Fenland District Council’s deeply controversial proposal to build two homes on public open space in Brewin Avenue, March, was dramatically withdrawn just minutes before councillors were due to debate it today.
Deputy council leader and planning committee member Cllr Jan French announced the withdrawal on Facebook only two minutes before the delayed start of the meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
Planning committee chairman Cllr David Connor then formally confirmed the decision from the chair.
“Agenda item number five has been withdrawn,” he told councillors, referring to the Brewin Avenue application. He added that a second application had also been removed from the agenda.
Cllr Connor revealed he had intended to make a declaration on the controversial item before confirming it would no longer be necessary following the withdrawal.
The dramatic late decision comes less than 24 hours after CambsNews revealed an extraordinary internal clash inside Fenland District Council over the scheme.
Internal council correspondence studied by CambsNews showed planning officers had already concluded the proposal should be refused because it would result in the unjustified loss of open space and harm the character of the area.
Officers had initially sought permission for the application to be refused under delegated powers without going before councillors.
However, emails revealed planning committee chairman Cllr Connor intervened personally after visiting the site and insisted the proposal instead be brought before the planning committee for a public decision.
In his email, Cllr Connor described the site as “clearly an infill” and argued there would be “minimal overlooking” to neighbouring properties.
The revelations triggered a wave of anger from residents already opposed to the development, with many accusing the authority of attempting to build on valued community green space used by generations of local families.
Planning officers had recommended refusal on multiple grounds, concluding the development conflicted with both Fenland Local Plan policies and the March Neighbourhood Plan.
Their report stated no evidence had been provided to justify the loss of the open space or demonstrate replacement land would be provided elsewhere.
Residents had also raised concerns over flooding, drainage infrastructure, privacy, wildlife impacts and construction access.
The last-minute withdrawal is likely to intensify scrutiny over how the application was handled internally and why the council chose to pull the proposal only moments before public debate was due to begin.
For Brewin Avenue residents who fought the scheme for months, the sudden withdrawal represents a major victory.
