RESIDENTS worried about proposals for a former factory in their village have appointed a legal team to help them in their fight for a fair solution.

RESIDENTS worried about proposals for a former factory in their village have appointed a legal team to help them in their fight for a fair solution.

The Girdlestone Action Group and Melton Parish Council have jointly employed leading campaigning law firm Richard Buxton to represent them.

Developers Riduna Holdings, of Wickham Market, have submitted fresh plans for the six-acre site of the old Girdlestone pump suppliers' engineering works in Station Road, Melton.

Last year proposals were put forward for 78 business units on the land, but were withdrawn on advice from planning officers.

Now a fresh scheme has been submitted for 29 business units and offices, and a coffee shop - 10,735 sq m of space.

Residents though are concerned and believe part of the site should be used for much-needed housing, though this might not be possible because part of the area is a flood zone.

John Cole, chairman of the Girdlestone Action Group, said Buxton had been appointed because of their excellent track record for pursuing judicial reviews and challenges to decisions affecting the environment.

He said villagers were worried about whether their views would be fully taken into account.

“We believe that too close a relationship has developed between the district and developers, leading to a lack of meaningful consultation with the community,” he said.

“If the council will not act voluntarily for the people that pay for it and elect it, the people will take all legal steps necessary to ensure that it does so.”

Suffolk Coastal councillors are set to make a site visit and will consider the application in full on June 23.

How would you like to see the site developed? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk