Newmarket residents’ anger over flats plan for disused flooring shop and neighbouring property

Residents living in a road in the centre of Newmarket are up in arms over plans to convert a disused shop and its neighbouring property into flats.

A proposal submitted to West Suffolk Council planners would see the former All Square Flooring premises at 34 Old Station Road and a residential property at number 36 converted into eleven flats while retaining a shop at road level.

In a design access statement to accompany a full planning application, the developers have said that ‘character and charm’ of the exterior of the building will be retained, while the proposed loft extension would ‘sensitively correspond’ to it.

They say that the plan encourages the use of public transport and bicycles and has incorporated green measures where possible.

The proposals have infuriated people living in Rous Road, at the rear of the planned development, where their Victorian terraced homes would back on to the new flats and would be overlooked.

They also claim that no consideration has been given to parking with only two spaces incorporated in the proposals, along with a bicycle rack.

“What world are these people living in?” asked Mick Jeffery, a retired electrician who has lived in Rous Road with his wife Sheila for 45 years.

“If there are eleven flats, there will be eleven cars and probably more but they seem to think providing a bike store is the answer. We often come home and find we have to park two or three streets away from where we live and this will make it much worse,” said Mr Jeffery.

One of his neighbours, Sara Hornsby who is also a long-time resident having lived in Rous Road for 30 years, believes the plans represent serious over-development.

“There are too many flats with not enough parking, lots of dustbins, questionable arrangements for water and sewage and a garden on top of the garage which will overlook our houses and gardens,” said Miss Hornsby.

“The roofline is awful and the whole development would look out of place with our terrace houses where we should be trying to retain our heritage,” she added.

Seventeen residents have submitted a petition against the plans to West Suffolk Council.