Villagers opposing a construction access route through narrow streets and three 90-degree corners have won the backing of Mid Beds MP Nadine Dorries.
Bovis Homes hopes to build 80 homes on a 10-acre swathe of grassland south of Station Road in Lower Stondon – but neighbours say the proposed construction access route through Redwing Croft and Chaffinch Green is dangerous.
The Stondon Park Residents’ Association wants building traffic to access the site using a new route from the west – something it says Bovis is loath to pursue for financial reasons.
Ms Dorries came down firmly on the side of the residents during the meeting near the site on Friday, saying that she would “go to bat” to prevent construction traffic rolling through the neighbourhood.
Residents’ association chairman Jonathan Wallace told the Comet afterwards that the group thought the meeting had gone well.
He said: “The meeting was very positive, with Nadine agreeing that there is no way that HGV and building traffic should be travelling past the entrance to the play area or indeed through the estate.
“She will be writing to both the head of planning and Bovis in the very near future, and she supports the quest for a second entrance.
“Station Road in Lower Stondon is already a nightmare to drive due to parked vehicles and additional heavy construction traffic will put an unbearable strain on traffic movement.
“Then, when the vehicles come into our estate, our children will face three years of potential danger, emergency service vehicles may find it impossible to get through, and we will have our lives disrupted for the second time by all the aggravation that comes with a new building site.
“We are not complaining about 80 new homes – even though that will cause even more congestion on the estate and along Station Road, and even though we were not told of this new development when we bought our homes.
“All we want is that Bovis finds a separate access route for its construction traffic.”
A Bovis Homes spokesman said in response: “We are aware of the concerns of residents regarding the access route and we are actively consulting with the local authority and exploring alternatives. We will communicate and consult with the local community once we have updates to share.”
Central Beds Council is yet to respond to the Comet’s request for comment.
Elsewhere in Lower Stondon, Bloor Homes are planning to build 150 homes on 15½ acres to the north of Station Road, and held an exhibition on its proposals at the village hall on Thursday night.
The plans depict a development of mostly two-storey buildings, with some bungalows. Up to 53 of the homes – 35 per cent of the development – will be designated as affordable.
Bloor Homes intend to put in their formal planning application this autumn, ahead of a potential 3½-year build.
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