The purpose of this decision is to commission a contractor to install field drainage to rectify waterlogging in the Northstowe Phase 1 allotment and orchard land. This will bring the land into a serviceable condition and ensure it remains fit for purpose in the long term. The land has not proven to be free draining; the drainage solution proposed accords with the drainage strategy for this area. The freehold of the allotment and orchard land belongs to the district council. The allotments are operated by the Northstowe Horticultural Association under licence; plot holders are unable to work their plots whilst the drainage issue remains unresolved. Officers undertook a procurement exercise inviting contractors to devise and cost a solution to prevent future waterlogging and a successful bidder has been identified. This would result in the district council incurring £27kin costs, which will be reimbursed from the Phase 1 Open Space Management and Maintenance fund as agreed by the Phase 1 Northstowe Open Space Management Steering Group (August 2021).
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: Longstanton;
Notice of proposed decision first published: 15/09/2021
Decision due: 15 September 2021 by Head of Transformation, HR & Corporate Services
Lead director: Head of Transformation, HR & Corporate Services
Contact: Clare Gibbons, Growth Manager (Communities) 01954 713290 Email: clare.gibbons@scambs.gov.uk.
Consultees
The Northstowe Horticultural Association has been involved in discussions regarding the drainage proposals and have endorsed the intended approach. Plot holders are currently unable to cultivate their plots, they are keen the Council resolve the situation.
The proposals have been discussed by the Open Space Steering Group for Phase 1 Northstowe (which includes in membership Northstowe Town Council, Longstanton Parish Council, L&Q Estates, Greenbelt, Cambridgeshire County Council and Anglian Water); pre-app advice has been received which has provided confidence in the proposed solution.
Local members and the Cabinet Lead for Community Resilience, Health and Wellbeing support commissioning this work to remediate the drainage problem on the Phase 1 allotments.