Action has been taken to clean part of a beloved Cambridge common which residents felt was ‘left to rot’
A beloved nature reserve that residents felt was “left to rot” has been cleared – but there are calls for more to be done. CambridgeshireLive reported locals in Chesterton were unhappy with the state of Stourbridge Common in Cambridge on Thursday (March 5).
Ryan Henniker, chair of the East Chesterton Residents Group, described the nature reserve as an “important area for wildlife”, but said it had been left neglected by Cambridge City Council, which maintains it. The group highlighted ‘abandoned’ encampments at the meadow as one of their key concerns.
Part of the common had been cleared as of 3.30pm on March 5. Ryan said this is a “great first step in restoring the common”. However, he said the “job isn’t quite finished”.
He added: “There is a lot more rubbish to be cleaned up on those camp sites. The large bins by Green Dragon bridge need to be returned and an action plan to be put in place to restrict illegal camping before the summer hits.”
The council previously said it couldn’t clear the site due to weather conditions. A council spokesperson said: “The very wet and boggy conditions on the common this year had prevented our vehicles from accessing this area, but a recent improvement meant that we were able to visit the site of the abandoned illegal camp and clear it earlier this week.
“Camping on public land such as our parks and open spaces is not permitted, so we would ask people to report any instances they may see, through our website.
“We realise that people who camp in this way may only be doing so because they think they have no other options, but we would encourage anyone in this position to contact the council as soon as possible, as there are a range of different ways we can help people at risk of being homeless.”