Planning permission for four new homes near a memorial marking the reputed site of the murder of King Edmund has been refused over fears they would not fit in with the historical surrounding area.
Danny Ward Builders were originally granted outline planning permission by Mid Suffolk District Council in 2017 to build on the land to the east of Abbey Hill in Hoxne.
The plans were later withdrawn to make design and layout changes but the amended application has now been refused.
It was rejected by a unanimous vote at a planning committee meeting on Wednesday July 22 due to concerns about scale, appearance and the proposals failing to be in character or sympathetic to the local area and history.
Lavinia Hadingam, vice-chair of Mid Suffolk District Council’s development control committee A, said: “We want to ensure that the right properties are built in the right places in Mid Suffolk and after much deliberation our committee reached a decision that this development would not fulfil this aim – reflecting the view of many Hoxne residents.
“This is an area of great historical significance and unfortunately the applicant has missed an opportunity to incorporate this into the development’s design, with the landscaping and appearance of proposals failing to be in keeping with its surroundings.”
The application proposed four buildings - two four-bedroom homes and two three-bedroom homes, three of which would be two-storeys and one single storey.
It also included a pathway from the development to the monument to King Edmund, the original patron saint of England and ruler of East Anglia.
He was killed for refusing to renounce his Christian faith by Danish invaders in 869AD by being tied to a tree and shot full of arrows before being beheaded.
Committee members had also felt that the site could potentially obscure the view of the monument and that it failed to add to the design quality and function of the area.
There were more than 15 objections to the application which cited drainage and flooding issues, wildlife impact, a lack of affordable housing and a lack of housing demand. The key concern repeated by many was the impact of the development on the historical site.
MORE: Suffolk campaigners hope listed monument to St Edmund will deter developers
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