RESIDENTS last nightexpressed their fears over plans to build houses on water meadows near their homes.At a public meeting at Stowmarket Reformed Church, more than 50 residents, town and Mid Suffolk district councillors discussed the issues raised by the outline planning application for 21 houses between Newton Road and Cardinalls Road in Stowmarket.

RESIDENTS last nightexpressed their fears over plans to build houses on water meadows near their homes.

At a public meeting at Stowmarket Reformed Church, more than 50 residents, town and Mid Suffolk district councillors discussed the issues raised by the outline planning application for 21 houses between Newton Road and Cardinalls Road in Stowmarket.

People living nearby fear the development could overload the sewage system, increase the risk of flooding, and damage wildlife.

Rosie Carter, of CardinallsRoad, believes her home will be flooded if the development at the back of her garden gets the go-ahead.

Mrs Carter, who chaired last night's meeting, said: "Who in their right mind would build on that land? This is sheer madness. It's essential to get across to the council are local knowledge of the flooding, to have a raft of evidence.

"It looks a scruffy piece of land, but the wildlife it holds is important."

Many residents brought photographs of flooding that already takes place to the meeting, to form a dossier of evidence to pass to the district council.

Stowmarket district councillor, Brenda McKinlay, told the meeting that the application was at an early stage and councillors would listen to people's concerns.

Stowmarket town councillors, have rejected the development principally on the grounds of danger from flooding, and concerns about the traffic situation with so many houses being proposed.

A spokeswoman for Mid Suffolk District council said before the meeting: "This application is still being assessed. The land is agricultural/wasteland previously with the benefit of outline planning permission for residential use, first granted in 1989 and renewed in 1992.

"The number of houses shown on an illustrative lay out, 21, is not a commitment. The application was received during May and is being processed, so there is no date scheduled for it to go to planning committee.

"The process is at the stage of consultation and the replies will be assessed together with the details of the application.''

Agents for the application, Lacey Scott and Knight, were among those invited to the meeting, but did not attend. They have been unavailable to comment publicly, but are willing to meet residents to hear their concerns.