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Councillor Jan French voiced her concerns this week as the town council recommended refusal for 24 affordable homes to be built on the former site of the Kingswood Park residential care home.

Permission has already been granted for 52 new affordable homes in Gaul Road and 60 more in Elliott Road.

“When affordable homes are built, the county council does not ask for any 106 payments towards education,” she said. “March Town Council is concerned that with so many houses, we will not cope with the provision of education.

“We need affordable homes, but without section 106 money there will not be the money for infrastructure and March will come to a standstill.”

The Sanctuary Group staged an exhibition of its plans for flats and homes - including six three storey flats - to be built in Kingswood Road on Tuesday.

Cllr French, who is a member of March Town Council and Fenland District Council, said: “The majority of residents in the area are objecting to the plan. With most homes having two cars, the plan represents 40 vehicle movements a day, and Kingswood Road is not the best road. Better visibility splays are needed

“There are also concerns about sewage, flooding, the archaeology of the site, and tree preservation orders on the land.”

Cllr French believes the site should not be developed alone, but as part of a masterplan for land between Burrowmoor Road and Mill Hill, so creating potential for better access to the site.

“Developers should talk to each other, and create a master plan that addresses infrastructure including education, sewage and highways.” she said. “ That will fit together with the district council core strategy and the March neighbourhood plan.”

March Town Council clerk Clive Lemmon said councillors who recommended refusal for the Kingswood Road site thought the plan was out of character with the area, and there were concerns about the narrow access road, and flood risk.

“Councillors believe the site should be developed as part of a master plan for the area rather than piecemeal development,” he added.

The town council’s neighbourhood plan is due to be completed next autumn.