Nick Downer

Pooet Looreate

A rare sortie by the Grumpy Bursar into the world of culture. My entry for Chalk Stream Poet Laureate: Ode to the Haslingfield Waste Water Treatment Plant The bounders at Anglian Water Have done what they really not oughter Spilling four months of wee Defiling the poor Rhee And affronting a King’s College porter. InspiredContinue reading “Pooet Looreate”

How many cheers for the Utility of the Year?

Anglian Water announced its consecration as “Utility of the Year” last week. Chief Executive Peter Simpson observed that the award reflected their “leadership in environmental protection”. I hope Peter and Anglian Water will forgive me for being somewhat bemused, as this announcement was followed by the publication of the industry’s annual returns of storm overflows.Continue reading “How many cheers for the Utility of the Year?”

Thakeham Away

Today’s mid-morning show on BBC Radio Cambridge discussed the proposed development: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_cambridge There is a particularly grumpy contributor at 11.09.

Thakeham the Mickey…

You may be aware that the Greater Cambridge Planners are in the process of developing a new Local Plan for the City and South Cambs. This will inform long term strategic policies on planning, housing, employment and infrastructure out until 2041. The plan projects a maximum need for 26,300 homes. Across the entire City andContinue reading “Thakeham the Mickey…”

“Shepreth Growth Arc”. Have you heard about it?

The Greater Cambridge planning authority recently published the results of their “call for sites” for possible inclusion in the next local plan. This can be seen at: https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/emerging-plans-and-guidance/greater-cambridge-local-plan/document-library/site-submissions/#a1 There are four sites of relevance to Shepreth. This is early stage stuff and subject to all sorts of consultation and planning approval, but gives an ideaContinue reading ““Shepreth Growth Arc”. Have you heard about it?”