Opposition to housing plans

Protest at Wittering village against development of nearby farm land EMN-160831-081920009

Larkfleet Homes has submitted a planning application for the development on agricultural land south of Lawrence Road to Peterborough City Council.

But the Wittering Action Group has been formed with residents arguing the plans are ill thought out and place a huge strain on the small village infrastructure, and would lead to up to 450 more cars trying to cross the A1 into the village.

They hosted the protest picnic on Tuesday.

The chairman of the group Daniel Hulme said: “Whilst we appreciate the need for new homes to be built, we think it is unfair to drop 190 houses onto a small village such as Wittering, without proper consideration of the implications such a development will have on our small but vibrant village community.”

Last week, Larkfleet Homes said the application for “much-needed homes” had been submitted after consultation with local people.

If approved, the plans would see 46 social rented properties of various sizes built, alongside 134 private market properties. But, last month Wittering Parish Council opposed the plans. So do ward councillor Diane Lamb and MP Shailesh Vara.

Larkfleet said there had been no objections from Highways England, the local education authority and the NHS.

The spokesman added that the plans would tackle “Peterborough’s acute housing crisis.”