Former school site to be turned into 50 new homes

The former St Felix Middle School site in Newmarket will be turned into 50 new homes

A former school site will be transformed into 50 new homes and garages after plans were given the green light.

West Suffolk Council met on Wednesday to discuss plans submitted by the county council to convert part of the former St Felix Middle School site in Fordham Road, Newmarket.

It also included the relocation of existing tennis courts which will also be upgraded.

Speaking at the meeting, Trevor Dodkins of Phase 2 Planning and Development said the plans would "revitalise and regenerate a disused brownfield site which will remain that way without investment and a viable use."

The plans were approved with 11 votes in support and three against.

The former school site will regenerate disused brownfield land, developers said

Addressing concerns on the loss of open space, the planning officer's report stated the application did not detract from the possibility of sports provision being delivered on land west of the site, which was proposed to stay as a public open space, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Statements from several objectors were also heard, including resident Ann Smy, who said Newmarket residents did "not need further housing".

"It seems likely that it will be a dormitory town for Cambridge," she added.

'Open space'

Liberal Democrat councillor Jon London argued there were no plans within the application for sports provision despite the officer’s report stating both the district and county councils had the intention of investing in a new sports facility.

Labour councillor for Newmarket East, Sue Perry, said: "It is well documented that Newmarket, in comparison with other towns of its size, has a serious lack of open space available for sport and recreation.

"This development will exacerbate this situation without offering any compensatory additional land."

Mr Dodkins added: "The scheme will provide a large area of open space that will be available for residents to enjoy for informal recreation."

Conservative councillor Sara Mildmay-White said she believed it was "a really good use for the site which has been shockingly empty for so long".

"This application has my full backing, it has been far too long for this to come forward," she said.