VICTORY : 27th January 2004.

PLANS FOR CAMBRIDGE PRIMATE PRISON DROPPED

The facility was intended to be used for experiments on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease. Thousands of animals would have suffered and died needlessly in cruel experiments.

The SPEAC campaign has highlighted the undemocratic nature of the Government’s intervention and the “arrogance” of Cambridge University in their alliance to ride roughshod over public opinion. The Labour Government were the main backers of this project; the main protagonist behind the drive to make Cambridge the primate research capital of Europe was Labour’s chief financial backer Science Minister Lord Sainsbury. Sainsbury is well known to have huge financial interests in the Biotechnology industry, which would have been the main beneficiary of the proposed centre at 307, Huntingdon Rd.

During the planning stages, Cambridge University refused to listen to opposition from Cambridge District Council, the Police and local residents but were unable to ignore the mounting pressure recently applied by the SPEAC campaign to prevent the laboratory from being developed.

SPEAC has succeeded in bringing about this volte-face because it brought together not just the combined will of Animal Rights campaigners from around the world (demonstrations have been staged as far afield as New York), but garnered willing support from the local Cambridge community who have opposed the plans from the outset.

Questions must surely be asked as to the Government’s and Cambridge University’s duplicity in forging ahead with the plans, making a mockery of the Government’s alleged democratic credentials. On two separate occasions, Cambridge District Council dismissed the planning application made by the University; the Government then instigated an independent planning enquiry which once again resulted in the refusal for planning permission on the grounds that Cambridge University had failed to demonstrate that the proposed centre at 307, Huntingdon Rd was in the national interest. During the public enquiry, both local residents and the Police voiced strong objections to the proposals. Despite the opposition and recommendations, the Government chose to give the go ahead to the universally unpopular plans.

This is a landmark victory for the Animal Rights movement and must surely put paid to any future plans to build a similar facility elsewhere in the UK. SPEAC has drawn a line in the sand and the Government can rest assured we will be keeping a close eye on any potential developments of this nature.