Big plans for east side of Wisbech including 1,500 new homes and a new primary school get greenlight

Plans that will shape the future growth of the eastern side of Wisbech have been approved.

Members of Fenland's planning committee agreed the Broad Concept Plan (BCP) for East Wisbech Strategic Allocation at their meeting on Wednesday.

A report explains approval in principle of the BCP was needed as part of planning rules and planning applications will be expected to adhere to it.

The plan includes up to 1,500 homes on land to the north and south of Sandy Lane on the eastern side of Wisbech, as well as a school, a local hub and open spaces.

Part of the site (an area mainly to the west of Burrettgate Road) falls under West Norfolk Borough Council and its planning committee was due to discuss the BCP yesterday (Tuesday).

A report to last week's Fenland meeting said the total area of the BCP allocated site is 73.24 hectares (180.98 acres).

It said there was potential for a developer to acquire all or most of the site the the various different landowners. The developer has said they want 50 hectares for housing - which would take around 1,500 homes.

The report adds: "The development of the East Wisbech BCP site will be a major infrastructure project, on what is effectively a “green field” site. This means there will be some high capital costs associated with its delivery at the outset.

"The whole development is estimated to take between eight and fifteen years to deliver, which will occur through a number of different phases and sub-phases. "

It said work will see the site developed from the centre outwards with the pace of construction dependent on the economy, the ability to acquire the land and the ability to finance the whole development.

While councillors were happy to approve the BCP in principle, public consultation had thrown up a host of objections from local people concerned about everything from ruination of a quiet location next to the countryside, additional traffic, pollution, lack of services such as doctors and dentists in Wisbech, loss of property values and inadequate infrastructure.

But the report said key proposals for the site not only includes the homes, school and local centre, but also the upgrading of the existing A47 staggered junction at Broadend Road to a new roundabout, new junctions or upgrades to a number of existing roads, and a looped main road network with accesses on the eastern and western side.