'Lib Dems withheld info on 25,000-home development,' Conservatives claim
The Lib Dem leader of the council denied holding 'secret meetings' but said she had a meeting with the developer at their request
Cllr Heather Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition group at South Cambridgeshire District Council, alleged the Lib Dems withheld information about the plans
The Liberal Democrats running South Cambridgeshire District Council held "secret" meetings with the developer behind a proposal for a 25,000-home new town and withheld their knowledge from other parties, the Conservative opposition has alleged.
Property developer Thakeham announced on Tuesday (December 8) a proposal for a new town and villages comprising 25,000 new homes to the south west of Cambridge, in the countryside near to Barrington, Bassingbourn-cum-Kneesworth, Foxton, Meldreth, Orwell, Shepreth, Whaddon and Wimpole.
The proposal is at an early stage and currently has no formal planning status. Details are limited, with Thakeham not even releasing the boundary of the site in question.
Thakeham's announcement was quickly met with criticism and opposition from councillors, including senior Liberal Democrats in the South Cambridgeshire District Council administration, as well as the Conservative MP for South Cambs, Anthony Browne.
Councillor Heather Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition group on South Cambridgeshire District Council, has hit out at the Liberal Democrat administration, claiming it had prior knowledge of the proposals and has treated residents with "contempt" and used the situation for its own political gain.
'Secret back-room meetings'
The leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Liberal Democrat Bridget Smith, said in response that she had met with the developer, but not in secret, and that she and the council requested the proposal be made public.
Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Lib Dem Cllr Bridget Smith (Image: Cambridge News)
Cllr Williams told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she found out about the proposal on social media via the press on Tuesday.
She said an action group created by Liberal Democrat councillors to oppose the plans had been set up well in advance of the announcement, on December 1.
She said: "I, like many residents learnt about the Thakeham proposals on Twitter [on Tuesday], despite the Liberal Democrat administration clearly having prior knowledge and secret back-room meetings on the subject.
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"The administration has obstructed the democratic process by not sharing with all members their knowledge of the proposals. It is clear that they are using this situation to protect their own political careers as opposed to what is best for residents, they are diverting the attention away from the fact that it will be South Cambs District Council where they have an overwhelming majority, as the planning authority, that will make the decision via the local plan process.
"This proposal must have no special treatment during its planning consideration, despite any secret meetings that may have taken place between Lib Dem members and the developers to date. Residents' voices must be taken into account and all district councillors should be able to have the information we need to represent our residents, not have the administration withhold for their own political advantage as has happened in this case".
She added: "The South Cambs Conservative group will not support developments that are unsustainable, and inappropriate. We will not support proposals that destroy the rural nature of our district or result in the concreting over of South Cambs. We will fight to represent our residents in the best possible way despite the Liberal Democrat Administration's lack of openness and transparency."
'No secret meetings'
The leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Liberal Democrat, Bridget Smith responded: "There have been no secret meetings between Lib Dem councillors and the developer.
"The developer requested a meeting with me, which I attended with the director of planning. Once it became clear what was proposed, we told them to publish the information by putting it into the call for sites, and comply with the normal process, ensuring the all matters are dealt with in a transparent and open manner. We forced the matter, not the developer."
Liberal Democrat councillor for Melbourn and Bassingbourn division, Susan van de Ven, who set up the Facebook group, said: "Our primary duty as councillors is to the residents of our wards. I owe it to my community to be as prepared as possible.
"This Action Group is deliberately non-partisan and community based.
"I hope all that the councillors for all affected areas will join this community effort."
A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat group said that councillors in the area "have been hearing rumours about Thakeham approaching landowners for the last two years".
But they added it was only after the announcement of the proposal from Thakeham that "the extent of their aspirations" across the wider area became clear.
On Tuesday a spokesperson for Thakeham said: "As you can imagine, a certain level of work is needed to get to a point where we could announce a credible vision. Initial discussions have been undertaken with stakeholders, but it is only now that we're in a position to present a vision to the public. We look forward to working with stakeholders and the local community as the proposals begin to evolve."
They added: "We are at an early stage of forming our vision. South West Cambridgeshire represents an exciting opportunity to develop a carbon neutral development to facilitate Cambridgeshire's future growth.
"Thakeham is committed to ensuring that the evolution of its proposals for South West Cambridgeshire will be in consultation with all tiers of government, including the Greater Cambridge Partnership, national Government and the local community."
South Cambridgeshire Council