'Emergency' meeting to discuss plans for new homes in Warboys

The Longhurst Group, a housing development company, have amended their plans to erect 47, reduced from 48, new affordable dwellings in Warboys, off Station Road, subject to approval.

Huntingdonshire District Council invited Warboys Parish Council to comment on the revised plans on February 10 and gave the parish council a 21-day deadline to comment and respond.

The field off Station Road in Warboys that has been proposed for development. (Image: Greg Sewell)

A "very large turnout" is expected for the meeting tonight (February 27), with several residents and members of an opposition group alarmed at the minimal amount of time given to respond.

Greg Sewell, one of the members of the Green not Grey - Station Road development opposition group, will be at the meeting and said: "It does feel like this is being railroaded and pushed through under the radar.

"Our goal is we want to be able to submit as many letters of objection as we did last time, if not more, than the 400 letters."

READ MORE: Opposition group to fight plans for new homes in village

The opposition group, which has 338 members on Facebook, will be at the meeting to help other attendees submit letters of objection in time for the deadline.

One of the banners in opposition to Longhurst's plans for 47 new homes in Warboys. (Image: Greg Sewell)

All letters will be handed over to HDC in person due to feedback that emails may take up to 3-4 weeks to review.

Speaking about the plans, Mr Sewell commented nothing substantial had changed and said: "This is purely for profit and greed. This is not truthfully helping the village.

"It just feels like they've got an opportunity, they've got a land grab and thought, 'we'll put this through; they're just a bunch of rural fenland folk'. That's how it feels."

Residents are against the plans for several reasons, including the pressures more housing and an added population will put on local infrastructure, such as schools, dentists, doctors and parking.

Residents have three days until March 2 to submit their letters objections and 'save their farmland'. (Image: Greg Sewell)

But, Mr Sewell said the number one objection is that Longhurst plans to build on viable agricultural land that should be retained for agricultural use, which, if built on, would breach policies within Huntingdonshire Local Plan 2019 

However, in Longhurst's revised planning statement, they said the majority of the site, on the western side, is considered to be within the built-up area, as defined within the Local Plan.

Mr Sewell said: “This will set a precedence to everybody on that side of the road with a large plot of land at the back of their house that it’s fair game to start putting up more and more properties to a village that can’t currently cope with the infrastructure.”

The meeting to discuss the plans will take place this evening at Warboys Parish Centre from 7.30pm, with the public welcome to attend.