Green light for 55 affordable homes in Cambridgeshire

Under-utilised agricultural land will be transformed into 55 much-needed affordable homes in March, Cambridgeshire, after plans were given the go-ahead – following support by planning experts at Marrons.

Fenland District Council approved a planning application that will deliver six one-bedroom flats, and eight two-bed, 37 three-bed and four four-bed mainly semi-detached homes on land east of York Lodge, Gaul Road.

Each housing plot within the scheme will be allocated two off-street parking spaces, while the apartments will be given one parking and one cycle space. The development – led by Partner Construction – will also deliver new road, cycling and pedestrian links, as well as 1.9 acres of open and green space, including two attenuation ponds.

The 2.36 hectare site is within walking distance of March town centre and is well-served by public transport. It was allocated for housing development in the Fenland Local Plan, which seeks to deliver 11,000 new homes in the district between 2011 and 2031, including 4,200 in March.

Alasdair Thorne, associate director at Marrons, who led the planning application, said: “We are thrilled this development has been given the go-ahead by the district council.

“The UK is in the midst of an ongoing and ever-increasing housing crisis and, according to estimates, Fenland needs to build 291 affordable homes per year to meet housing need. This brand-new, sustainable, affordable and inclusive community is a huge step towards addressing this emergency.

“March benefits from numerous local facilities and services, including schools, health centres, convenience stores, post offices and supermarkets. In addition, the town centre has a train station that provides connections to Peterborough, Ipswich, Norwich and Stansted.

“Partner Construction has an outstanding record of delivering affordable residential schemes that improve towns and cities and create communities where people are proud to live. We are looking forward to seeing the project come to fruition in this vibrant market town.”

The development will create around 97 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, while the local economy will also benefit from increased footfall in local shops and businesses – boosting their vitality and viability.

Construction work is due to commence later this year.