Meeting on 23rd September 2026 in Harston pavilion

Present. TW, HR, JR, JB, RB, KR, PG, NN, CA, BW, JN

Apologies: TG, ML, IR, PA, GH, RPG, FP.

  1. Governance

Insurance

CA has insurance from Keep Britain Tidy for the litter pick on 27th Sept. 2-4pm.

HR has got insurance for HRG, which covers all community activities, including in Button End wood. It is now feasible to set up another working group to continue the clearance work already started at Button End wood.

  • Transport/traffic
  • EWR

BW had a reply from Paula Whitworth (EWR). She apologised for the delay but assessments of realignment options are now complete and the route will not be changed.

EWR sent a report to RPG (Harston PC Chair), and BW has requested a copy. Harston residents need appropriate mitigation for the rail route and the construction process. 

HR is part of Cambridge Ramblers Group who’ve meet with EWR to check the footpaths that will be disrupted when EWR is built. Good response from EWR.

EWR has given HPC financial compensation for using the recreation ground for access to works.

Paula Whitworth would like to attend an HRG meeting. She is our primary contact with EWR. Considerations prior to the meeting:

  • HRG suggested November as possible meeting date with her
  • Have list of points/questions gathered from residents ie freight v commuting routes

Action: BW to check dates with Paula Whitworth.

Details of meeting with Paula Whitworth will be widely publicised.

 BW to set up another updated EWR display at Betterbrew on 3rd Oct. to share existing info and make note of questions for meeting with PW.

Residents are encouraged to write to transport Minister, Heidi Alexander, re. freight going on the Northern route to avoid the villages and going through Cambridge.

  • The Footpath/Church Street. BW contacted Lisa Redrup, District Councillor, re proposed car park opposite Harston surgery on the Footpath land. She has contacted the SCDC housing team who won the land and are looking at it and will request a copy of the plans.

The Greater Cambridge PDFM has information on the 106 funding which might be used.

Double yellow lines on Church St. These will be included in the proposals for traffic calming on Church St. There will be no action before next year.

  • New P&R south of M11/A10 on Trumpington Meadows will be traffic light controlled, not accessed by tunnel from M11.
  • Communications: Newsletter

The next newsletter will primarily be for updates on local issues.

  • Environment
  • Button End wood

TW met with BE businesses recently to discuss the CIC (Community Interest Company) being set up to deal with BE wood. They discussed the application to get a public right of way through the industrial estate to access the wood. A path along the southern side of the industrial estate may be the best option. Jesus college, landowner, doesn’t recognise any public right of way on their land.

The CIC would have 3 directors, TW for village, RM for businesses and councillor Laurence Damary-Homan as independent director.

TW will put together the key points for the CIC’s Articles of Association for the next meeting. Covenants on the land already set out that all companies on the site are responsible for maintaining the common areas of the industrial estate.

RM, of Mills construction, has already paid £900 to initiate action by Crown Estates to start the process of buying the woodland for the community.

Should the CIC be wound up a Harston Village Trust could be formed as custodian of the woodland, if necessary.

The meeting thanked TW for the research he has done.

  • Recreation ground

There are new rules being proposed for the recreation ground.

The existing rules displayed on the gate has no named person or dedicated contact number, so this should be added.

HRG feel a visible written disclaimer of liability by PC (use at own risk) is adequate for the general public using the orchard.

  • Croquet lawn

No more news re Meldreth Croquet Club. HPC could not say if it would be on the agenda of the next parish council meeting. HPC proposed a survey for all Harston residents but this has not been done yet and no more information has been forthcoming from the PC.

HPC said talks with Meldreth CC are still in early stages.

Summary of points known

  • In July Harston Parish Council meeting reference was made to “surplus land on the meadow for the croquet lawn”. There is no surplus land. Harston also has relatively small surplus recreational land compared with other villages.
  • The meadow is a County Wildlife Site to protect this area of unimproved grassland. It is a wild area that is mown once a year.
  • KR visited Meldreth CC and saw their croquet lawn. It is a fenced area 40mx30m. Fencing is required to prevent it being walked on as the lawn needs to be of a high standard.
  • Meldreth CC is a private club. They said that if they were to relocate to Harston, residents would be able to join the club. How much interest would there be among Harston residents?
  • Meldreth Croquet Club would be a private club that would require sole use of an area of Harston Rec.

All Harston residents should have the information and the opportunity to respond to it.

It was agreed to put an article about the croquet lawn in the next newsletter and a display at Betterbrew coffee morning.

KR has drafted a petition which she is willing to bring to Betterbrew.

Action. KR will draft information for residents.

                An article will go into HRG newsletter.

  • Litter pick on 27th Sept.

CA has sorted out the insurance. She has updated the litter pick map and marked Areas of Caution on it, eg. ditches, major roads.

A grant from HPC was used to buy more equipment.

Safety. Volunteers on 27th Sept will sign a register at the beginning and end of the litter pick. They will be briefed at the start and will mark their litter pick area on a map. A mobile number will be provided for contact during the event.

  • Planning
  • The property being extended next to Hairs and Graces has applied to alter their entrance to one in middle of the lay-by and Highways agreed to put H-bar which would mean layby would become defunct. PC and residents objected to this and encouraged that existing driveway to No 51 is still used. This also provides better visibility as is adjacent to No 53 Driveway.
  • Greater Cambridge Local Plan

Cambridge Development Corporation has already looked at the map grey areas in Greenbelt. considered most suitable for housing development. These are at  with Harston Neighbourhood Plan as they had yet to take local assets and policies into account.

4,000 new houses proposed between Shelford Rd and M11. Gt Shelford council is against this  large housing development as local landowners & developers rush to try to make money before proposed Cambridge Development Coporation is set up.

  • 6 trees are offered to PCs each year. It was suggested that this year Harston residents are consulted on where to plant them.
  • Concerns have been expressed that Harston PC has lost 6 Parish Councillors in the last year and the clerk is on long-term sickness absence.
  • HRG has no income to pay for running costs.

Action. Suggestions welcome at next HRG meeting for fundraising ideas.

JN