PLANS to build 350 new houses on the site of Orpington Hospital will be unveiled tomorrow. Barratt Homes, which has closed a multi-million pound deal to buy the site from Bromley NHS Trust, will exhibit its ideas for the 30-acre site in the Canada wing of the hospital until Saturday.

The sale of the land is part of the trust's plans to centralise health care for the borough at a new hospital, to be built at Farnborough. Orpington is to become a centre for outpatient and diagnostic services, serving the south of the borough.

But the £60million housing scheme is already under fire from nearby residents, anxious about over-development.

Orpington Residents' Action Group for the Environment (ORAGE) say there are worrying implications to the housing project. Spokesman Patrick Parker said: "A survey we conducted showed the density of population in these new houses will be twice that of surrounding areas. This has a knock-on effect, as there could be major traffic congestion and there are no assurances of safety measures for pedestrians in such a busy area. There will also be increased demand for places at nearby schools."

Barratt already has outline planning permission from Bromley Council. But council officials have slapped a proviso on the deal, which means Bromley's Education department gets £500,000. The Bromley site and a portion of the Farnborough site are also set to accommodate new homes. Barratt says it plans another 190 in the centre of Bromley and 60 in Farnborough.

Trevor Sawyer, Barratt's managing director for the southern counties, said: "The land is ideally placed for housing, as it has plenty of green open space, is near Orpington shopping centre, and convenient for transport and other essential facilities. It would release funds vital to the new hospital and also provide funding for expansion of local education services."

The presentation will be open between 10am and 4pm each day and Barratt welcomes views from the public.

Mr Parker said: "ORAGE will scrutinise these plans closely.''

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