Plans for hundreds of homes on the outskirts of Ipswich have been approved – despite being shot down at a previous meeting.
Members of Babergh District Council’s planning committee meeting yesterday decided to go with the recommendation of its officers and give the go-ahead for the Wolsey Grange scheme on land adjacent to the Holiday Inn near the Copdock Interchange.
The outline proposal is for 475 homes along with business units with the fist phase including 145 homes.
It was put forward by developers Taylor Wimpey and was considered a meeting last November but was brought back after allegations a note was handed to councillor David Busby, who was on the original committee, by a member of Sproughton Parish Council.
This prompted legal advice being sought and the recommendation that the matter was brought back to the planning committee.
Mr Busby said he did not read the note and it had “no bearing on the result what so ever”.
The new committee, chaired by councillor Clive Arthey, voted to approve the first phase of the development.
Along with the homes it would include a children’s play area and space for a new primary school. Later phases would see more houses and business space on the 29.7hectare site.
In the first phase only 29 of the homes would be classes as affordable, just 20% of those being built when the Babergh District Council’s policies usually require 35% be affordable.
Objections expressed by public speakers at the meeting included the size of the development, associated infrastructure and issues surrounding the primary school provision.
After the meeting Helen Davies, vice-chairman of Sproughton Parish Council, said it would consider taking further action following the decision.
“At this time we (Sproughton Parish Council) reserve the right to pursue a judicial review regarding the legality of the revisit of the planning committee meeting held today,” she said.
Mr Arthey said: “Members discussed the scale of development and mix of housing proposed, as well as vehicular and pedestrian highway safety issues.
“After a long debate, lasting more than four hours members voted to approve.”
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