Committee criticises housing masterplan
An artist's impression of the street scene at Wolsey Grange. - Credit: Archant
Babergh council’s “masterplan” for the future development of a 475-home estate on the edge of Ipswich is inadequate, Ipswich council’s planning committee has heard.
The borough’s portfolio holder for planning, Carole Jones, told a meeting of the planning and development committee that the plan for the site did not look at its impact on the wider area.
Taylor Wimpey’s proposed “Wolsey Grange” development is just outside the borough, in Babergh district.
Its planning application will be made by councillors from Sudbury, Glemsford, and Great Cornard – among other towns and villages – meeting at Hadleigh.
Babergh has produced a masterplan for the site, but Ms Jones said the application should be seen in the context of a much larger plan, extending from London Road around the A14 to the former sugar beet factory site at Sproughton.
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She said: “We produced a much more comprehensive masterplan for the Northern Fringe which is in the borough – and that will be the basis of our planning decisions there.
“There is as much land involved around the southern side of the town – and Babergh should draw up a similar plan before considering individual sites like this.”
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The masterplan Babergh has drawn up for this application only affects the 475-home site, but there are further areas of land expected to be developed at Chantry Vale and the sugar beet factory site.
Conservative councillor John Carnall pointed out that a Government inspector had said that the Babergh masterplan was sufficient for the site.
It included proposals for a new primary school and a business area.
Members and officials from Ipswich and Babergh met on Thursday to discuss the future development around the town – including Wolsey Grange and the sugar beet site.
