Cambridge villages could be "overwhelmed" by development

People in Great Shelford say the village can't cope with the growth.

Great Shelford is one of the villages on the outskirts of Cambridge that are seeing impacts from the city as it grows in terms of housing, jobs and traffic.

Lyn Disley, from Great Shelford Parish Council, said many residents are worried it is putting a strain on local infrastructure.

Ms Disley has lived on and off in Great Shelford for 30 years, and has shared some of her own thoughts on how the city has impacted on the village in that time.

Lyn Disley, Great Shelford Parish Council:

"Great Shelford, centuries ago, was a tiny agricultural village and a lot of the infrastructure still reflects that.

"As time has gone on and Cambridge has grown in prosperity and in size, the cultures between the city and villages have merged a bit."

"There is a strong fear voiced by the community that the special nature and the character of that location will be adversely affected and sort of overwhelmed by transport, by very rapid development, and by a focus on one particular aspect of the economy.

But - Ms Disley says the growth hasn't brought all doom and gloom.

"The area has become more diverse, you have got an interesting mix of people not those that have always lived there, it is quite cosmopolitan.

"There has been employment on a range of levels, employment opportunities for unskilled staff ranging up to research professors, so that is all very positive."

Ms Disley has also voiced concerns around road safety, pollution and housing.

She is calling on people to consider and remember the impact of Cambridge on its surrounding villages, but also the impact the villages have had on supporting Cambridge to grow.