East Chesterton in Cambridge has so far lost 8 pubs in what once was an area with 9 pubs, and now has only a single pub to serve many thousands of homes. The Penny Ferry pub, formally known as the Pike and Eel pub, is also an historic site, marking the beginning and end of the Cambridge Bumps rowing races, the start of the Haling Way towpath besides the Cam, a crossing point of the river and an important view over the river from Stourbridge Common. Old Chesterton Residents Association is fighting to save the Penny Ferry pub from being lost forever to Cambridge by objecting to the planning application to demolish the present building and clear the site, currently up for sale by the owners for over £1m with plans for five large and dominating houses. Many organisations such as Cambridge Past, Present and Future and English Heritage have also objected. Help us save this pub by ensuring that councillors at North Area Committee who will decide the planning application in July hear all our voices by adding your signature below. Thanks. Clare Blair, Clive Brown and Michael Bond for Old Chesterton Residents Association. We, the undersigned, object to planning application, 12/0428/CAC, for Conservation Area consent to demolish the Penny Ferry public house and clear the site, for the following reasons: • the Penny Ferry public house and site have been included in the Riverside and Stourbridge Common Conservation because of their importance along the river frontage and the view across the river from Stourbridge Common. Loss of this historic landmark site will change significantly the nature of the Conservation Area at this point and must be rejected. • Chesterton has only one pub serving 7000 homes. With the advent of Chesterton Station, this pub and its location will be highly sought after and viable once some renovation or refurbishment work is carried out. • the National Planning Policy Framework is now in force and clearly states that Local Authorities must guard against the loss of community assets, including pubs. The Penny Ferry pub and site are regarded by the local and wider community as a community asset. • the development proposals to replace the building are not of a high enough quality to merit the demolition of the pub building and the loss of the site.