Great Shelford Parochial Charities held a public engagement meeting in the Community Room on 20 June. Following a brief introduction from Sarah Rann, Trustee, villagers were invited to view the display boards, discuss the issues with Trustees and come up with their own ideas for development of the Charities’ land. The meeting lasted almost two hours and provoked lively debate.

32 people attended: 22 villagers plus a South Cambs District Council Housing Officer, Local District Councillor Nick Sample, a Community Housing Adviser, an architect from HaysomWardMiller, and several Trustees of The Parochial Charities.

All agreed the village needs more affordable housing

~ Most said affordable housing should be reserved for people with strong local connections

~ Affordable housing schemes should comprise at least 10, and some felt 20 or more, homes

~ Many felt these should be built on a “small extension to the Green Belt.”

~ Many supported our proposal to extend More’s Meadow

~ We received a number of heartfelt comments . . . “A breakthrough opportunity for Shelford people who despair of ever affording to live in a pleasant, reasonably priced property”

Below are the display boards shown at the meeting.

We welcome further ideas and comments from villagers.