THOSE opposed to redeveloping Croylands in Cambridge Road, Ely, for retirement flats say revised plans do nothing to allay their fears.

Inadequate parking, significant over development, over shadowing, an eye sore, removal of trees, and traffic concerns still feature in complaints to East Cambs planners.

“The revised application appears to be a cynical abuse of the planning process,” Geraldine Watson told the council.

“The changes are minimal to the point of irrelevance.”

Developer McCarthy & Stone has unveiled revisions to a scheme that would turn the former rectory into 21 apartments.

Richard Williams, managing director, said: “Our plans have been carefully reassessed in response to comments made by officers at East Cambridgeshire District Council.

“Working with them, we aim to ensure our proposal successfully regenerates this central site which is no longer required by the county council.

“We’re committed to ensuring neighbours’ amenity and want to respect the character of the local area.”

Neighbours remain unhappy and Anna Bailey, on behalf of a residents’ group, said “these long awaited documents have done absolutely nothing to allay the fears of residents.”

One couple has told the council that the plans require 26 trees to be removed “and we are strongly against the destruction of this wooded area and habitat for wild life.”

Sue Finlayson, team leader for development control at the council, has within recent weeks questioned the company about the number of trees that might be lost.

In response to repeated requests the company has now completed a bat survey but the specialists who carried it out say their instructions were received late.

“It could be that due to the late survey timing, bats have already left for the site for winter hibernacula and summer roosting bats have been missed,” says the report.

They recommend further work is carried out between May and August.