Country Park Plan For Ely Should Get the Go Ahead

THE future of the Ely Country Park project will be decided this week when the final draft of the development plans go before the Council Community Services Committee. Councillors will meet tonight (May 14) to decide whether to give their backing to the fi

THE future of the Ely Country Park project will be decided this week when the final draft of the development plans go before the Council Community Services Committee.

Councillors will meet tonight (May 14) to decide whether to give their backing to the first phase of the plans, which have been in development for almost a year.

The proposed park, to be cited to the immediate east of the city, will include parts of Ely Common and Roswell Pits and, as well as protecting and renewing wildlife habitats, will also feature play parks and cycle paths.

Cllr Ian Allen, who helped draw up the plans, told the Ely Standard: "I would hope that there won't be any problems with the plans as I think that we have taken into consideration all the major concerns of those we consulted, including the Local Campaign Protection of Rural Ely."

If the committee give the go-ahead to the plans, which have been drawn up by Sheils Flynn, the company behind the town centre regeneration in Downham Market, work will begin on adding the finer details before a full planning application is made.

Total costs for the project have been provisionally set at �5million with the first phase of work expected to have been completed by 2011, though work is expected to carry on for some time after that date as the more major changes take place.

Chairman of the Country Park Working Party, Cllr Mike Rouse, said: "I think that we have met our brief and that we are going to present a vision of the future to the committee on Thursday,

"It's a vision to protect and conserve a sensitive wildlife area and I am hopeful that what we have created is the first phase of something that will last and develop for many years to come.