East West Rail – Ward Member Comments

The East West Rail (EWR) non-statutory consultation that started on 31st March 2021 is closing on 9th June 2021. It is an additional consultation because EWR is proposing new route alignments outside of the Option E corridor. So it is essential to consult the public. The impact of their proposal on Highfields Caldecote is quite significant.

As I wrote previously, East West Rail is consulting on 5 alignments between Bedford and Cambridge. Two of those, dark blue (1) and purple (9) alignments, go through Highfields Caldecote from Cambourne North. The other three go through Bourn from Cambourne South. Either way, the rail proposal will affect Caldecote Ward significantly.

My Involvement

All the villages affected by the routes have created working parties to read through the mountain of paperwork and come up with a response. Each response will inevitably focus on the impact on that particular community. That is to be expected. I find myself in the unenviable position of having Bourn and Caldecote with opposing views on the routes through their villages. My role is supporting both village groups in my capacity as Ward Member as much as they allow me to.

I have discussed the matter directly with each Parish Council and attended their virtual village meetings where I answered questions from residents. In addition, I encouraged each community to bring its own case forward as strongly as possible. This will ensure that East West Rail are aware of the various issues that local people are concerned about. There are many issues, as the analysis of route alignments 1 & 9 show. I am a member of the Caldecote EWR Action Group that put the Caldecote response together.

It occurred to me early in the consultation process that East West Rail may not have been in contact with the three developers building out sites in and around the Ward. It turns out that I was correct, so I contacted each one to alert them to the consultation. EWR arranged meetings for Councillors, and I made sure of my attendance at all of them. I also attended meetings called by Anthony Browne MP for South Cambs.

East West Rail Routes 1 and 9

These are the alignments that go through Highfields Caldecote and Bourn Airfield. They follow the same route from the proposed Cambourne North Station through Highfields. Therefore, for the purposes of illustration, I show the dark blue route 1 only.

Issues Identified for Alignments 1 & 9

Once I got over the shock of seeing the proposed route, I delved deeper to find out just what East West Rail were up to. The gremlins showed up quite quickly.

1. EWR propose a 12 meter viaduct over the A428 into Bourn Airfield new village. The viaduct turns into an embankment on top of the MU2 block ear marked for high density mixed residential and commercial use.
2. The enbankment at just over 10m cuts across the open field meant for recreation and drainage attenuation ponds. It then squeezes past the top of West Drive into land used by a local business.
3. As if that was not enough, it carries on toward the new development at All Angels Park where it takes out a further nine houses.
4. The alignment then continues merrily on its way to Hardwick, Toft and Comberton on its way to Cambridge South Station.

Implications of Issues Identified

These proposed new alignments cause me to question the claim by EWR of having done their homework. They have not. They did not discuss any of their proposals with the major landowners and developers. I can also confirm that EWR did not talk to South Cambs about its Local Plan. We could have made them aware of these issues.

Houses Affected

1. Bourn Airfield new village is in the South Cambs adopted Local Plan. These proposals will mean that more than 150 units will be lost from there. In addition, the drainage plans for the whole development will have to change. That means the development may not be viable in the form that it has planning permission for.
2. The viaduct and embankment cut across the route of the Cambourne to Cambridge busway. This busway is the only transport solution for Bourn Airfield from the Cambridgeshire County Council. It is in the Transport Strategy for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire (TSCSC) document adopted in 2014. Policy TSCSC 21 is on page 23 to 25 of the document.
3. Bourn Quarter is the business and employment development on the airfield. The East West Rail proposal will also affect them due to visual impact and noise.
4. The third development that this alignment will affect is All Angels Park being built by Linden Homes. The routes in their current position will take out nine (9) houses that Linden is building now.
5. None of the existing houses is directly in the path so none is earmarked for demolishing. However many others will be affected directly by the noise of the train as it trundles past the houses. East West Rail consider houses within 75m of the alignment could be affected by extra noise above standard levels.

Effect on Caldecote

1. Can you imagine what a 10 to 12 meter high embankment looks like? If electric trains will run on the line, then we could add another storey. That would make it the equivalent of 4-5 storey building. Now imagine a long terrace of these buildings right across the field at the top of Highfields. It will block the village in and forever change the longstanding open fields character that we all love.
2. Another significant effect will be the noise of the trains as they pass by. At a height of 10 meters above ground level, the sound will carry far down the village. It will blight the enjoyment that we have of our quiet rural village.
3. One of the businesses in the village operates on fields outdoors. The embankment will run right through it and that will destroy the livelihood of one of our residents.

The Caldecote EWR Action Group wrote an article that was published in the 17th May 2021 edition of Cambridge Independent highlighting these issues and asking if EWR then planned to demolish homes still being built?

East West Rail say that this their preferred route for now. It seems to me that based on the errors we have found in their analysis, it will be difficult for them to justify this statement. They will either have to change their preference or find a better way to cross the A428 other than using a viaduct and embankment.

East West Rail Routes 2, 6 and 8

These alignments go through South Cambourne Station and then through Bourn, Caldecote and Kingston towards Cambridge South Station. For the purposes of illustration, I show the red route 2 only.

Issues Identified for Alignments 2, 6 and 8

The analysis of this alignment also shows there are some issues that raise serious concern.

1. The alignments cut across the Broadway right where the new housing association houses are located. A number of houses face demolition. The railway will be in a cutting that is potentially 10m below the ground level.
2. It then goes on to cut across The Drift still within the cutting below ground level on its way Kingston.
3. The route then turns into a viaduct of about 15m high as it gets to the bottom end of Caldecote and Bourn Brook. It stays as a viaduct as it crosses the B1046 Toft Road and Church Lane Kingston.
4. It then clips the south west end of New Farm as it chugs its way to Cambridge South Station.

Effect on Bourn

1. The alignment sits in a cutting as it goes through Bourn and that means the visual impact is not substantial compared to the other routes. Also it means that Broadway will continue as a bridge over the cutting. The same will apply to the Drift.
2. The major impact will be the need to demolish some existing buildings, which could number up to 9. This is not something that anyone would wish on those whose homes are in the pathway. It is devastating to those affected and it would be better to avoid this harm to them.
3. The noise impact will not be as significant because the railway will be sitting in a cutting through the village.
4. The Bourn Valley is where the most visual impact will happen because of the 10-15m viaduct that will be crossing the valley. That area is more sparsely populated and so will have less impact relative to other parts of the line.

Effect on Kingston and Caldecote (old village)

1. The alignment approaching Kingston is on a 10+m viaduct as it crosses Church Lane. It then turns into an embankment of just under 10m as it nudges the South Western end of North Farm on the B1046.
2. The visual impact of viaducts in the natural setting of the Bourn valley is significant. However it may not be as visually intrusive in comparison to viaducts on Routes 1 & 9.
3. The noise impact could be significant for houses located within 75m of the alignment. That would include some houses at the top of Kingston as well as those in Old Caldecote.
4. There will be significant environmental impact on wildlife habitats and you can find out more on the Wildlife Trust website here.

The District Council viewpoint

Many residents have been asking what the District Council thinks of the proposals and if will support or object to it. My answer is that the Council needs to look at this project objectively on behalf of the entire district. It is also the Local Planning Authority which means it needs to ensure its response does not put it in a prejudicial position.

The Planning Policy team prepared a draft response for Cabinet discussion at its meeting on 24th May 2021. It is item 8 on that agenda and you will find the recording of the meeting here.

I highlighted the need to be bolder in setting out the impact on our communities, and the current Local Plan. Route alignments 1 & 9 would affect the delivery of Bourn Airfield which is a strategic site in the local plan. In addition, I pointed out that EWR did not contact us to find out about how their proposal will impact our local plan. Their choice of the preferred station location near Knapwell with a 10,000 site development was of their own back.

Other cabinet members made useful comments that will be added to the response. I will post the link to the Council’s final report here when it is ready.

Conclusion

This proposal is one that divides the communities in Caldecote Ward. I have tried to be objective in focussing on the issues that arise for each community. My submission is here.

I encourage everyone to send in a response on or before the deadline of Wednesday 9th June 2021. The consultation page is here. You can send your response in a number of ways.

1. submit it online at https://communityhub.eastwestrail.co.uk/consultation-feedback/survey_tools/feedback  

2. download and print a copy of the feedback form here https://eastwestrail-production.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/public/Feedback-Form.pdf and send to Freepost EAST WEST RAIL

3. You can scan the completed feedback form and send by email to consultation@eastwestrail.co.uk

4. You could just send an email with your comments to consultation@eastwestrail.co.uk.

So if you need help with drafting your replies, check out the tips from the parish councils for each village in the links below.

Bourn: https://www.bourn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DRAFT-Outline-response-to-EWR-Consultation.pdf

Caldecote: https://caldecote.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Caldecote-EWR-Consultation-Feedback-GuideWith-leaflet.pdf

Kingston: https://kingstonvillage.org.uk/home-2/east-west-railway.html