Residents angry about plans to build a huge housing complex on fields outside Ewell remain unhappy despite a compromise from developers.

North East Surrey College of Technology (Nescot) removed plans for a 600-room student block from their proposals for land currently used for grazing animals on Reigate Way, but residents have maintained their opposition to the plans.

Worries about traffic and the strain on infrastructure were raised during a heated meeting on November 28. The revised plans are to build 94 homes and a retirement village.

Stuart Seymour, who lives opposite the site, said: “They think we’re going to jump up and down and wave a white flag.

“But what they are going to do instead is of that is pad it out with the maximum number of houses. If we have the best part of 100 houses, we are going to a lot, lot more cars.

"It is going to be gridlock unfortunately.”

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The site in Reigate Road

Helen Gillespie, who went to a public exhibition of the plans at the college, said there was nobody present to answer her questions and no mention of how many homes would be affordable.

She said: "What expansion measures have been taken to ensure that there will be enough doctors’ surgery spaces, school places, daycare and childcare spaces, not to mention beds in local hospitals? I suspect very little."

A Nescot spokeswoman said: "They have made their feelings felt. We answered as many questions as possible and took on board some suggestions made.

"What residents have to understand is that is a piece of development land. The college are trying to do the best they can."

Nescot is under pressure to push ahead with the development in order to fund renovations to its academic campus.

It has secured a Government grant for part of the renovations on the condition that all improvement works are completed by September 2015.

See the plans at Nescot 10am to 8pm from Monday to Thursday and 10am to 5pm on Friday until December 12.

To comment email nescot@cratus.co.uk or call 020 8546 9374.

 

TODAY'S HEADLINES IN EPSOM AND EWELL