FEARS have been expressed that Stanway’s infrastructure simply won’t be able to cope after a “mini village” of 225 new homes was given the go-ahead.
The proposals, in the pipeline for almost three years now, have been pushed back time and time again – but the latest plan has finally got the nod by Colchester Council.
The site is a huge field near Stanway’s Western Bypass, with the existing Lakelands housing development, already featuring hundreds of homes, on the opposite side of the bypass.
However, concerns have been raised time and again by residents as to whether the services in Stanway can cope with so many new homes.
Stanway resident Ruth Davies, 48, who regularly walks her dog on the land, doesn’t think the area can cope.
She said: “When traffic backs up to Sainsbury’s, there are people queuing to Stane Park or if something happens on the A12, it gets backed up all the way to the zoo.
“Sometimes you can’t even get off the estate.
“There’s no more doctors’ surgeries, you can’t get a doctor’s appointment as it is and the roads aren’t even finished.
“The general infrastructure is not there.
“It’s really wrong and even if you put down an objection, and there were 100, they wouldn’t stop it. They need to put stricter laws in place around infrastructure.”
The approval of the new homes comes just weeks after proposals to build a 72-bed care home in a site opposite.
Colchester Council had turned down the plans, before an appeal was made to the Planning Inspectorate in a bid to overturn the decision.
This was also rejected.
The main issues cited by the inspector were the location, effect on the character and appearance of the area, and the impact of the proposed development on open space in the area.
Colchester Council leader David King, however, stressed that the necessary infrastructure will come with the development – but didn’t give any more details.
He said: “We are very aware that residents and visitors will see the downside of developments and we need to ensure that infrastructure comes alongside this type of development.
“We try our best to bring affordable homes and to make sure developments are of the highest quality.”
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