Colchester: Villagers' fears over park and ride (From Essex County Standard)
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Colchester: Villagers' fears over park and ride
8:30am Friday 26th February 2010 in Local news By Wendy Brading
Residents Louise Lockheart and Martin Grainger with councillor Martin Goss at the proposed site of Colchester's park and ride.
VILLAGERS' peaceful retreats are to be shattered as Colchester's long-awaited park and ride is to be built just metres away from their homes.
The back gardens of Cuckoo Farm Cottages in Boxted Road, Colchester, overlook farmland previously used by Severalls Hospital and the residents love their tranquil setting.
But now they have discovered the new park and ride, which will accommodate 650 cars as well as a succession of buses, is set to be built 20 metres from their gardens.
Disabled grandad Nigel King, 49, who lives in one of the cottages with his wife, Jackie, said: "Our lives won't be the same again.
"We will suffer from noise, pollution and there is so much wildlife there."
A public exhibition into the scheme is due to start at Colchester Library on Thursday and a planning application is expected to be submitted after that.
