Next stage of the bid by East Cambs Council to convince villagers to accept 500 homes under a community land trust (CLT) umbrella goes to a public presentation next month.
The CLT was set up in Kennett two years ago following approval at a public meeting and the outcome could mean new homes for local people and a wide range of amenities spread over 100 acres.
The development is being advanced by the council’s own Palace Green Homes but despite winning support of 80 per cent of villagers who are CLT members, a local opposition group is gathering momentum.
“Great success, our online petition reaches 340, and will extend to May,” says a Facebook group set up to oppose it.
One critic said they signed the petition “because a village such as Kennett will be unable to sustain the volume of traffic and cars.
“500 houses will over burden the locality and where do you propose that the cars will be parked overnight because you won’t provide enough parking adjacent to people’s homes?.”
East Cambs Council will unveil it pre-application exhibition at the village hall on February 9 from 4pm to 8pm.
The land – adjacent to Station Road and to the north of Kennett Station – if developed successfully “will bring real benefits to local people and create a positive legacy for the parish,” says the council.
Their invitation to attend the exhibition says residents can view the masterplan for Kennett Garden Village,.
Alongside new homes and jobs the council says their plans will deliver important improvements for the local community including:
•Decreasing the need for HGVs and other through traffic to pass though Kennett by provision of a new perimeter road;
•Enabling the village school to move into a modern building with a more spacious play area;
•Improving car and cycle parking facilities at the rail station;
•Providing good-quality affordable homes for local people through a Community Land Trust
•Provide new local facilities including a shop.
Recent updates to the plans in response to community feedback include the introduction of a perimeter road to divert traffic through traffic away from Station Road and the existing village of Kennett, and a new roundabout proposal to alleviate highway problems at the Bell Inn crossroads on the B1506.
Phil Rose, head of property and development at Palace Green Homes said: “The plans have been drawn up based on the feedback we’ve had from the local community over the past 12 months.”
Protestors says they have delivered 156 signed objections to the council’s planning department.
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