Around 3,500 homes are being proposed for a potential development site in South Cambridgeshire.

Syed Akhtar, CEO of developer Heydon Garden Village, is one of those responding to a call for sites by South Cambridgeshire District Council, as part of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan.

His proposal for 3,500 homes includes providing 1,050 affordable housing units, schools and parks, retail and business units, with easy access to the A505.

The development would be near Cambridge, Royston, Stansted Airport, the M11 and the A10, and the developer said it would not be in the Green Belt area.

Mr Akhtar said: “The whole freehold site of 2,150 acres is owned by my family and we have been living and farming here for 50 years.

"The golf course was built by my family 27 years ago, keeping all the features of the clubhouse which is 725 years old with original wood work and brickwork.

“I can assure the villagers that if they support this application there will be no unsightly buildings and will have the village theme all the way through as per the website.

“The developers intend to keep the disturbance to existing dwellings to a minimum."

He added: “We would be very happy to hold discussions with the villagers at the Heydon Grange Golf and Country Clubhouse and other residences within a 10-mile radius and take onboard their concerns and positive suggestions including cycle paths, walking tracks, bridle paths and fishing ponds.

“We want to provide an eco-friendly sustainable development to tackle the current housing crisis in South Cambridge and generate more employment and revenue.”

Mr Akhtar said the work could start within six months of planning permission being given. He estimates the development could be completed within two years, should the weather be favourable.

A council spokesperson said that none of the suggested sites have any planning status at this point in time.

The spokesperson added: “Later this year, once we have considered all comments and evidence for every site suggestion, we will publish details of those that could be taken forward.”