Standing room only at meeting as residents object to Fenland Council plans for homes on garage site
Residents object to FDC homes plans in Fenview, Chatteris. Left Residents: Amy Stevenson, Paula Jackson, Ann Whittaker and Joanne Rayner at the entrance to the site. - Credit: Archant
Residents fear they will be left with nowhere to park their cars if a council can replace its leased garages with three homes.
There was standing room only at a meeting of Chatteris Town Council when residents of Fen View voiced objections to Fenland District Council’s plan.
Fenland Council wants outline planning permission to build three houses on the site it owns in Fen View. The site is leased to residents to park their cars.
Dave Jackson, of Fen View, said: “There are six garages on the site, all of which have been in use for the best part of 25 years.
“But Fenland Council gave us notice last month to quit the site as it wanted to build three houses on it.
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“It leaves us with nowhere to park our cars. Nine vehicles are parked there on a daily basis.
“Where we will park the cars without blocking Fen View is beyond me.”
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Twelve residents attended the latest town council meeting to air their objections, with several forced to stand.
A supporting statement by the council says that garages were leased to three residents but this use “is to cease in the near future”.
It read: “The site is located well within the residential area of the town and as such lends itself to residential development and would form a natural infill of the existing developed area.
“The amount of houses on the site has been determined by the size and shape of the site, the position of the access as well as the residential mix and density in the surrounding area.”
The report also said that six parking spaces will be provided alongside the houses, but Mr Jackson said: “These will be for the three new homes so are no use to us.”
Residents also claim the access to the plot is about 3.4m and contravenes planning guidelines which state that the minimum width is 3.7m.