We live in Britain’s newest ‘ghost town’ filled with newbuilds – it has no shops or cafes but we love it
NEIGHBOURS in a new build estate branded a "ghost town" with nothing to do say life is not as bad as people think it is.
Since 2017, 1,200 homes have been built in Northstowe, near Cambridge, with 10,000 more set to go up.
But despite residents moving in six years ago, the estate has no shops, pubs, cafes, public toilets or a GP practice.
The lack of basic amenities saw some angry residents brand the development a "ghost town".
Dad-of-two Dan Greef, 42, fumed: "All we've got is a post box. At night it's like a ghost town as there's no nightlife, pubs or restaurants to eat at. It's very quiet.
"If you want to shop you have to drive into Tesco in the next town or into Cambridge."
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But other families on the L&Q Estates development have now lashed back at the "negative" descriptions of their neighbourhood.
Jawad Nawash, 59, a father-of-three who has lived in Northstowe for three years, people should not be so quick to judge to young area.
The accountant added: "Everything here is well organised. The streets are clean. The place is green. The neighbours are fantastic.
"You can't force people to open a store if it is not going to make a profit. I see us as being in a transitional stage where more things will happen as the town gets bigger."
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Meanwhile charity worker Matt Webb, 36, who has lived in the area for two years, insisted that while it may lack shops, residents are spoiled with running, music and social clubs.
The town - which will eventually house 26,000 people - has a primary, special needs and a secondary school with sports facilities and spaces that can be used by the community.
On Monday, a new community centre in a temporary building offering space for clubs and serving tea and coffee was opened by the council.
Meanwhile one 35-year-old mum said a dance academy offering classes in yoga, ballet, musical theatre and jazz for adults as well as children at the local high school kept people busy.
And while lacking restaurants, Firouz Thompson, a Lib Dem councillor who has lived in Northstowe for six years, helped set up a rota for 25 different takeaway vans for residents to get their teeth into.
Adrian Clark, L&Q Estates' managing director, said the company understood "residents' concerns and frustrations regarding delivery".
But he added that Northstowe "has all the necessary ingredients to become a successful community".
He said: "We have been working hard to meet residents' expectations and deliver on our commitment to the community.
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"We recognise that there have been delays to our original timescales
"Work on this development has unfortunately coincided with the outbreak of the pandemic, followed by unprecedented economic and political challenges worldwide, which have inevitably impacted our work."
