A bid to build nine homes that was rejected a year ago is now set for approval after builder Geoffrey Wilding amended his original plans.

Fenland District Council planning committee is being recommended to approve the homes for land west of 126-132 Elliott Road accessed from Peas Hill Road.

A report to next week’s planning committee says the original scheme was rejected “owing to lack of any planning obligation and insufficient evidence regarding biodiversity”.

But all that has changed say planners “and subject to a number of conditions” the application should win approval.

Mr Wilding has agreed to one home and a commuted sum being allocated for affordable housing.

It will fly in the face of March Town Council who wanted the revised application rejected on the grounds of overdevelopment, flooding and traffic issues.

Eight residents will hear their objections considered by councillors; they fear loss of privacy, loss of value to their homes, increased traffic, drainage issues and overdevelopment.

Neighbours will also argue the car park and turning is unacceptable and they also object to two-storey homes on the site.

Planning officers believe the new homes will have an “acceptable relationship to the neighbouring properties” and point out the highways authority has raised no objections.

However one issue that will need to be resolved is of the possibility of the site having “high archaeological potential” and so some investigation will be required.

But officers said the loss of property value “is not an issue which can be taken into account and as such is not a material planning consideration”.

Thirteen conditions are being recommended to be attached to the permission.