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Village residents say the application ‘dominates conversation’ as a ‘constant source of worry’De Freville Farm, High Street, Aldreth(Image: Google Maps)Plans to turn a former farm into an “industrial factory” in one of Cambridgeshire ’s smallest hamlets have been refused by the council. Taste Flavourings Ltd were looking to move from their current site in Chittering to De Freville Farm in Aldreth, a non-designated heritage asset.East Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning officers called the plan “an exemplar” of “reusing traditional agricultural buildings for alternative uses”. They said the new use would support around 30 full-time jobs, retaining the “historic arrangement” of farm buildings and improving them “where there are currently clear signs of dilapidation and neglect”.But officers recommended refusing the plans due to their impact on traffic and harm to the “relatively tranquil character of the village”.Mike Wells, speaking on behalf of Aldreth residents, said: “I find it hard to believe that consideration is being given to moving a factory to the heart of probably the smallest hamlet in East Cambridgeshire. It just seems crazy – a hamlet of less than one hundred houses that residents cherish for its peace and tranquillity.”He told the planning committee the factory “would change Aldreth dramatically” as when it was still a farm machinery was used only “intermittently” during harvest. Mike said that parents from the hamlet and nearby Haddenham take their children to the community centre for a “heavily subscribed” playgroup in the community centre.He said: “The prospect of 10 HGV tankers a day thundering in and out of the hamlet with young children walking the footpaths is concerning. For the past 15 months, this application has been a constant source of worry for my wife, for me, and many of our neighbours – it dominates local conversation.“A lot of residents chose Aldreth as a tranquil place to live and to retire to – to enjoy nature and peace – not to be an annex to a factory.”Aalbert Remijn, the owner of Taste Flavourings Ltd, said: “We’re a family business with the next generation already involved and we would like to move from rented premises into premises which we own.”He said their food and drinks laboratories provide “high-quality employment” for 26 to 27 families “more than half of whom live within a 10 mile radius of Aldreth”.He said: “Over the last year we have addressed all the requirements raised by planning officers and relevant agencies and we have received no objections from any of the statutory consultees.“I understand that people are concerned about change and the unknown – however, traffic generation would be much more modest than some residents fear, a point that has been accepted by highways. We want to be part of the community as good neighbours and I hope your decision will help us all move forward in a positive and constructive way.”Gareth Wilson, ward councillor for Haddenham, said: “The problem we’ve got is this, I think well-meaning person, is basically putting his factory in the wrong place.”He said Aldreth is “not suitable for an industrial factory” and raised concerns that approving the plans would set a precedent for the site to “permanently” become industrial.Cllr Lucius Vellacott said: “It’s a testament to the people of Aldreth how seriously they have taken this. I’m massively in favour of employment in East Cambridgeshire – I wish the applicant nothing but the best for their business and I want us as an authority to support them but what I want us to support first is the use of land in our most rural areas and there is no rural need. Unfortunately, this proposal is unacceptable for the location it’s in.”Cllr Bill Hunt, chair of the planning committee, said as a county councillor for the area for 20 years, he “probably knows Aldreth better than most”.He said: “It’s fair to say there’s no shop, there’s only one bus a week – there was a garage there but I think that’s now closed as the owner has retired. Despite those disadvantages people go to Aldreth, live in Aldreth and they love Aldreth – why?“The peace and quiet and the neighbourliness and the decency – and the fact they know when there’s a brewers lorry come down the village by mistake, they know. It’s a special community and I think it should be retained and this would change the character of the area totally.”Cllr Christine Ambrose Smith said: “I think when people in a community are confronted with something that they don’t immediately recognise – a touch of hysteria, dare I say, comes into play.“You get used to lots of things – this is a brilliant new business – I think that after a while it will find its place and it will be accepted. I would really like to see this approved because I think it’s an excellent scheme – it’s making the most out of what’s a derelict area at the moment and at the end of the day what else is going to fill that space?“Something will need to and presumably if the applicant is unable to build here there’s a possibility it may be sold and that might end up with a worse situation.”The application was rejected with eight votes for refusal, one for approval and one abstention.

Everything you need to know about Cambridge East redevelopment after huge announcement | Cambridgeshire LiveNeed to knowCambridge East is set to deliver one of the UK’s largest urban extension projects by transforming a 700-acre site into a new city district, according to the governmentThe Hills Group and Homes England plan to build more than 10,000 homes(Image: The Hill Group)Everything you need to know about the Cambridge East redevelopment:It was announced on Wednesday, June 3, that Cambridge City Airport and its adjacent land, previously owned by Marshall Group, had been sold to Homes England and The Hill Group to create a new neighbourhood called Cambridge East.The site is expected to provide more than 10,000 homes and at least three million square feet of commercial space to support around 9,000 jobs.The developers will also consider creating a regional training hub, which they say will develop local skills and promote long-term careers in construction and related industries.Marshall Group aims to relocate its operations by the middle of 2029. An initial phase of up to 500 homes is expected to begin in the same year.The plans also include supporting infrastructure, community facilities like schools and healthcare provision, and public green spaces.A new regeneration body will oversee the delivery of the new homes, jobs, and transport links in Greater Cambridge. The government says the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation will ensure transport and services are built alongside new homes and “not as an afterthought”.The corporation aims to bring land together for development, invest in key sites, and unlock stalled and derelict land, according to government officials.The announcement follows a consultation over the plans earlier this year. It builds on the up to £800 million already committed to kickstarting development around Cambridge and Oxford.The development will benefit from the proposed Cambridge East station, which could improve connectivity to central Cambridge and London. Subject to planning consent and funding, the line could also extend towards Bedford and Oxford.Follow cambridgenews:‌‌At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.Accept