A concerned resident has launched a petition to stop the building of homes on a site at Shephall View. 

The plans have been developed by Stevenage Borough Council and will see Stevenage Sea Cadets evicted from the building that has been their home for more than 50 years. 

Planning permission has not yet been granted for the project, which would see 57 homes built at Shephall View. 

That development would subsidise the construction of 96 independent living apartments at the garage site located between Brent Court and Town Centre Gardens. 

Carys Ashby has launched a petition in response to the Shephall View plans, aimed at stopping the development from proceeding. On Thursday afternoon, it had nearly 300 signatures. 

A statement on the petition’s webpage raises concerns about the demolition involved in the project, the loss of open space used by dog-walkers and families, and the increased strain on roads, schools and the surgery in the area. 

The petition can be signed at chng.it/vmq5JtwHfk. 

Responding to the petition, a council spokesperson said: 

“Throughout the seven public consultations that took place prior to the proposed Shephall View Development application being drawn up, over 1,680 submissions were received from members of the public in favour of the proposal [88 per cent of all responses] with some suggestions to improve the scheme. 

“In response to this feedback the designs were altered to deliver more family-sized houses and fewer apartments. As a result there are also fewer dwellings being proposed on this site now. 

“The land between Bedwell Crescent and Shephall View in which the proposed development is located was identified as a housing site within the Local Plan. 

“The same local plan identifies Fairlands Valley Park as an area of protected Open Space and not permitted for development. This means that no part of the proposed development falls within Fairlands Valley Park. 

“We started early consultation with the groups and are continuing to work collaboratively with them, assisting wherever possible, to enable them to relocate to premises that offer a better environment for them to operate from.”