DEVELOPERS who planned to “parachute” an extra eight flats onto a new development in Chatteris by using land set aside as open space were branded greedy by protestors.

Fenland District Council refused M and D Developments permission to build the flats on a former school playing field alongside Old Station Place where they are already building 67 homes.

One objector claimed the plans “represent the greed and disregard to the existing population” while another claims the scheme is “a backdoor approach to increase density.”

Chatteris Town Council “vehemently” opposed the extra flats and pointed out that the town “still suffers from a gross under provision of public open spaces as confirmed by an audit some years ago”.

M and D wanted to exchange the loss of the open space with a cash sum to improve an existing community facility but the council rejected this.

A planning officer who inspected the site said the open space as approved in the earlier scheme “served two specific functions, firstly as an amenity area for the development, and secondly as an integral part of the overall design.

“The importance of either of these functions should not be underestimated.

“It is considered that to parachute a further eight units into an area previously identified as open space will unduly impact on the appearance of the wider scheme and will undermine the quality of the built form of this location.”

The report also said there was a shortfall of parking spaces in the plan, and the proposed flats would overlook nearby properties.