CHARLIE

Charlie Cambridge is organizing this fundraiser.

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BUILDING ON CONTAMINATED LAND IN CHERRY HINTON – ACT NOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH!

Location:

Did You Know?

Cambridge City Council has granted permission to build on a site contaminated by old landfill waste – located by the lakes in Cherry Hinton. This site contains dangerous substances including asbestos, chromium 6, PFAS ("forever chemicals"), cyanide, mercury, cadmium and other toxic heavy metals.

What’s at Stake?

Human Health: Exposure can affect children’s development, fetal development, increase cancer risks, weaken the immune system and cause liver damage.

Environmental Health: Contamination of our air, soil, and water endangers our entire ecosystem.

We Need More Independent Scrutiny

Both the Cambridge City Environmental Health and the Environmental Agency have very serious concerns, “we feel that Greater Cambridge Shared Planning are asking us to take a more lenient stance on the very serious contamination issues posed by the application in its current state - we feel that this is inappropriate at this time and will lead to both the pollution of controlled waters and pose serious risks to human health”. See link to email which was disclosed after a Freedom of Information request https://drive.google.com/file/d/11IbK2XWEWSdS-pKsuHG4AZrXbkw99F-v/view
Currently, there is no proof that it is safe to build.

Our Goal:

Independent scrutiny - to ensure that public health and our environment are not sacrificed for development by the Land South of Coldhams Lane in Cherry Hinton.
Fundraise* - to secure crucial expert advice and take legal action when necessary.

*When you donate, you agree that funds collected may be used towards legal costs, expert advice, testing or monitoring and any other costs to ensure that public health and our environment are not sacrificed for development by the Land South of Coldhams Lane in Cherry Hinton. In the event this cause no longer exists or CHARLIE decides to discontinue, you agree that CHARLIE can donate the remainder of the funds to a charity in Cambridge.

Who Are We?

We are CHARLIE (Cherry Hinton Against Reuse of Landfill In Spite of Evidence) – a group of dedicated residents committed to safeguarding the health and future of our community.

We are not NIMBYs – we are concerned citizens asking for transparency and accountability.

Our members are David (local resident and technical advisor), Ian (Cambridge Friends of the Earth), Karin (local vicar and school governor), Rose (local school governor and lawyer), Sarah (local resident and communications), Sue (local resident and chair of a local environmental group) and Others.

How You Can Help:

Spread the Word: Share this with friends, family, and neighbours.

WhatsApp Community: If you would like to join our WhatsApp community, then please text/call Sarah Nicmanis on 07944 446 165.

News Articles about CHARLIE's work:

BBC News (26 March 2025 )- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2g610rngjo

Cambridge Independent (14 March 2025 )- https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/legal-action-is-lined-up-over-clean-up-of-toxic-former-landf-9408468/?utm_source=Iliffe+Media+Group&utm_campaign=d2310c91c8-Cambridge_Independent_RSS&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-f5c9da7ed3-642855087

Cambridge Independent (14 February 2025 )-https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/campaigners-voice-alarm-at-plans-for-contaminated-land-in-ch-9404334/

Please see below further details regarding this development:

1. Introduction to development south of Coldhams Lane https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iGHg-PKzDaFDvROOMnW5NkRs0YOhcGdP5QbMQ5ThCaE/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.7qk47ym94miw

2. How do you build on Coldhams landfills?https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tqHrscwcCSjDNFcHaLXg6xEvBWH6PrsaRt4DsBLYh98/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.cv85ziubrbjs

3. How to stop Coldham’s Landfill leaching into the environment?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nnYjaYqiRwnXgFCAC4tRDlRm7fLqQICfbHk-aU5mlLI/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.55cofvxy0gcg