NEIGHBOURS have raised concerns over plans to build new bungalows and a petrol station near their homes.

Primary school teacher Jade Tee received a letter detailing plans by Maple Grove Developments to build 48 bungalows for over-55s, a petrol station, industrial units, a care home and a drive-thru Costa Coffee near her home in Wheatsheaf Close, Barrow.

But she says the bungalows are not needed in the area next to the A59.

She said instead the council should encourage the building of a GP surgery or a primary school.

She said: “Nobody has asked us if we need these things and we live here.

“We cannot even afford the houses they are building.

“The A59 is already so congested due to the traffic and the new-builds will only add to it.”

Miss Tee moved to the area with her son four years ago and thought it was a beautiful place to live.

She said: “They are not considering our primary needs at all.

“If they build a care home next to the A59 then they need a community for them, but it’s all for commercial gain.”

Councillor David Birtwhistle agreed with the complaints. He said: “We have had enough in Barrow.

“In 2010 we had 308 houses and since then we have gone up to 1,500. We are constantly living on a building site and it is going to be another 10 to 15 years putting up with it. I can’t believe they are putting a care home next to the A59. I wouldn’t want to be living near a motorway in my old age."

In the planning application, Maple Grove Developments said the plan was: “Responding to the specific requirement for over 55s housing and built to an accessible and adaptable standard to futureproof the housing for occupiers.

“It maintains the character and quality of the area and will be visually attractive as a result of the mix of good architecture, urban design and landscaping.

“It creates a modern commercial employment space located on a prominent highway and will deliver a financially viable proposal.”

Another resident, Tess Scott Adams, who lives in Old Row on Whalley Road, said: “Barrow is being unfairly targeted with buildings that are not fulfilling our needs.

“We aren’t against building new houses and a care home, but there are better places to build them.

“People are upset because they are proposing things we already have, like a Costa drive-thru isn’t needed because we already have a Starbucks one nearby.

“Elderly people who may live at the care home will not have anywhere to go because we do not have things like cafes or a post office to go to, or accessible supermarkets.”