AN airship museum, sports hall and expanded vets surgery could be coming to Kesgrave's Grange Farm estate.Proposals for the five and a half acre site, between Hartree Way and Bugsby Way, also include the construction of 112 houses and eight small business units.

AN airship museum, sports hall and expanded vets surgery could be coming to Kesgrave's Grange Farm estate.

Proposals for the five and a half acre site, between Hartree Way and Bugsby Way, also include the construction of 112 houses and eight small business units.

Developers Kesgrave Covenants Limited have offered to provide two and a half acres of the land, free of charge, for the construction of a multi-purpose sports hall and six-rink bowls hall.

The centre will be a joint project between Martlesham Community Council and Sports Amenities and Recreation in Kesgrave (SPARK) who have been pushing for a sports centre in the area for almost two years.

Stuart Pope, secretary of SPARK, said: "Our research shows there is a huge demand for this kind of facility in the area. It will give the people of Kesgrave and the surrounding areas a centre of excellence for sport, not only for this generation but for many generations to come."

The site will also contain the country's first airship museum.

Michael Rope, the father of one of the current landowners, Krispin Rope, was killed in the R101 airship crash in 1930. The museum will pay tribute to him and his comrades, and house a collection of historic airship artefacts.

A new surgery would also be created for the Orwell Veterinary Group, enabling them to move from their temporary, cramped accommodation next to Tesco in Ropes Drive.

Developers wish to build 112 new homes on the eastern side of the site. They are aware of the need to provide affordable housing in the area and have agreed to make up to 12 of the 112 houses into affordable social housing.

Eight small business units will also be built, in a bid to attract local firms to the area.

A ten-metre landscape belt will be placed to the north of the leisure and employment areas and a five-metre belt will screen the north of the housing area.

A spokesman for Kesgrave town council said they welcome the outline plans but concerns have been raised about access to the site and loss of land previously designated as an employment area.

They are also keen to see more than ten per cent of the residential development given over to affordable housing.

The proposals will be considered by Suffolk Coastal's development control sub-committee at a meeting next Thursday .

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