FENLAND Council is set to give itself planning consent for 21 homes to be built on the site of former allotments.

The Grounds Avenue, March, allotments used to be leased to March Town Council but were handed back seven years ago through under use and lack of interest.

Now Fenland Council believes the time is ripe to develop – and sell- the site for housing.

Whoever builds there will need to ensure a third are for affordable housing and also pay out up to �50,000 to pay for public open space amenities and towards pre-school education.

But planning officers insist there will be no need to make a contribution to primary or secondary provision.

A report to next week’s planning committee says that using a formula designed by the county council to predict likely pupil numbers means the development would only have up to six primary school children and eight secondary school children.

“At present Cavalry, the primary catchment has 14 spare spaces with 10 spare places at Neale Wade which has a surplus capacity of 76 spaces now and 96 spaces in five years time,” says the report.

“In light of this there is no justification to seek a contribution in either respect.”

Some residents have complained that the proposals would devalue their own homes through overlooking and loss of privacy.