CAMPAIGNERS today gave a cautious welcome to news that the number of homes to be built in Felixstowe and the twin Trimley villages has been slashed by 30 per cent.
CAMPAIGNERS today gave a cautious welcome to news that the number of homes to be built in Felixstowe and the twin Trimley villages has been slashed by 30 per cent.
Planners had put forward 2,080 new homes for the area, but have now decided to reduce this to 1,400.
Instead, the number of houses proposed for Martlesham Heath will double to 2,000 - in line with BT's plans for a new community around its Adastral Park research centre site.
Documents issued by Suffolk Coastal say the changes have been made following consultation with the public, though there will be a need in ten years' time to look ahead to the future of Felixstowe after 2025 and more house building may be necessary then if the expansion of the port and regeneration of the resort succeeds.
The reports seems to indicate that countryside on the northern edge of the town - the Gulpher Road area - will not be touched.
Barbara Shout, of the Save Trimley Against Growth group, said: “Neither ourselves or Save Felixstowe Countryside are against house building for local needs.
“What we are against is major developments which are not needed and will destroy our countryside and environment.
“To hear the number of homes is to be reduced is good news and we are cautiously optimistic, but we still want to see the site specific allocations for these properties.”
Bryan Frost, chairman of Trimley St Mary Parish Council, said it was too early to comment but what the council really wanted to see was the details of the sites for the 1,400 homes.
The Suffolk Coastal report says: “Given the uncertainties over employment growth and infrastructure provision it might be more practical at this point in time to manage growth.
“The environmental setting of the town and access to the countryside will remain undisturbed until such time as an increase in the pace and scale of change is demonstrated to be in the best social and economic interests of the town.”
Where do you think new homes should be built in the Felixstowe area? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
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