very busy road. In fact, she fears that the proposals would increase accidents and widening the A10 would increase overtaking on some sections and increased queuing on others.
Road Safety Expert Concerned Over A10 Mereham Plans - CCC 14th Nov 2007 - A road safety expert told a planning inspector yesterday, Tuesday, that she had concerns that plans for the A10 could lead to more accidents. "I am concerned by these plans which have the potential to increase accidents. The widening of the A10 would increase speeds and overtaking on some sections, but would increase queuing on others. No real consideration has seems to be given to the very busy Twenty Pence Road from Wilburton. Traffic is a bit like water and will flow where it can and I suspect many motorists will use this road, which is already carrying as much traffic as the A10 where both routes meet the A14. I think the whole scheme lacks detail and is badly thought through."
Northstowe's delay aids Mereham case - CEN 08th Nov 2007 - having listened to Mr Puchas rabbiting on (and keep repeating how he doesn't want to take to long over something...yawn!) - it seems that the developers only case "for" Mereham is that they think they can build houses quickly. That is because they are building no infrastructure, and will be building cheap, rubbish houses that will people will loath living in. I doubt Mr Puchas would move there...But now that Northstowe isn't going to be an eco-town, it will come on line much quicker - so the only argument "for" Mereham has deminished. Perhaps it's time to let the farmers keep farming, and for Mr Purchas to go back to the stand up comedy routine school - he hasn't quite got his act sorted yet. It's a bit repetitive.
We Shall Not Be Moo-ved - Ely Standard - 08th Nov 2007 - a witty headline from the Ely Standard, but with a serious point. The timetable and documents for the inquiry keep changing - almost as though the developers still haven't got a clue what they are doing. The plans for the A10 are now completely different than those in the original planning application - if members of the public did this with their plannings applications they would be thrown out and have to start again. So how can the developer carry on? Surely no one can take them seriously anymore. If they can't get it right in the first place, they shouldn't be trying - members of the public have shown themselves to be much more professional!
Concern over 5,000 homes proposal - BBC News Website - 08th Nov 2007 - if Prof. Max Wade thinks building a wetland reserve at the lower end of the site and a few little open spaces will stop Mereham merging into Wilburton and Stretham then he's obviously lost the plot completely - or doesn't really know which development he is being paid to talk about. Perhaps he should look at a master plan. And would you trust Hazel Blears? Perhaps if it were a development near Salford - a true NILBY - Not In Labours Back Yard. They want the houses, so they should lead the way and build in their own constituencies first - afterall cities are the way forward to tackle climate change, not rural areas.
New town 'will form important wildlife habitat' - CEN 07th Nov 2007 - this has got to be the biggest joke going - an "internationally important" wildlife habitat, in fields that are described by a local farmer as "containing poisons" - hence they are flooded each year to remove them. And with thousands of people living close by. I know some people will say anything for money - but Professor Max Wade should know better! Then again, he doesn't seem to know if there is a connection between the site and Wicken Fen or not. Now, there is an internationally important site. Which doesn't appear to have a great big housing estate or two busy roads next to it. And has anyone told him it's likely to flood anytime we get a heavy shower in the summer? As for "bleak or visually monotonous" by Matthew Chard - it's the Fen Edge and approach to Ely with outstanding views all around. The North Yorkshire Moors may be described as the same, but that is protected for having such a bleak landscape. Barton Willmore should know better - they are the only "local" company at the inquiry, and certainly their representative in 2005 didn't seem to back the development wholeheartedly.
Homes chief to back new town - CEN 07th Nov 2007 - Andy Macdonald, managing director of Multiplex Developments, should attempt to get his facts right on his company website. Apparently we live "in the Midlands" and Mereham is a "regeneration project". If they can't even get such simple facts right, how can he actually back the rest of the rubbish that his company is presenting? The traffic figures appear to have been made up, the sustainability is none existant, and a standard single decker bus is not a "high quality" service. We could fill many many pages with other "misrepresentations" - they are well documented in the inquiry library. And all because the government have a ludicrous idea to build millions of houses, it doesn't mean that Mereham is a good place to start. If all applications are this ill thought out and get through, then there is no hope for the future of the UK (or the planet). Greed will win, common sense will lose.
Are we building a better future? - at last, someone making a sensible comment - "The housing has got to go somewhere. It makes more sense to let Cambridge expand. If we build in villages we will end up with more problems, such as on the A14 and A10. At least if we build on the edge of Cambridge you can use the bus service more easily. It's a case of where is the less damage." - thank you Coun Ray Manning. And the National Trust is putting on the boxing gloves to save some green land against development - good for them.
Man cut free from car after A10 collision - CEN 05th Nov 2007 - if Mereham went ahead, this would be a wider, faster stretch of road, with a lot more traffic. This sort of accident could occur more often, and the occupents of the car are unlikely to be so "lucky" if travelling even faster. David Tucker cannot comprehend this - as one (unpublished) research paper for roads completely different to the A10 tells him otherwise. Then again, Mr Tucker thinks you can travel down the A10 from Stretham to Milton in 13 minutes in the morning - so he obviously belongs in Cloud Cuckoo Land. We're quite glad the developers are using such "experts" - as their opinion is little more than a joke. Alas he also was involved in the Guided Bus - kind of explains it's "Misguided Bus" name...
Mereham Developers To Address Inspector - Ely Standard - 01st Nov 2007 - it's the developers turn to but spin and misrepresentation to the inspector. As to why Andy MacDonald is speaking at a planning application inquiry is a complete mystery to us - they must be desperate to get this though to be trying to sell the company rather than the application. A pretty daft move from their part, hopefully the inspector will see straight through it. As for plans to change Ely bus routing - who do they think they are to just say they can change what they want without consultation? Last time we checked, this was supposed to be a democracy - although there seems little evidence of it in planning law...

October 2007

System panned as raw sewage overflows again - CEN 31st October 2007 - if they can't get it right for Cambourne, what chance is there with the weak proposals for Mereham? Welcome to the Wetland Toilet Overflow - it's bound to be a major tourist attraction, the worlds largest toilet...
U-turn on new A14 is feared - CEN 31st Oct 2007 - John Bridge, chief executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, claims the Government has already broken its promises about one major development, the Northstowe township. And he believes it may yet do a U-turn on the A14. More and more houses means more and more cars, they just won't fit on the current road infrastructure.
Government 'did eco-town U-turn' - CEN 26th Oct 2007 - a politician making a U-turn on something they made a massive issue out of? Whatever next...As part of his campaign to become Prime Minister, Gordon Brown announced in a blaze of publicity that Northstowe would be one of five eco-towns - settlements designed to be energy-efficient and kinder to the environment. But less than six months later, council bosses have received a letter from Housing Minister Yvette Cooper saying Northstowe, the new settlement near Cambridge, can not be designated an eco-town.
Councillor's attack on 'smash and grab' plan - CEN 24th Oct 2007 - A leading opponent of the Mereham new town has denounced "smash and grab capitalism" and said democracy demands the scheme be rejected.
Mereham project 'may not be a goer' - CEN 20th Oct - there is very little scope for profit in the development if the required 40 per cent of affordable housing is provided. Then again it wouldn't be the first time that Multiplex have got their sums wrong - they couldn't even make money out of building Wembley. And the homes won't be affordable - a ratio of 3.6:1 for couples put them out of reach of most individuals, and banks don't like lending that sort of money these days - so no one will be able to buy the houses anyway.
Houses cash 'would not be available to Mereham' - CEN 19th Oct - Mereham would not wni grants to build affordable housing, and the plans fall short of the numbers needed to make an impact in the Cambridge region. Northstowe has already claimed funds for the region to build affordable housing, as it is part of the local plans.
Mereham 'flawed' - Ely Standard - 18th Oct - Giles Hughes, East Cambs DC, said that Mereham would have significant adverse impacts on the neighbouring settlements and on the surrounding area. Mereham does not reach the required 40 per cent affordable housing as set out in the structure plan. It was also described as being in a poor strategic location. And that's me and my daughter, Rachel, in the pictures - she really enjoyed waving the placard around!
Area Could Flood Again - Letter to Ely Standard - 18th Oct - a letter from someone who experiences the 1947 floods - saying that if Mother Nature decides, this will happen again. Having seen some of the flooding on video I don't doubt it could happen again, but next time it will be a lot quicker due to all the developments near the rivers. The run off is a lot quicker, and as seen recently the river levels rise very quickly. Next time people may not have chance to evacuate - the people of Mereham may be safe, but at what cost to others?
City 'fails to grow so we need town' - CEN 17th Oct - a weak argument by the developers for their town being that Cambridge isn't growing quick enough, so let us build a totally unsustainable town in the middle of nowhere to clog up the routes into Cambridge, and stretch the city infrastructure even further. He was also grasping at straws saying that the site was the next most sustainable option after locations near Cambridge - well, it was also the second to last most sustainable option, and was eliminated from consideration because of that.
New town will be an environmental threat - CEN 13th Oct - A construction giant's plans for a 5,000-home new town would do little for affordable housing and would cause serious environmental damage, according to a planning chief. And 30 per cent affordable housing is not good enough. Multiplex seem to think that the need to build houses should outweight all other requirements - so seem happy to create town that will serve no purpose, will not be sustainable or environmentally friendly, and pocket the profit (although they may have miscalculated that as well). If Hazel Blears is that gullable, she doesn't deserve to be in office. Pity she doesn't live near here, she would have objected to this a long time ago (same as Ruth Kelly - come on you NILBY - Not In Labours Back Yard).
New town is an unacceptable risk, inquiry told - CEN 12th Oct - Widening the A10 to support the new town of Mereham represents an "unacceptable risk", according to transport chiefs. It is obviously to virtually everyone that this will encourage speeding and dangerous overtaking - and previous attempts by Mr Tucker to use this approach have been thrown out on safety grounds. Other matters include putting childrens lives at risk by removing a bridge over the A10 near Butt Lane and replacing it with a crossing, and not adequately considering the effect of flooding that their proposals will create - a sort of "we'll be okay" approach as demonstrated throughout the proposal.
Roads can't cope with 'mad' town plan - MP - CEN 11th Oct - Plans for a 5,000-home new town have been described as "barking mad" by an MP. He also goes on to say that local people should have the final say on new housing in their area. The A10 won't cope, and the villages of Wilburton and Stretham will be destroyed. The Mutliplex comment is typical - basing it on Mr Brown wanting to build 3 million houses, rather than building appropriately.
Hear Our Protest - Ely Standard - 11th Oct - the first week of the inquiry, it rained, but there was a good turn out of protesters. Mr Purchase said that the need and demand for housing in the area was exceptionally high - he must be confusing East Cambridgeshire with South Cambridgeshire again...and you certainly don't help a demand by creating jobs and increasing demand.
What Happened To Localism? - Letter to Ely Standard - 11th Oct - highlighting that Hazel Blears says one thing, and does something completely different. Our own experience has shown that she isn't willing to listen, or respond, to the very people she claims to represent.
Mereham Protesters Out In Force - the first day of the inquiry, and the protesters were out in force (and the rain!). Mr. Purchase said that "the layout of the site will encourage sustainable travel" - but how do they plan to change the lifestyle of a whole town of people who want to drive their car, and don't want to stand on a park and ride bus to central Cambridge and wait for a bus to take them to where they actually work? Simple - they won't - they'll pay a small fine an you'll never see them again.
Villages Wield Placards In Homes Protest - highlighting the Say No To Mereham campaign - and the Wilburton meeting. Also quotes about Cambourne - including it being a lonely place, with much resentment felt by residents over the lack of facilities. They have it good compared to the Mereham proposal.
Anger over Home Secretary's reply - BBC News - 02 Oct 2007 - The Home Secretary has been accused of failing to take Cambs police's bid for an extra £2m to tackle crime seriously. It seems that the government is happy to tell this region in needs new housing, but isn't willing to find the infrastructure. Presumably they will spend a lot more than this bailing out the Olympics, and preventing London from flooding.
New town might be the answer says councillor - CEN 01 Oct 2007 - But it won't be Mereham! "If we had a new development, you could do something more radical about the sort of houses of you produce. I think we do need to think more willingly about a new development - which isn't Mereham because the plans are awful."

September 2007

Anglia Tonight West - 26/09/07 - Mereham appeared on Anglia tonight - alas the developers weren't available for interview - presumably the travelled 10km from Cambridge and couldn't find the TV presenter, as they were a few km out...(skip to 11:40 running time for the story)
Too many cars - CEN Letters - 20th Sept 2007 - YET again we have seen traffic chaos and another fatality on the roads.
Say no to Mereham - Rachel uses net to spread word - Ely Standard 20th Sept 2007 - Spreading the word through the internet networking site Bebo - well done Rachel (Say No To Mereham is also a group on Facebook)
Say no to Mereham - Farmers fighting to save his dream - Ely Standard 20th Sept 2007 - A farmer wants to keep his farm, some 260 acres - but the developers won't let him get out of the contract which he didn't make with them in the first place...
Fears town would cause traffic chaos - CEN Letters - 05th Sept 2007 - TWO councils fighting a construction giant's plans for a 5,000-home new town fear that the development would wreak traffic havoc on the county's roads.
Mereham Will Swell Local Population by 500% - Ely Standard 05 Sept 2007 - Ely - 8150 homes, population 17200 - Mereham 5100 homes, population 13200 people.

August 2007

Housing plan 'will create sprawl' - BBC News 29 Aug 2007 - Government plans to build houses will create an "unsustainable urban sprawl". Shadow planning minister Jacqui Lait said: "Gordon Brown's empty promise that he would protect the green belt has been exposed to be worthless.".
Northern Rock ups sub-prime rate - BBC News 24 Aug 2007 - From 29 August, sub-prime home loans at the lender will cost up to 1.25% more. Loans that track the Bank of England's base rate will no longer be available. The move comes as home repossessions in the UK surge, reflecting the effect of sharp interest rate rises. So, how are people to fund buying their "affordable houses" - isn't it just a case of pushing them into debt they cannot afford (unsustainable debt?)
House plans 'will hit green belt' - BBC News 15 Aug 2007 - but the Government is committed to brown field development. The government reiterated that it plans "robust protection" of the green belt. Housing and Planning Minister Baroness Andrews said the government believed it was possible to build the homes needed by future generations while protecting the environment and green spaces.
"Our clear priority for development will remain brownfield land - already 74% of new housing is being built on brownfield land, up from 57% in 1997," she said.
Richard Bate, from planning consultancy Green Balance, said "Simply letting the market rip in areas where it would like to go - very often in green belt areas - won't necessarily put development in the places that will do the most good for everybody in town and country alike".
New Town Campaigners: We Can't Be Complacent - Ely Standard 02nd August 2007 - "We are united in standing against this proposal which would harm rather than help East Cambridgeshire." - "There is no doubt in my mind that Mereham would be catastrophic for East Cambridgeshire. It would effectively merge the local villages and pour thousands of cars onto our local roads and harm our economy."

July 2007

Can we save Cambridge from concrete? - Telegraph.co.uk 24th July 2007 - it all points to the Government, and their lack of understanding of what they are doing and trying to achieve. Maybe investing in infrastructure first for major population areas, then build would ease some of the problems, but that is unlikely to happen (unless of course you live in London - a place most MPs never leave). We particularly like the comment about having an English Parliament run by the English...
Developer should pay case costs - CEN 10th July 2007 - too right they should!
Fight Is On To Stop New Town - Ely Standard 5th July 2007 - the proposal is going to appeal, despite every local council being against it, despite the regional development proposal being against it, despite Multiplex representatives saying the guided bus won't ever happen and despite them not even knowing how far away Cambridge actually is. Lets hope the government inspector knows what he (or she) is talking about, Multiplex certainly don't.

June 2007

Councils pledge to fight new town plan - CEN 28th June 2007 - Since the councils first prepared their case, the Government has replaced planning guidelines on housing and on sustainable development in rural areas with more forceful planning statements. The new rules say housing projects must take account of climate change and flood risks, and offer good access to jobs and facilities, while rural developments must protect open countryside and should be focused on existing towns or villages. So Mereham is even against Government planning guidelines...

December 2006

Cyclists' bridge to make way for buses? - CEN 28th Dec 2006 - A spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council said: "We continue to object to proposals to build the development called Mereham in East Cambridgeshire and we believe proposals for a bridge are unachievable." Bombshell as spatial strategy rejected - Transport Times 30 June 2006 - following an examination-in-public of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) - recommendations are that demand management and climate change mitigation be made key priorities. In a complete rewrite of the RSS policy objectives, the panel recommends the primary regional objective should be "to contribute to a reduction in the region's climate change emissions by reducing growth, and ultimately achieving an absolute reduction, in traffic on the region's road system". This cannot be achieved by building large developments on agricultural land many miles from major employment centres requiring people to undertake long journeys.
New layout 'just as confusing and dangerous' - CEN 26 June 2006 - The Milton Roundabout is more confusing with the potential for yet more accidents.
Ely Standard : Battle Could Be Fought On Home Ground - 22 June 2006
Ely Standard : New Town Appeal Courts Controversy - 01 June 2006

May 2006 - Appeal Lodged

Keep up the fight, residents urged - CEN Ely Edition - 16 May 2006
Press Release - Make Mereham A Memory Urges County Councillor - 10 May 2006
CEN - Ely Edition - Mereham plan goes to appeal - 5 May 2006

April 2006

Ely Standard : This firm means multiple problems
Ely Standard : Brothers Declare War Over New Town - 20 April 2006

March 2006

Ely Standard : Postbag: Landowners in Mereham area (from Bill Hunt) - 02 March 2006

February

Ely Standard : Letters - Scroll to Don't Trust Developers - quote "If Multiplex are not good enough to build our national sporting venues, they are not good enough to be trusted with our local area." - 23 Feb 2006

January 2006

PDF Document - Minutes of the Planning Committee Meeting - 04th Jan 2006 - Mereham proposal from page 25 - "AGENDA ITEM NO 3"
Ely Standard - Farmer refuses to sell his land - 12 January 2006
CEN - Ely Edition - 'Mereham' rejected - but appeal will follow - 06 Jan 2006
Ely Standard - New town project is facing the axe - 06 Jan 2006
Ely Online - ECDC Planners Reject New Town 'Mereham' - 04 Jan 2006
BBC News - Council rejects 5,000 homes plan - 04 Jan 2006

December 2005

Ely Weekely News : 'Mereham' campaign hotting up - 21 Dec 2005
Ely Weekly News : 'Concrete jungle' fears for region - 16 Dec 2005 (not directly Mereham)
Ely Standard : Postbag - Scary threat of ghost villages - 08 Dec 2005
Ely Standard : Postbag - Road scheme leaves no room for housing people - 08 Dec 2005
Ely Standard : Postbag - Just what planet are these planners on? - 08 Dec 2005
Ely Standard : Postbag - So many mistakes, planners don't care - 02 Dec 2005
Ely Standard : Postbag - Plans will be a disaster - 02 Dec 2005

November 2005

Ely Standard : No New Town - 25 Nov 2005
Ely Standard : Joining forces will challenge the plan - 24 Nov 2005
Ely Standard : Letters - Creating a burglar's dream, Say NO to Mereham plan, Where will water come from?, Housing projects are out-of-hand! - 24 Nov 2005
Ely Weekly News : Outrage at plan to build 5,000 home - 21 Nov 2005
Ely Weekly News : Safety fears over A10 plans - 18 Nov 2005
Ely Standard - Town Blueprint - 17 Nov 2005
Ely Weekly News : Fight over settlement proposal heats up - 16 Nov 2005
Milton Parish Comments on Mereham Proposals - 8 Nov 2005

Older News Articles

Ely Weekly News : Villagers' big fight against 5,000 homes - 28 Oct 2005
Ely Standard : New town bid sparks fears - 27 Oct 2005
Cambridge Evening News : Developers try again with 'Mereham' plans - 1 Oct 2005
Ely Standard : New town would mean 5,000 extra houses within 20 years - 29 Sept 2005
Ely Weekly News : Village anguish over 'mini Milton Keynes' - 23 Sept 2005
Ely Standard : 5,000 NEW HOMES?

The Cambridgeshire County Council Press Release:

COUNTY COUNCIL PLANNERS SAY NO TO NEW TOWN AT WILBURTON - 16 Nov 2005

And the developers response:

New community promoters respond to County Council - 23 Nov 2005

And a few more personal views:

Rev David Chaberlin - Rector of Milton - 11 Nov 2005
Paul Oldham - Widening the Jane Coston bridge? - 6 Oct 2005

Some older stories, quotes and clippings:

These are older stories from the news, some relating to Stannifer's approach to dealing with the County Council, court actions, and previous attempts to get a development under way between Wilburton and Stretham

Development plan to be challenged in court

Stannifer, the development company, has decided to go to court to challenge the settlement strategy agreed by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. The developer wants the councils' development plan quashed because it does not support Stannifer's proposed new 6,000 home scheme at Wilburton. The councils favour a new settlement at Longstanton-Oakington.

See also Cambridge Evening News:

Villagers back developer over 'unrealistic' scheme - 13 Dec 2003
Note that is Oakington Villages against Northstowe - not Wilburton villagers - Stannifer seemed to be jumping on the band wagon against that proposal.

and Building rival in scheme warning
Stannifer are quoted as saying that Northstowe was a "recipe for chaos", which is the same view held by many local residents for their current proposal. To quote:

But transport experts working for Stannifer, which believes Wilburton is a better location for a new settlement, say the county plan is flawed. David Tucker, of David Tucker Associates, a transport consultancy hired by Stannifer to investigate the Oakington/ Longstanton settlement, said: "Everybody knows that heavy congestion has become a daily feature of the A14, and the consequences of neighbouring major development of this kind will lead to a significant worsening of the situation."

We wonder what David Tucker Associates would say about the A10 plans, if they were not being paid to support them? Having heard many discussions of the issues with their representatives at the public exhibitions, they seem to be unaware of the level of traffic and congestion on the A10, and other roads upon which their proposals will have a knock on effect. They also seem unwilling to respond to questions about their transportation documents, which appear to be full of contradictions and errors.

Some comments on the transport documentation provided as part of the proposal is given in the transport section.

Previous attempts at development proposals - last time it was called Wilburton:
Cambridge Evening News - New townships go under the spotlight - 18 November 2002
What ever happened to the guided bus plans?! We were promised a "new guided bus system" in the previous development, with luxury coaches and 900 spaces - now we are being offered a Park and Ride, sorry, a "multi-modal interchange" - i.e. a "car park with bus stop, with a couple of bike racks thrown in" - offering 500 spaces initially, see the transport section for more details.

Cambridge Evening News - Call to scrap plans - 01 Oct 2002:

A 400-name petition opposing plans for a 6,000 home development was handed into council chiefs today. Coun McKay-Rae handed the petition to county councillor James Fitch outside Shire Hall, Cambridge.
She said: "We had an encouraging response from the villagers of Wilburton and Stretham. We launched a website to get names and publicised it in a Focus newsletter in both villages."
Coun McKay-Rae added: "Wilburton is over 10 miles from Cambridge, where the jobs are located, there's no railway station in Wilburton, the landscape is poorly suited with it being low-lying, and the A10 cannot cope with the traffic which will be generated."

Cambridge Evening New - Act now to save your villages, says councillor - 25 Sept 2002:

Coun McKay-Rae said: "What residents should know is that when Wilburton was considered as a possible site for the new settlement it lost out heavily against many of the other candidates mainly because it was over 10 miles from Cambridge, where many of the jobs are, it was not near a railway station, the landscape was not suitable for such a development, and it would add to congestion on an already heavily overcrowded A10.