MORE than 300 people have signed a petition against a proposed retirement complex in an area of Oxted at risk of flooding.
Residents were asked to give their opinions on plans for a four-storey retirement block in Johnsdale at an exhibition staged by developer McCarthy and Stone at Oxted Community Centre on Monday.
If given the go-ahead, the development would feature 37 one and two-bedroom apartments for private sale.
But a campaign group headed by Johnsdale resident Janet Brown collected the signatures of more than 300 people who were against the proposed development when members canvassed Oxted High Street on Saturday.
The 59-year-old said: "We have found the majority of people are unhappy with the plans. But they are also sympathetic that they think the development is too big.
"I think it is just the wrong site. It is a very crowded part of the town and the infrastructure is not there at the moment to provide for this kind of development."
Another resident, Helen Holgate, of Granville Road, said she was also concerned about how the doctors' surgery would cope with the new development.
Mrs Holgate, 65, said: "The strain on the health services could be huge. I do not object to this application, in theory, but I do think that this is in the wrong place.
"It is the impact this will have on us, as residents, and on the area and local amenities such as the doctors' surgery."
Stewart Rolfe, 36, of Johnsdale, added: "I think this development could be wholly inappropriate. It is too big and is a back-garden development and I fear the flood risk had not been considered fully."
Another Johnsdale resident, Jeff Brown, 72, said he was concerned about parking and access.
He said: "I believe a new access road will be created, coming out onto Johnsdale, which will come out onto the already overcrowded bottleneck.
"Parking will also be an issue, as although they have planned to provide 26 car parking spaces, I do not believe this will be enough for residents and any visitors, causing issues with parking for residents who already live in Johnsdale."
After the exhibition, a McCarthy and Stone spokesman said the company was committed to engaging with the local community before plans were finalised.
He said: "Our recent public exhibition gave residents and stakeholders the opportunity to view the proposed plans and allowed local people to speak to the project team and provide their feedback.
"Neighbours' concerns about flooding issues have been addressed by hydraulic engineering consultants, who have conducted hydraulic modelling of the site to ensure that, in the event of flooding, no harm will come to the residents of the development, and also that any building works will not make the situation worse for any other properties in the neighbourhood."
