A CONTROVERSIAL plan to knock down lock-up garages and replace them with bungalows for disabled people was set for approval last night despite objections from people living nearby.
More than 130 residents have signed a petition opposing the scheme to demolish 41 garages at Millbank in Newmarket to make way for four wheelchair-accessible bungalows and the council received a further 12 letters against the plan claiming the site w
as not suitable for vulnerable residents, the estate was not designed for current traffic levels and there had been no discussions with residents about the plans.
Newmarket Town Council has also objected to the Flagship Housing Group's plan .
A previous application was last year rejected by Forest Heath District Council but a modified scheme, which provides some replacement parking spaces for residents, was recommended for approval.
Flagship Housing, which took over nearly all the former council homes in the Newmarket and Mildenhall areas six years ago, has been involved in similar controversial schemes to build bungalows on land previously occupied by lock-up garages in Newmarket and in Gazeley.
The scheme at Millbank proposes two pairs of semi-detached bungalows for wheelchair users each with two dedicated parking spaces. But there would be seven spaces for visitor parking and a further 16 spaces would be created nearby.
Objectors have claimed that the four bungalows could provide homes for up to 16 people with disabilities.
They have also argued that the area is too cramped and the scheme would exacerbate parking problems in the area.
District councillors Warwick Hirst and Marion Fairman-Smith asked that the issue be discussed by the district council's planning committee, which met last night.
In his report to the planning committee planning officer David Beighton, said the development was considered "satisfactory in principle."
He said Flagship had carried out a survey of the current use of the garages which showed that eight were currently vacant and four were rented by people who do not live in the immediate area.
Another three were used for storage of items other than cars.
But a consultant had warned that the loss of the garages was likely to lead to more parking on the street where spaces are already difficult to find.
Councillors were told if they did decide to grant permission they should insist on a number of conditions including that new parking spaces were allocated to particular households.
