I’m grateful to Cllr. Thornburrow for providing the following update…
Following my update to Dave on 17 March, I have to report that the City Council is still not in a position to issue leases to those on the waiting list for the Clay Farm allotments.
When I wrote I firmly expected the legal process to be completed by mid-March so that the letters to those waiting for leases could be sent out, but there have been further delays in the adoption process.
When I was elected in 2018 I believed that if I persistently chased up this issue I could get it quickly resolved, and I never thought that almost 3 years later we would be having to deal with inadequate planning conditions and a Section 106 arrangement that means people still can’t access such an important community resource.
The main obstacle is that part of Hobson’s Park will be adopted at the same time as the allotments, and the park is not yet ready for this to happen. It is for the developer to prepare all the land and legal documents ready for adoption.
Those waiting will be aware that the allotments are ready for the leases to be sent out. The letters are ready to go once those legal documents are finalised, and I will provide weekly updates to Dave Fox until this has happened.
I do not know why the adoption was set up this way, and I will be looking back to the original planning consent and S106 which were agreed back in 2007, as this must never happen again. I will do all I can to ensure that lessons are learned but I know that provides little comfort to those still waiting.
All best
Katie
Katie Thornburrow
方 思 琦
Ward Councillor for Trumpington
Executive Councillor, Planning Policy and Open Spaces
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