MARTLESHAM: Campaigners fighting plans for what they claim will be a new town on BT’s Martlesham site have launched an online petition to show the strength of feeling against the development.

No Adastral New Town (NANT), which is urging Suffolk Coastal to reject the development proposals and re-examine the housing needs for the district, is aiming to get 1,000 signatures by the end of the month.

Proposals have been put forward to build 2,000 homes at Adastral Park, plus 60,000 sqm of extra employment area to create around 2,000 jobs, a health centre, hotel, park, community centre, shops, caf�, pub and takeaway, new primary school and possibly a high school.

However, NANT believes the project will swamp the area, ruin the communities which exist, and devastate the Deben estuary, while villagers will be deprived of housing to protect their futures.

Katherine Riddell, publicity officer for NANT, said: “We have launched the petition to give people an opportunity to show their concerns about the development because we understand Suffolk Coastal council are not really aware of any opposition to the plan at the moment.

“We wanted a way people could demonstrate their feelings and have been delighted with the response so far with more than 180 people signing.

“NANT is not saying there should be no housing because clearly there is a need for housing, particularly affordable housing, but we want to see the housing review that the county needs and then move forward and deliver the sort of housing people need and want in the right areas and ensure Suffolk hangs on to its special character.”

Responses so far had highlighted many issues and had come not only from people in the immediate area, but also further afield and from visitors who were keen to see Suffolk retain its special unspoilt character.

The petition can be found via a box on the NANT website www.noadastralnewtown.com

Although Suffolk Coastal has indicated it will include development of Adastral Park in its strategy, it says it is currently waiting for details of future national planning policy following the change of government before progressing the issue further.

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