Around 120 homes alongside play areas and allotments could be built next to a former Government animal testing site in a Hunts village.
The proposal for Houghton Grange Field, submitted by Homes England, would include “plenty of public space” and be made up of 40 per cent affordable housing.
It comes after plans for nearly 100 flats on the derelict Houghton Grange – that was once used as a poultry research station – were approved in July last year.
The second phase of the build on the field, which is currently in agricultural use, is now open for virtual public consultation.
Housing bosses say they have updated their proposals in response to more than 100 comments from residents in 2018.
Maintaining space for natural habitats and having pedestrian access to the Thicket and Ouse Valley was “important”, documents state.
“The preferred design for public open space was natural meadows,” the consultation report reads.
“The site will be accessed by a single signal-controlled junction on Houghton Road, which will also provide the primary access to the first phase development [Houghton Grange].
“A vehicle and pedestrian link to the first phase is provided in the north-west corner of the site, which will help minimise the impact of traffic on Houghton Grange Field.”
The field - located between St Ives and Houghton Village - has 51 acres of land along with some redundant buildings associated with the site’s former use.
It is neighboured by The Spires, a newly built residential area to the east made up of 186 homes.
The consultation period will run from until April 14 with an outline planning application expected to be submitted this summer.
Alison Crofton, director of development at Homes England, said: “We are grateful to those we have spoken to so far for their time and for sharing feedback that has helped us to understand the views of the local community, including their priorities for the site.
“We are now able to share our updated proposals with the local residents and hope as many people as possible will be able to visit our virtual consultation room to find out more about our proposals and share their feedback.”
Online chats with the project team will be held next Tuesday (March 9) from 9am to 1pm and the following Thursday (March 18) from 3pm to 7pm.
Information boards and documents can now be viewed at: https://houghtongrangefield.consultation.ai/
The Government national housing agency Homes England has owned the site since 2016.
It was taken over from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and had been overgrown and unused for more than a decade with a number of redundant buildings.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Are you in support of the scheme? Email clare.butler@archant.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here