King’s Ely has revived its plans to build two houses in the garden of a property it owns in the city.

School officials have applied to East Cambridgeshire District Council to build a house in the garden of 35 St Mary’s Street, part of the city’s conservation area.

An application to build two three-bedroom houses – entered earlier in the year - raised a chorus of objections from district councillors, the City of Ely Council, Ely Society, and neighbours including St Mary’s Surgery GPs.

The school has now submitted a plan for one house.

The site is next door to St Mary’s Surgery and Lloydspharmacy and reached via the narrow access to the surgery car park.

Objectors to the original application - including the district council’s conservation officer - said building in the garden of the Victorian property would be inappropriate, would detract from the overall character of the conservation area and would affect the amenities of neighbouring residents.

St Mary’s surgery also raised concerns about vehicle access to the site.

But in its application, agents acting for King’s said: “The proposal does not significantly under or over develop the site and whilst there is sufficient land for turning, parking and amenity space there is no adjoining land that has been excluded that could be later regarded as piecemeal development.”

The new plans can be viewed via www.eastcambs.gov.uk using the planning reference 13/01096/FUL.