| Trumpington Local History Group Post-War Changes in Chaucer Road and Latham Road |
| Copyright © Trumpington Local History Group, 2014. Updated 22 October 2014. |
Peter Dawson, August 2008
This is the third part of a history of the Chaucer Road and Latham Road
area of Trumpington, partly based on information in Rus In Urbe.
Chaucer Road and Latham Road: the History of Two Rural Roads in
Cambridge. For an introduction, see Chaucer Road and Latham Road
Area.
This is the third part of a history of the Chaucer Road and Latham Road
area of Trumpington, partly based on information in Rus In Urbe.
Chaucer Road and Latham Road: the History of Two Rural Roads in
Cambridge. For an introduction, see Chaucer Road and Latham Road
Area.
There were many changes after the war,
including six new houses built by 1988. In
1950-51, the University built two blocks of
flats in Southacre Park. For some years, 6
Chaucer Road housed the University's
Appointments Board and then the
Department of Architecture's Martin Centre
for Urban Studies. The Joint Colleges'
Nursery was developed in its garden in 1987.
From 1945 to 1992, 9 Chaucer Road
(Edwinstowe) was a home for the elderly.
The University Nursery School was built at
the rear in the former orchard in 1992. Since
the 1950s, 15 Chaucer Road has housed the
Medical Research Council's Applied
Psychology Unit (now the Cognition and
Brain Sciences Unit). In 1992, 5 Latham
Road became the official residence of the
University Vice Chancellor.
There were other, more controversial,
changes. By the 1980s, 1 and 3 Chaucer
Road had became derelict and were occupied
by squatters, with the driveway of 1 Chaucer
Road being used by dustbin men and by an
undertaker's firm. Eventually, 1 Chaucer
Road was burnt down by vagrants and both
houses were demolished by the University.
The junction with Trumpington Road was
substantially realigned to cope with extra
traffic, detracting from a small area that had
been rich in wild flowers.
The University demolished Southacre House
and Southacre Park was sold to raise money
for redeveloping the Old Addenbrooke's site.
As well as these small scale developments,
the area came under considerable pressure
for larger scale expansion in the 1970s and
1980s. Proposals included a caravan site,
hotel complex and a high-density residential
development. Plans for a road linking
Trumpington Road to the proposed Western
Relief Road through the common land
between the gardens of Chaucer Road and
the Leys school playing fields were dropped
when the line of the M11 was approved.
Residents' hackles were raised when the City
Council announced plans to use land at River
Farm, adjacent to Latham Road gardens, to
accommodate many of the show people and
others who took part in the annual
Midsummer Fair. Local residents formed the
River Farm Action Committee to oppose this,
producing a petition with 2000 signatures.
The Council finally gave way in 1983,
banning such sites within the City boundary.
The University sought lucrative plans for the
empty site of 1 and 3 Chaucer Road.
Proposals for a 150-bedroom hotel and a
retirement home were rejected. A scheme for
12 houses was eventually accepted and
building began in 1985. Meanwhile, there was
a succession of controversial plans to develop
the large open Southacre Park site. The
pressure continued throughout the 1980s,
prompting residents to unite in opposition and
form the Southacre, Latham and Chaucer
Residents' Association (SOLACHRA). The
Association quickly became respected by
everyone involved in the planning process,
rather like the Trumpington Environmental
Action Group (TEAG), formed in 1986, and
the Trumpington Residents' Association
(TRA), formed in 1993.
In 1996, the Association published Rus In
Urbe. Chaucer Road and Latham Road: the
History of Two Rural Roads in Cambridge.
With contributions from many local people,
this provides an illustrated social history of
the area, its residents and its buildings.
An unpopular plan to develop the Southacre
site was successfully opposed by
SOLACHRA, which submitted an alternative
plan for 42 flats that was approved in 1987.
There was further development in 1989, with
four houses in Chaucer Close, three in
Southacre Drive and five in Southacre Close.
Since 1990, three new houses have been
approved in Chaucer Road and Latham
Road. From 2003 to 2008, 14a Chaucer
Road has been demolished and replaced with
a Georgian-style property called Vicarsbrook.
Ownership of the area having passed to the
university, a new situation arose in 1967,
when the Leasehold Reform Act was passed,
allowing tenants the option of converting to
freehold. This resulted in a complex situation
which will affect the future of the remaining
fine individual older houses, which are still in
a leafy setting close to the city centre.
including six new houses built by 1988. In
1950-51, the University built two blocks of
flats in Southacre Park. For some years, 6
Chaucer Road housed the University's
Appointments Board and then the
Department of Architecture's Martin Centre
for Urban Studies. The Joint Colleges'
Nursery was developed in its garden in 1987.
From 1945 to 1992, 9 Chaucer Road
(Edwinstowe) was a home for the elderly.
The University Nursery School was built at
the rear in the former orchard in 1992. Since
the 1950s, 15 Chaucer Road has housed the
Medical Research Council's Applied
Psychology Unit (now the Cognition and
Brain Sciences Unit). In 1992, 5 Latham
Road became the official residence of the
University Vice Chancellor.
There were other, more controversial,
changes. By the 1980s, 1 and 3 Chaucer
Road had became derelict and were occupied
by squatters, with the driveway of 1 Chaucer
Road being used by dustbin men and by an
undertaker's firm. Eventually, 1 Chaucer
Road was burnt down by vagrants and both
houses were demolished by the University.
The junction with Trumpington Road was
substantially realigned to cope with extra
traffic, detracting from a small area that had
been rich in wild flowers.
The University demolished Southacre House
and Southacre Park was sold to raise money
for redeveloping the Old Addenbrooke's site.
As well as these small scale developments,
the area came under considerable pressure
for larger scale expansion in the 1970s and
1980s. Proposals included a caravan site,
hotel complex and a high-density residential
development. Plans for a road linking
Trumpington Road to the proposed Western
Relief Road through the common land
between the gardens of Chaucer Road and
the Leys school playing fields were dropped
when the line of the M11 was approved.
Residents' hackles were raised when the City
Council announced plans to use land at River
Farm, adjacent to Latham Road gardens, to
accommodate many of the show people and
others who took part in the annual
Midsummer Fair. Local residents formed the
River Farm Action Committee to oppose this,
producing a petition with 2000 signatures.
The Council finally gave way in 1983,
banning such sites within the City boundary.
The University sought lucrative plans for the
empty site of 1 and 3 Chaucer Road.
Proposals for a 150-bedroom hotel and a
retirement home were rejected. A scheme for
12 houses was eventually accepted and
building began in 1985. Meanwhile, there was
a succession of controversial plans to develop
the large open Southacre Park site. The
pressure continued throughout the 1980s,
prompting residents to unite in opposition and
form the Southacre, Latham and Chaucer
Residents' Association (SOLACHRA). The
Association quickly became respected by
everyone involved in the planning process,
rather like the Trumpington Environmental
Action Group (TEAG), formed in 1986, and
the Trumpington Residents' Association
(TRA), formed in 1993.
In 1996, the Association published Rus In
Urbe. Chaucer Road and Latham Road: the
History of Two Rural Roads in Cambridge.
With contributions from many local people,
this provides an illustrated social history of
the area, its residents and its buildings.
An unpopular plan to develop the Southacre
site was successfully opposed by
SOLACHRA, which submitted an alternative
plan for 42 flats that was approved in 1987.
There was further development in 1989, with
four houses in Chaucer Close, three in
Southacre Drive and five in Southacre Close.
Since 1990, three new houses have been
approved in Chaucer Road and Latham
Road. From 2003 to 2008, 14a Chaucer
Road has been demolished and replaced with
a Georgian-style property called Vicarsbrook.
Ownership of the area having passed to the
university, a new situation arose in 1967,
when the Leasehold Reform Act was passed,
allowing tenants the option of converting to
freehold. This resulted in a complex situation
which will affect the future of the remaining
fine individual older houses, which are still in
a leafy setting close to the city centre.
| to add: 1950s Ordnance Survey map. |
| The western part of Latham Road. Photo: Andrew Roberts, July 2008. |
| The Joint Colleges' Nursery, 6b Chaucer Road. Photo: Andrew Roberts, August 2008. |
| 9 Chaucer Road (Edwinstowe). Photo: Andrew Roberts, August 2008. |
| The Medical Research Council's Applied Psychology Unit, 15 Chaucer Road. Photo: Andrew Roberts, August 2008. |
| The residence of the University Vice Chancellor, 5 Latham Road. Photo: Andrew Roberts, August 2008. |
| Modern houses in place of 1 and 3 Chaucer Road. Photo: Andrew Roberts, August 2008. |
| The realigned Chaucer Road, Trumpington Road and Brooklands Avenue junction. Photo: Andrew Roberts, March 2008. |
| Cows and cyclists on the path through Coe Fen, the other side of Vicar's Brook from Chaucer Road. Photo: Andrew Roberts, July 2008. |