PLANS for 120 homes on land opposite West Cheshire College’s new building have stunned residents living nearby.

Neighbours who have put up with the noise of the college’s construction site are furious they may now have to endure more.

Barkin Developments has resubmitted plans for houses between Sutton Way and Regent Street that it previously withdrew in 2010.

Then the council refused an outline application for 107 homes, citing the loss of a sports field and the lack of affordable housing in plans for the 3.6-hectare site, part of the old Grange Comprehensive School.

Belgrave Drive resident Mrs Boughey says not all residents have been consulted.

She said: “My concern is I only saw this in passing.

“The notice I saw has now been ripped off the lamppost.

“This latest notice has only been posted on one lamppost in Regent Street, which will be easily overlooked by people, and the closing date for latest comments is March 2.

“Quite why anyone would want to buy a house with that monstrous new building that the college has built overlooking it is beyond me.”

Ms Boughey has contacted the Campaign for Rural England to see if it can help block the proposals.

She added: “There’s so few green open spaces left in the town centre.”

Another resident, Elaine Hunt, has  complained to the council’s planning department.

She wrote: “I’ve had enough of  building work going on outside my  house, starting their machines up  between 7.20am and 7.30am.

“My husband works permanent  nights and has resorted to sleeping  pills due to the lack of sleep caused by  the never-ending construction.

“Enough is enough. We thought it  would be all over when they finished  the college, but no – we find out that  there's another rabbit about to be pulled out of the hat!”

The development would include 29 two-bedroomed, 83 three-bedroomed and eight four-bedroomed properties and included 24 properties designated as social housing.

In April last year a letter was sent to residents in the immediate vicinity on Flatt Lane, Kensington Road and Regent Street inviting them to a question-and-answer session about the scheme.

Consultation went no further than those roads forming an immediate boundary around the site, despite guidance suggesting planning applications on a wide scale should require wider consultation, not ‘just the immediate environs of the application site’ before the application is made.

Cheshire West and Chester Council spokeswoman Laura Johnson said those submitting applications are not required to consult the wider community.

She added: “We encourage people who put in planning applications to put in pre-application consultations but it is only advice.

“It is down to the developer to decide how far and who they consult.”

Documents also show the council bought land from Cesc Jenkins, of Barkin Developments, which enabled the council to allow the Church of England Academy to build a running track and sports field – a fact that was presented to planners in documents supporting the application.

Miss Johnson added: “That situation will not have any influence on the outcome of the planning application.”