MORE than 160 bungalows could be demolished in a multi-million pound redevelopment of redundant Ministry of Defence housing near Woodbridge.The MoD is preparing to step up activity at Woodbridge Airfield with the arrival of 750 soldiers – but it has said it does not require bungalows that have been used by personnel.

MORE than 160 bungalows could be demolished in a multi-million pound redevelopment of redundant Ministry of Defence housing near Woodbridge.

The MoD is preparing to step up activity at Woodbridge Airfield with the arrival of 750 soldiers – but it has said it does not require bungalows that have been used by personnel.

The MoD is handing back these homes to Annington Homes. The company bought all the married quarters in the UK from the MoD and then leased them back to the MoD.

Now Annington Homes is preparing to unveil a major scheme before planners at Suffolk Coastal District Council by the end of September.

The aim is to reduce all the bungalows to rubble and build a variety of bungalows, houses and social housing in their place.

If Annington Homes obtains permission it will then sell the estate to developers for them to build the new properties.

The estate will contain a six-acre open space, a children's play area and the existing wooded belt along the Hollesley Road will be kept.

There could be up to 40 properties at prices that can be afforded by young families.

Janet Green, planning and development manager for Annington Homes, outlined the company's plans during a briefing.

She admitted that the lack of facilities at the airfield for the public – there is a shop and a school – and the proximity of a regiment of engineers would not be attractive for some householders.

''It is a bit of an acquired taste living here,'' she said, adding that some people will feel it is too isolated.

Ms Green stressed that it would be very difficult to obtain mortgages on the current properties, and they needed to be rebuilt to increase the housing standard and attract residents. They have poor insulation, high fuel bills and are not up to modern standards or the expectations of today's housebuyer.

Ms Green said: ''There will have to be a big consultation programme with everyone about this. The indications from the planning officers are that they would be unable to support any redevelopment which has a greater density than at the moment, so therefore the application will be for the same number of houses.

''There will be a very broad mix of housing. Many developers these days are keen to develop four-bedroom houses but we want houses with two, three and four bedrooms, and two and three bedroom bungalows and social housing.''

Most of the current houses are rented by the public, and Annington Homes is taking steps to ensure that tenants can remain for the forseeable future.