Great and Little Eversden   Public Meeting on Affordable Housing held in the Village Hall on 18h April 2006 from 8.pm to 9.15pm  

The meeting was well attended by more than 80 residents. It was chaired by Clive Dalton, Chairman of the Parish Council. All members of the Parish Council were also present except for Tony Bane and Barbara Sach who sent apologies.   Cl. Liz Heazell, Chairman of the SCDC Housing Committee was also present.

There was a lively discussion and many valuable questions were raised and some useful comments made. These are summarised below and divided into categories.

The Chairman explained the situation that the SCDC Survey had revealed a future need for 21 Affordable Houses in the Eversdens. The Parish Council had a responsibility to suggest possible sites to SCDC for the consideration of their Development Department.The PC could only suggest sites which were known to be available. These were:

OSP 148 in Great Eversden owned by SCDC.

The Harlton Road Site, called Low Close, whose owner was willing to sell.

A further site (Watson's Close) had been investigated, but the owners were not willing to sell.

The only sites available for low-cost housing will inevitably be in the Green Belt and will only be allowed as 'exception sites' negotiated by Section 106 agreements and approved by the Parish Council and SCDC.

Is there a need for more affordable housing in the Eversdens?    

          The South Cambs District Council (SCDC) survey had revealed a need for 21 houses in the Eversdens, 9 in Great and 12 in Little Eversden.

          It was alleged that there was little need as there were 43 affordable houses in the two villages and these should provide enough as their present residents moved.(but only 8 of these were of the kind under discussion)

          The Eversdens were listed as 'LOW'' in need for affordable housing, needing only 0%-1.2% a year.

          It was pointed out that it was probable that the need for 21 houses revealed by the survey was likely to be an underestimate, as some might not have replied.

          There were some 4,000-5,000 people on the waiting list in the area.

          A couple earning £30,000 between them could raise a mortgage for £150,000. Yet there are few houses in the Eversdens available for under £250,000.

          The only way young professionals or others could acquire a house in this area was through schemes such as these for affordable housing.

          A detailed resumé of the planning legislation on rural housing was made in support of the claim that no houses should be allowed on OSP 148.

          It did not appear to alter the situation outlined by the Chairman at the start of the meeting.

The Eversdens now have few amenities. Are they therefore suitable for expansion?

          There is now no shop, pub, school and only a limited bus-service.

          It was argued that people should not be encouraged to come to a village which had few facilities and the need for them to drive to work was environmentally undesirable.

          It was pointed out that most of the objectors themselves used their cars to get to work and to shop.

          Villages need to grow and develop. They cannot be Museum Villages. They need a community of young people. The current situation in the Eversdens is very good for young families. There are excellent schools within reach and a new children's playground is much used. People must have the freedom to move as their circumstances change.

What is the present situation as regards planning?

          Two sites have been mentioned to SCDC. Their Development  and Planning committees will consider them in due course. If they decide they are suitable, the normal planning procedures will follow, including consultation with the immediate neighbours and the Parish Council.

Who is eligible for these houses?

          Initially, only those with connections with the Eversdens. In the very unlikely event that not enough of those eligible could be found, SCDC could consider others. There is an agreed points system for this.

What happens when the first owners leave?

          This depends on the initial agreement. Recent regulations say that the houses should remain as Affordable Houses and should not be sold on the open market. The Parish Council was strongly committed to this principle and SCDC was likely to support it.

Objections to OSP 148

          Difficulty of access.

Desire to retain it as green belt land. The 1991 inquiry had confirmed the land as Green Belt, but Mrs Heazell pointed out that conditions had changed considerably since that time. 

Objections of neighbouring residents.

Objections to Low Close (Harlton Road)

          Dangers of access. 

Fear that if part of Low Close were to be used for housing, there would be pressure to extend the development further. 

          Loss of attractive landscape views.

          Objections about lack of  consultation by the PC (and one claim of misinformation) before the PC mentioned the site to SCDC.

Why not 20 houses on one site instead of 10 on two?

          Consideration for existing residents means that the addition of10 houses is less burdensome than 20 would be.

Are there any other sites available?

          None have come to the notice of the PC since October 2005, when this matter was first discussed. But at the meeting David Ellis said that he would consider offering the field between Bucks Lane and Finch's Field as an alternative. He had initially thought it less suitable, and had therefore offered Low Close in preference.

Results of Survey of Village Households

          A leaflet had been circulated about the Public Meeting which invited people to state their views if they could not come to the meeting. There was probably some overlap between those who answered the survey and those who came to the meeting. But the results of the survey were:

                                                                                       OSP 148                Low Close

               47 responses                                                   Gt. Eversden            Lt. Eversden

Note:  There was an important misprint in the Report on the Parish Council in the last Tail Corn (Winter 2006). The section on Affordable Housing should have read:

Although there were NO firm plans at present as to what could be done with the Harlton Road site, points to be noted were…

Apologies are due to all who were alarmed by the error and thanks to John White who noticed it