A FORMER Ipswich bowling green is today under threat from development again – just six months after residents thought they had saved it. Residents in Little's Crescent and Spencer Road have now launched another battle to prevent five houses being built on one of Old Stoke's few greenfield sites.

A FORMER Ipswich bowling green is today under threat from development again – just six months after residents thought they had saved it.

Residents in Little's Crescent and Spencer Road have now launched another battle to prevent five houses being built on one of Old Stoke's few greenfield sites.

It is the fourth time since 2000 that the bowling green at the end of Little's Crescent has been earmarked for development.

Residents have voiced their concerns on each occasion, with worries about access to the land and loss of light to properties.

Because part of Little's Crescent is narrow and unadopted, residents are worried it will not cope with the additional vehicles.

Their protests have previously forced developers to withdraw their plans.

One Little's Crescent resident, who did not want to be named, said: "It is our road and we don't really think it is suitable for construction traffic or even more cars.

"I have never seen a fire engine go up the road and I don't think it can.

"I would like to see it became a play area but there's no plans for that. It's a real shame really – it's an ideal place for such a facility in the area."

Paul Flores, of Seymour Road, Ipswich, is unsure whether turning the site into a play area is a good idea, but he is concerned building houses on the site could block the view from his home.

He said: "The houses are potentially 33ft from my wall and I imagine most of the light to my garden and my view will be blocked. It doesn't do my property any favours."

A group of residents in Little's Crescent is now in the process of writing letters to Ipswich council to protest against the development. A petition has also been set up.

Andrew Shallish, of Roger Bullworthy Associates, agent for developer Framlingham properties, said: "It's not going to have any effect on people's light. The homes proposed are very modest and situated a good distance from any existing homes.

"Residents who live in the private part of Little's Crescent currently have no turning facilities.

"This application will give them, and the new homes, turning facilities. It will be a significant highway improvement.

"In terms of whether the private part of Little's Crescent can take the extra traffic, firstly it will only be a small amount of extra traffic and secondly a report has found that it can take the extra traffic.

"We have a housing problem and we ought to be using it (the land) for housing.

"As part of the application, we will also fund improvements to irrigation at two bowling greens in Ipswich."

A decision on the full planning application, which was recently submitted to Ipswich Borough Council, is due to be made by June 7.