Fears new homes near Doddington hospital would make walking ‘more dangerous’

There are also concerns the doctors are already under pressure and schools are ‘oversubscribed’

Plans for just six new homes near a hospital have been slammed by neighbours over traffic fears. Residents living near Doddington Hospital have raised concerns that more traffic will make walking “more dangerous because of the lack of passing areas”.

Mr Cutteridge is seeking permission in principal from Fenland District Council to build the homes on land south west of The Stables in Hospital Road. Doddington Hospital is located about five-minutes away from the site location by walking or a short drive away.

According to a planning document, the site is not within a flood zone, conservation area or within ground of a listed building. The application said the development would deliver more “executive type properties”, meaning ones that are intended to provide its occupants with higher-than-average levels of comfort, quality and convenience.

All properties would feature a third garden area, the applicants propose. The planning documents state there is a “significant planning history” along Hospital Road under Fenland’s current Local Plan with a number of these properties having been built out.

Since its submission in July, the plans have seen local backlash and several formal objections have been lodged with the council. One person said that over recent years, applications have been accepted for “at least 12 properties plus the expansion of the garden centre” along the single track road. They said the council appears to “totally disregard when it comes to upkeep”.

The objector said the single track road should be upgraded before “any expansion that will encourage more traffic”. The resident explained that Hospital Road is also part of the village’s circular footpath and “increased traffic is making walking along Hospital Road more dangerous because of the lack of passing areas”.

Similarly, another resident lodged concerns about increased traffic. They said that the area is “well-known by many in the village and surrounding areas as a lovely place to walk your dogs, take horses out hacking, or to exercise safely while enjoying the scenery”.

They noted that there are reportedly currently no footways in the area and claimed that they have been “forced to significantly reduce using the areas” for exercise. They fear increased traffic flow will result in “someone being struck”.

They also raised concerns that other properties on the rural lane have been separately approved or proposed adding, “surely it must be accepted that this offers itself more as an estate than a small extension to what was a lovely small village”.

Another local lodged an objection regarding concerns that new properties would “destroy” wildlife’s homes as well as the surrounding countryside. Additionally, they said that “doctors are already under immense pressure and are over subscribed” and the local school reportedly “struggles to accommodate those already within the catchment meaning people are having to travel out of area”.

Alternatively, some people have expressed their support towards the plans. One person said it is a “lovely location for new homes”, adding that “they will be an asset to the village”.

Another person said it would be a “gentle expansion of the village” meanwhile someone else said it would “provide several benefits to the village”.