North East Surrey College of Technology (Nescot) is drawing up a plan B for a huge and controversial development it wants to create in Ewell, it has emerged.

The college announced in July that it wants to create accommodation for 600 students, 79 family homes and a 120-unit retirement care village on its 14-acre site, currently used to care for farm animals, beside Reigate Road, Ewell.

Last week Nescot’s planning team held a meeting with four residents’ associations at St Paul’s Church Howell Hill, attended by about 40 people.

The Epsom Guardian was urged to attend Tuesday's meeting so all residents could be kept informed of developments.

But it was banned from attending by Keith Lugton, chairman of the Nonsuch Park and District Residents’ Association who said he had organised it as a private meeting.

He said: "I don’t want residents to feel constrained because they might be quoted in the press."

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The proposed site used to care for animals in Ewell

And after the meeting a Nescot spokeswoman was ‘absolutely not appropriate’ to discuss what options might or might not appear in the final submission.

She said: "We were taking soundings from local Residents’ Associations - we will now be looking further at the plans and making further changes."

But an anonymous source, who attended the meeting, told the newspaper the Nescot team discussed a plan B which involved switching the student accommodation onto the college’s educational site, south of the railway line and increasing the number of family homes by around 25.

It is thought the possible change is partly due to increasing security by having all students based on a single site. 

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Barry Wastnidge, assistant principal of Nescot.

Stuart Seymour, from Reigate Road, who also attended the meeting, said Nescot were looking a ‘different mix’ on the animal husbandry site which may include just an elderly care home and housing.

But he said: "It has not been fully formalised. I think there is every likelihood of a plan C.

"We are more concerned about the road because as far as we know there is only access on Reigate Road."

Residents at the meeting acknowledged that Nescot had listened to their concerns but remained worried about traffic, parking and an influx of students into Ewell.

Following the meeting Mr Lugton said: "I felt it was useful for residents to hear where Nescot’s thinking is going at the present moment. But it is only thinking, there are no hard and fast decisions."

He highlighted concerns about traffic and parking, pressure on school places and health facilities and the safety of pedestrians in the area but said: "We want what is best for everybody."

Barry Wastnidge, assistant principal of Nescot, said: "We were pleased to meet with residents to discuss the changes to our plans that have emerged as a result of both consultations with stakeholders and the general public.

"Our plans are still 'work in progress' and we will be carefully considering comments made at the meeting and will be returning with further amendments in due course."

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Councillor Clive Woodbridge said: "I gather they (Nescot) have been engaging with local residents to tweak the application so it is less of a concern.

"We are aware residents are concerned about this application and the developer is showing a willingness to engage which is encouraging."