Decision on shopping centre deferred over size concerns - Cambridge News
Designs for a shopping centre at Orchard Park are "disappointing" and must be improved, councillors said.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee was recommended to approve the application for seven shops off Chieftain Way at its meeting yesterday, but chose to defer its decision.
Cllr Yemi Macaulay, chairman of Orchard Park Community Council, told members a larger scheme had been approved in 2009, but had never been built, and that decent-sized shops were needed to ensure the development was sustainable.
He said: "This application is for a significantly smaller scheme in an area of Cambridge which is already poorly served by retail.
"It is a real disappointment to residents and the community council remains very concerned about the long-term viability of this smaller local retail centre."
The main convenience store would have been 1,377 sq ft (420 sq m) in size, similar to Iceland in Histon Road, and there would have been six further 229 sq ft (70 sq m) units.
The application also included 140 homes – 28 flats above the shops, 33 houses on either side, and a further 79 homes on the corner of Ringfort Road and Cambridge Road.
Cllr Macaulay said insufficient open space was being provided on site, and argued funds being offered as an alternative were £100,000 short.
Cllr David McCraith, a member of the committee, said: "I would advocate the applicant goes away and talks a little bit more to the community council and comes back with something appropriate for the area."
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