Final approval has been given to controversial proposals for 70 new homes in a village’s main street.
The scheme is part of plans for more than 430 new properties in the twin Trimley villages but attracted more than 100 objections when first put forward two years ago by Trinity College, Cambridge.
Developers Taylor Wimpey have now been granted final permission for detailed designs and work needed to provide drainage.
The homes will be built on a six-acre site opposite the Hand in Hand pub and next door to the Trimley Sports and Social Club in High Road, Trimley St Martin.
The site was allocated for housing in the Felixstowe Peninsula Area Action Plan.
Taylor Wimpey’s 70-home scheme proposes 23 affordable homes – 17 for rent and six shared ownership – with 30 of the private houses being two-bed or three-bed.
The scheme also features a new village green on High Road with the houses set back.
The Kirton and Trimley Community Action Group (KATCAG) expressed a number of objections including concerns over traffic issues and lack of parking, over-development, and the loss of village environment, while Trimley St Martin Parish Council described it as a "cramped development with wholly inadequate parking provision".
East Suffolk Council planning case officer Rachel Smith said it was essential to have a variety of parking areas in a layout.
She said: "It is considered here that there is a reasonable mix of all of these parking types and that this is acceptable. While it can lead to on-street parking to avoid manoeuvring vehicles, a benefit of this parking arrangement, of course, is that it allows building lines to move closer to the pavements and provides good street enclosure."
More trees will be lost from the site than expected but there will be replanting via landscaping.
She added: "The proposed design and layout is broadly in accordance with the indicative plan previously considered and provides a good quality design, adequate levels of residential amenity for existing and future residents, attractive open space with links/connections to off-site open space, acceptable highways and parking provision, acceptable drainage solutions and an attractive landscaping scheme."
James Bailey Planning, on behalf of Taylor Wimpey, said Taylor Wimpey had worked hard to seek to provide the necessary market and affordable housing mix and tenure that works for both the council in terms of their policies and local needs, and also in terms of saleability from a national housebuilder perspective.
“It has been demonstrated that Taylor Wimpey have been able to achieve the 40% policy requirement for one- and two-bedroom houses. However, the final layout does show a slightly lower percentage of four-plus bedroom properties in favour of slightly more three-bedroom houses, due to the balancing of seeking to work with other site constraints such as rear garden soakaways, avoidance of triple parking, and accommodating other SUDs (drainage) features.
“It is felt this has achieved a fair and reasonable compromise in terms of the housing that is being provided.
“The benefits of the scheme include: delivery of an agreed level of housing, within an agreed sustainable location for Trimley St Martin; a green frontage onto High Road, which will include a village green; improved landscaping and green infrastructure that will add to the setting of this location; and improved bus stop and layby facilities.”
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