March Town Council has protested over plans for nine homes at Westry claiming anyone living there will face “a potentially dangerous access” onto the A141.
The town council’s objections will be considered when Fenland District Council planning committee meet next Wednesday with a recommendation from officers to approve the homes.
Fenland planning officers say the layout proposed “is considered to provide sufficient detail in order to demonstrate that the scheme would not have any unacceptable impacts”.
That view of the application by the Grosvenor Partnership for the site north of Woodville on the Wisbech Road is not shared by neighbours. Richard and Jayne Ramsey argue that the field has poor drainage during heavy rainfall and building there would reduce the dispersal of surface water “causing a flood to nearby properties”.
They also argue that the proposed entrance is very close to Woodville Drive entrance “which would cause confusion and danger to us and other road users as driver would be unsure if we are turning into the new development, Woodville Drive, Cobblestones or other properties on Wisbech Road”.
Another neighbour said she did not object to the plans in principle but both the access and exit would be opposite their driveway and would cause problems.
Simon Williams highlighted potential access dangers and questioned whether the lack of mains sewage in the area would complicate matters.
Mick French, another neighbour, has sent photos to the planning department from 2014 when the site flooded.
“A full flood risk assessment needs to be carried out,” he said.
However county highways, who originally objected, said they were now satisfied following a technical report indicating a drop in accidents since a 40mph speed limit was imposed.
The site was granted permission for six 4-bed detached workplace homes in 2007 after an unsuccessful bid for 12 workplace homes the year before.
Officers say the access proposed is sufficiently wide for it to be adopted by highways and conditions about future maintenance and management of the road.
“Local residents also assert that no foul water drainage connection is available to the Anglian Water network,” says the officers’ report to the committee. “This may therefore require an on-site scheme and the details of this can be secured via a condition”.
Anglian Water has yet to comment on the plans.
No flood risk is necessary, says the council report, since the scheme’s size does not require it and because the land is within flood zone 1.
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