Plans for 28 bungalows in Doddington get go-ahead despite local opposition

Twenty-eight homes are set to be built in a Fenland village after planning permission was granted despite local opposition.

Construct Reason Homes have been given permission by Fenland District Council to build the bungalows on land west of 17 to 37 Wood Street in Doddington as a result of the authority's inability to show it has a five year supply of housing.

A report by the council's planning officers says there is a "presumption in favour of sustainable development when an authority does not have a five year supply of housing."

This says the report means that applications can only be refused where the "adverse impacts of approving a scheme would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits."

However, the parish council and residents strongly objected to the plans.

The parish council said: "We have grave concerns that Wood Street can be widened to the minimum required distance of five metres: there are some points along Wood Street that are under four metres wide."

It also says: "The parish council has serious concerns over the arrangements that took place on the public consultation exercise that the agents for the developers arranged. No copies of comments made by residents who may have attended this meeting have been made public."

The parish adds that a "number of residents claim they were misled by statements made to them at the consultation."

A public forum organised by the parish council saw 100 people attend with 90 completing response forms, 80 of which were against and 10 in support.

Approval was granted by Fenland's head of planning Nick Harding at the end of last month.