We live in newbuild ‘ghost town’ with rows of identical houses but NO shops… developers ‘forgot to build high street’
FED-UP locals living in a new build "ghost town" have slammed developers that left them without a high street.
There is no post office, no newsagent, no greengrocers and no convenience store in Cambourne, a few miles from Cambridge.
And although bus stop signs were erected in West Cambourne, no buses ever stop there.
The second pub locals were promised never materialised either.
Instead, most of the High Street is just an open space covered in grass, with a café, building society and a Turkish barbers at one end and few houses clustered at the other.
Now instead of the shops planned when work began in the 1990s, there are proposals to build another 30 townhouses and 87 flats there.
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“It’s sh*t,” said one angry man out walking with his young daughter at the weekend. “Absolute sh*t.
“They just want to make money by building more houses and forget about amenities for the people who live here.”
Danny Dove, 78, sat enjoying a beer outside the Monkfield Arms, the town’s only pub, agreed.
“Apart from this place there’s not much to do here,” he said. “It’s a bit of a ghost town really.”
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Seyi Daramola, 44, who had spent the afternoon shopping in Morrisons supermarket with his 11-year-old daughter Dara, reckoned the town lacks soul.
“We do need some more shops,” said Seyi, who recently moved to Cambourne from north London. “It would add a bit of character to the town.”
Mum-of-three Gaynor Cooke, 61, who moved to the town in 2003, added: “There have been a lot of broken promises.
“We were supposed to have a market square, but nothing happened with that.
“There was even talk of a golf course, but we didn’t get that either.
“Instead we just ended up with a load of estate agents!
“It would be nice to have some small, unique shops, if only a greengrocers. A bit of variety would be lovely.”
Fiona Smith, 52, out with her 13-year-old daughter Caitlin, said: “I’d like to see another pub and a second supermarket rather than more houses.
“A couple more restaurants wouldn’t go amiss, perhaps even a cinema. And we really do need a post office.”
Doctors Lahiry Deiyagala and Kokila Karunarthne, both 38, both love living in Cambourne.
But they face a 20-minute drive to Huntingdon, nine miles away, if they want to stock up with their favourite Asian foods.
“We need another supermarket – or at least a bigger one – with a wider choice of items,” said Lahiry. “That would save us a journey!”
Christine Walker, 77, out walking her dog Oscar, said: “It is doggie heaven here because we are surrounded by lovely countryside.
“And the tea shop is lovely. But there is not a lot for youngsters and we could do with another pub.”
Zac Edwards, 31, said: “It’s a very friendly town and the people are lovely. But there’s nothing here.
“The local GP practice is over-subscribed already and it’s virtually impossible to get an appointment at the two practice dentists.
“They put up bus stops in West Cambourne where I live – unfortunately, though, no buses ever stop at them.”
Newcrest Cambourne Ltd who have applied for planning permission for the new homes argue they are necessary to make the scheme, which contains “several” new retail units, “commercially viable”.
They claim: “This mix of uses will add to the vibrancy of the town centre bringing people living in the town centre.”
But residents have bombarded South Cambridgeshire District Council with objections.
One said: “The area really ought to be filled with just shops, community spaces and, if any residential at all, it should all be social and affordable housing only.”
Another claimed it was “outrageous” that homes were “being squeezed in to the detriment of the purpose of the High Street” and added: “The proposed application is not appropriate for the community.”
And a third added: “Cambourne has far too much residential development as it is. What we are sorely lacking is retail, services and amenities.
“We need recreational places i.e. a swimming pool (top priority), and other possibilities include cinema, bowling and restaurants. A post office is a necessity.
“We also need a wider variety of shops including alternative supermarkets (e.g. Lidl or Aldi), independent stores/organic grocers, charity shops and TK Maxx.”
But despite the lack of shops and leisure facilities, Cambourne does have one claim to fame – the first, and only, Post Box bearing the cipher of King Charles III.
Unveiled this summer by Julie Spence, the Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, it draws visitors from around the world.
During a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon, three cyclists from London photographed themselves with it, before a couple of Dutch tourists arrived and then an excited group of university students from Cambridge.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Henry Batchelor, said: “Cambourne is a successful and beautiful place to live and work – and the amount of open space and woodland is second to none for a new town.
"There’s a strong community engaged in all sorts of innovative projects and activities for all ages – alongside a supermarket, shops and convenience stores, hotels, schools and superb sports facilities.
"Meanwhile, we are in the process of determining a planning application which proposes further retail space on the High Street alongside new homes.
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“Our aim, working with our partners, such as Cambourne’s excellent Town Council and residents, is to continue creating a vibrant town with an exemplar transport network that connects communities, allowing people the choice to leave their cars at home.”
The Sun has approached Newcrest Cambourne Ltd for comment.
