Homes plan is recommended for approval despite objections from local residents
Plans for affordable homes to be built on the site of a former March care home look set for approval despite a raft of local opposition.
Ms S Brind has submitted an application on behalf of Sanctuary Affordable Housing Ltd to build 24 homes on the former Kingswood Park site off Kingswood Road and the plans are up for discussion at Wednesday's (29) Fenland District Council planning committee meeting.
The proposal will see 12 two bedroom and 12 three bedroom homes together with a new vehicular and pedestrian access and a public open space created on the site.
A report to the committee explains the site already has planning permission for 22 homes was granted on appeal in 2013 and the site falls within the West March Strategic Allocation, included in the Fenland Local Plan.
All the proposed homes will be affordable and the report says the town council has recommended the scheme for approval.
NHS England have also raised no opposition and said: “Due to the low number of dwellings we do not wish to raise an objection to this development or request mitigation.”
However, local residents are not happy with the proposals with a total of 23 responses were received in relation to the plans and none of them support the application.
Objections range from the claim the development would be out of character with the area, traffic concerns particularly relating to Burrowmoor Road and its ability to cope with additional traffic, worries over potential localised flooding and the new proposed access will impact on trees and the environment, including wildlife.
It has also been suggested the development would be violation of the Human Rights Act.
The report says: "Concerns have been raised as part of the consultation on the application regarding the impact of the scheme on residential amenity of the neighbouring and nearby properties, including privacy impacts."
But adds: "There is no indication that the proposed residential development would result in unacceptable amenity impacts on neighbouring land by means of increased noise etc, as the nature of the uses would be identical."
The report concludes by recommending approval subject to a raft of conditions and subject to a Section 106 agreement securing the scheme as affordable housing.
