A copy of the will left by former March mayor Patsy Brewin clearly shows she intended to allow for her town centre home to be sold to benefit future generations of students.

Cambs Times: Patsy Brewin who died four years ago. Her will clearly shows what she intended for her home. Picture; ARCHANTPatsy Brewin who died four years ago. Her will clearly shows what she intended for her home. Picture; ARCHANT (Image: Archant)

Arguments have raged for months over whether her Brewin Oaks home in City Road should be knocked down to allow for up to 45 homes to be built there.

With a copy of the will having been sent to the Cambs Times, it is clear that Mrs Brewin, who died four years ago, was happy for the house and grounds to be sold to raise money for a trust to support students to attend university.

Her will specifies trustees "to sell my real estate" and "convert into money" the proceeds and once funeral and other expenses were met to hand this over to the March Educational Foundation.

Mrs Brewin's will requires them to put the proceeds "in a designated fund to be called the George and Patsy Brewin Scholarship Fund to provide for the application of the income in perpetuity" to support students attending university.

Her will dictates that the proceeds will help any student who has attended Neale Wade Academy, March, for at least five years.

It says those benefiting from the trust must also have been resident within March, Doddington, Manea, Wimblington and Stonea for at least five years.

The will also says help can be given to qualifying students studying the sciences including physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, maths, engineering, technology or English or other languages or history of geography "at a major United Kingdom University".

Mrs Brewin, who was a primary school teacher at Dartford Infants and Maple Grove, was also a March town councillor for many years and was once described as the town's answer to Maggie Thatcher.

With husband George, who died in 2008, they owned a shop in High Street which sold everything from christening gifts, birthday memorabilia, jewellery and wedding gifts as well as running Brewins Funeral Directors.

Dozens of protest letters have been submitted to Fenland Council opposed to the building of 45 homes at Brewin Oaks, many claiming it was not the intention of the Brewins for it to be sold for development.

The planning application is yet to be decided although officers at Fenland Council have publicly questioned the density and access.

Justin Wingfield, the council's head of business and economy, also believes parking is an issue and there is a risk of "obstructions and general disruption".