Fenland Council rejects 102 homes plan for POW camp

Plans to build 102 new homes at the site of a former prisoner of war camp in Friday Bridge, Cambridgeshire, have been refused by local councillors. The proposal, put forward by WMS Recruitment Ltd, was intended as a response to declining numbers of agricultural workers at the camp since Brexit, making the current business model unsustainable. Councillors criticized the plans as 'extremely poor' and argued the site was in the 'wrong place' for new housing, citing its significant separation from the rest of the village and inadequate infrastructure for sustainable travel. Additional concerns included potential harm to the character of the area and the countryside. Efforts to have the site recognized for its historic value were unsuccessful, as most original camp buildings are in disrepair and Historic England declined to list the site. The site owners now face uncertainty about the future use of the property.