It’s a double yes as councillors agree to children’s nursery for Doddington and child minding business in Whittlesey

A woman’s bid to open a children’s nursery in Doddington has been approved by Fenland District Council Planning Committee.

The proposal to use The Hermitage in Benwick Road for a nursery for up to 40 children faced opposition from the parish council and from her neighbour, Councillor David Connor.

Cllr Connor stood aside from the debate last Wednesday to oppose the application by the committee, by a majority vote, agreed to allow it.

Diane Oswald , who has experience of running similar nurseries in the Huntingdon area, can begin preparing for the first intake.

There was also good news for a couple from Whittlesey who had run a child minding business looking after 18 youngsters at their home for the past 11 years but was threatened closure after complaints from neighbours about noise.

The committee agreed a change of use at 21 Glenfields, Whittlesey, for use of part of the house for child minding.

The committee felt the “established use does not harm the community or impact on highways”.

Wendy and Andy Whitwell succeeded in winning retrospective planning consent although councillors put in a clause restricting its use as a child minding business to them specifically.

They were also told not to exceed 25 children at any one time.