Almost 500 new homes could be built on the edge of Ipswich in a move which has prompted concern among local residents.

The planning outline for the Poplar Lane area of Sproughton, near the Thompson and Morgan premises and Holiday Inn hotel, was published last year and suggested up to 350 homes could be built there by developer Taylor Wimpey.

But now the company has submitted a planning application to Babergh Council which proposes up to 475 homes should be built, along with business premises and a new primary school for the area.

If it succeeds in its planning application work could start by the end of next year, with the development being completed in about 2025.

Residents from Sproughton will be able to have their say on the proposed development at an open meeting on Thursday.

Taylor Wimpey’s application is a “hybrid”. It is an outline application for the entire development – but includes a detailed application to allow the first 145 homes to be built.

The application says that at least 20% (95) of the homes would be “affordable” – built for rent by a housing association or part-sold as part of a joint equity scheme.

The application says that 29 of the 145 homes in the first phase would be affordable.

Homes would range from one-bedroomed flats to five-bedroomed detached houses, but the majority would be three or four-bedroom homes.

The land is in Sproughton, although it is some way from the main village and is closer to the Copdock Mill area.

Babergh council chairman Nick Ridley represents Sproughton and said the increase in the number of proposed homes had caused concern in area.

The potential growth in traffic remained a major concern – the Copdock interchange and routes on and off it remain major problems for traffic, especially at busy times of the day.

Mr Ridley said: “I cannot say too much because I am a member of the planning committee, but there are issues that need to be looked at and there will be a chance for local residents to have their say on Thursday.

“One of the issues that people will want to raise is the fact that this development leads right into the Chantry Vale proposal that was rejected in 1987, but is now back on the agenda again.”

Taylor Wimpey also has an interest in the land that had been earmarked for the Chantry Vale scheme.

It does not form part of this application, but many suspect that once the area around Poplar Lane – marketed as Wolsey Grange – has been completed, pressure to “infill” the Chantry Vale site will increase.

A spokesman for the company said: “Our planning application for Wolsey Grange has been submitted to Babergh District Council following two separate periods of public consultation which we held earlier this year.

“We will continue to work with the local authority to ensure that concerns raised by the local community are addressed where possible and we look forward to the council reaching a decision on our application in due course.

“Should planning permission be granted we would anticipate building work beginning on the first phase of homes towards the end of 2016 with the overall development likely to take around nine to 10 years to complete.”

The public meeting is taking place at Sproughton Tithe Barn at 7.30pm on Thursday evening.