A ONE and half acre parcel of land in March- used as allotments until nine years ago- has been sold for £300,000 by Fenland Council to a housing association.

Cambs Times: Planning application, Grounds Avenue March.Planning application, Grounds Avenue March. (Image: Archant)

It is expected that the proceeds of the deal - which also includes the demolition of two disused bungalows - will be used to fund improvements to George Campbell Leisure Centre.

Roddons Housing Association has applied to build 31 homes on the land south of Grounds Avenue. The site had previously been given consent for 22 homes.

Roddons said their proposals will help meet housing needs and will cause “minimum impact on neighbours and the environment.”

Numbers 103 and 105 Grounds Avenue will be demolished to create access to the site. Neighbour Stephen Goode lives in a disability modified home and is opposed to the plans.

He said: “I’m not very happy about it. This is going to cause a lot of traffic and hassle on the road.

“Unless they build a driveway for me, which they said they would do four years ago but still have not done, I’m going to have nowhere to park my car.

“If you ask other people how they feel about it they’ll say the same thing but it will not make a difference because the council will do what they want.”

Another resident said: “If they are going to do it they will do it. “The council doesn’t take any notice of people like us.

“My daughter visits me every day but she will have nowhere to park.”

But June Lambe, who has lived on Grounds Avenue for more than 50 years, supported the new homes.

She said: “You can’t stop progress. It’s a shame to see that land stand there empty when so many people are crying out for homes.”