Community matters

community IMPORTANT NUMBERS Orchard Surgery matters Appointments & Dispensary 260220 For repeat prescriptions send email: prescriptions.orchardsurgery@nhs.net Hospitals Update on the neighbourhood planAddenbrooke’s Royston 01223 245151 01763 242134 Our focus in this edition of Melbourn Magazine is to explain why drawing up a NHS111 – Urgent Care 24hr helpline 111 Neighbourhood Plan is becoming even more important. Only by doing this will we have any control over the future development of our community.

Medical help when not a 999 emergency The South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework (LDF), which the Police Non Emergency number 101 village was consulted on back in early 2013, has been suspended by the Planning

Help when not a 999 emergency Inspector because she was not convinced that the plan made provision for enough Fire & Rescue Service 01223 376201 new houses to be built or that the plan suggested that they be built in the most Crimestoppers 0800 555111 appropriate locations. South Cambridgeshire District Council has been asked to Neighbourhood Watch 260959 carry out a wide range of work to address the Planning Inspector’s concerns. This Maureen Townsend maureentownsend1@aol.com will not be complete until March 2016 and there is always the possibility that the Telephone Preference Service Planning Inspector will not find the work satisfactory. www.tsponline.org.uk 0345 070 0707 Into this vacuum, developers are putting forward speculative planning For information on Parish Councillors applications in neighbouring parishes with increasing frequency. We know that see page 35 at least one developer is writing to all local landowners encouraging them to try for planning permission. As yet Melbourn has only had the Endurance Estates application for 199 homes off New Road. Following the SCDC Planning Committee refusal, Endurance Estates has made an application for an appeal. This has been granted. If the worst happens and the appeal is successful, Melbourn can expect further applications and we need to be prepared. As time passes, the new homes for Melbourn which were included in the original LDF (64 off Victoria Way and at 31 New Road) will be under construction. Thus if the revised LDF has to include more development, developers will potentially be arguing for additional sites in Melbourn. We need to be prepared and to have considered whether there are suitable sites and where they are. Also, we can consider other types of development, such as providing more space for businesses Winter health advice or additional open space for sport and recreation. Cold weather doesn’t have to go hand in Previously, villages have automatically benefited from new developments by hand with illness. Here are some simple receiving money for open spaces and community space. From April 2015, this is no things you can do to help yourself stay well this winter. longer the case. Now Parish Councils must demonstrate a need for a facility and Keep warm – this may help prevent colds, flu or more serious health conditions must draw up specific projects. The best way to do this is via the Neighbourhood Plan so that the Parish Council has evidence of what the community agrees is such as heart attacks, strokes and needed. pneumonia. And we need to compile the plan as quickly as possible. Please help us. The Eat well – food gives you energy, which more volunteers and support we have, the quicker we will be able to work. helps to keep you warm. So, try to have Melbourn Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group regular hot meals and drinks throughout the day. Get a flu jab – flu vaccination is offered County Councillor Susan van de Ven free of charge to people who are at risk, pregnant women, carers and some young children to ensure that they are protected Improvements at Frog End junction At long last, improvements are to be made to the Frog End junction. It is very against catching flu and developing serious welcome news that this is happening at long last. The Frog End junction is not at complications. the top of the County’s Accident Cluster list and I was not hopeful that we would See also page 27 be seeing action, but we are. www.nhs.uk/staywell As I have reported in the past, traffic lights and roundabouts are not options that