Residents object amended plans in former Adventureland site

Colchester Council received proposals earlier this year to build 21 apartments at the former Childsplay Adventureland site in Clarendon Way.

The children's centre was forced to close because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The site was sold to current owners Newell Homes.

Last month, an application was submitted to amend the plans and build a 28-apartment complex with car parking.

Site - Childsplay Adventureland in Clarendon Way (Image: Google Maps) It would accommodate the extra flats by raising the height of the building, making it 3.5 storeys tall, with the top floor partly within the roof space.

The latest plans have seen some objections since being unveiled.

One resident said parking and traffic is a “known issue” in Clarendon Way, while another added that “parking facilities will be compromised, and the extra flats will add to the shortage of street parking for visitors as one parking space per flat is usually not sufficient”.

Another concern was the additional height seven more apartments would add to the building, with residents saying it would “cut off natural light”, “allow a direct line of sight” into their homes which would affect their privacy, and “diminish the appeal” of nearby residents' properties to possible buyers in the future.

Objections - Residents have commented with many concerns for the amended plans (Image: Google Maps) Residents also said the proposal would negatively impact nearby businesses, due to the lack of visitor parking, “heavily congested” traffic at peak times, and lack of space for drop-offs to the nursey.

One person commenting in support of the application said they were “extremely pleased that it’s not another farmer’s field being built on”, “as opposed to our beautiful countryside”.

Colchester Council will rule on the application.