The windfall ‘gold rush’ gathered pace today as St John’s College piled into the development bandwagon in NE March.

Cambs Times: Digger and workers in the field next to Estover for excavation work.Digger and workers in the field next to Estover for excavation work. (Image: Archant)

The college is one of the biggest land owners in the area and hope to benefit from the controversial 249 homes ‘windfall’ policy of Fenland District Council.

The Cambridge college is expected to stage a public exhibition at the Oliver Cromwell Hotel on February 19 to unveil their proposed housing.

A spokesman for Savills, their agents, insisted the college would not want an extensive amount of housing.

“We’re looking at the square bit of land that fronts Estover playing field,” he said. The college owns 40 of the 80 acres of open space in the area.

Cambridgeshire County Council previously announced their intention to develop half of Estover playing field but that proposal is now in abeyance pending a crucial vote later this month.

NE March had its original allocation of 400 homes withdrawn by Fenland Council from the Local Plan but officers then revealed a loophole which would allow up to 249 homes to be built there under a windfall policy.

March Town Council is one of the main critics of allowing any housing in the area and wants all decisions halted until a neighbourhood plan is implemented. They have said they will press for a public inquiry if premature decisions on planning consent are agreed.

Meanwhile the issue of housing in NE March is set to dominate the local elections in May as those opposed to any form of development are lining up to oppose sitting candidates.

Today’s announcement by St John’s means that all three land owners have recently announced housing plans for NE March.