A blueprint for the future development of vital infrastructure in the Ipswich Village Suburb – or northern fringe – has been formally agreed.

Ipswich council has formally adopted the Infrastructure Development Plan for the northern fringe which sets down what facilities will be needed for the 3,500-home community, and when they should be built.

There will be three primary schools and a new high school – but these are not likely to be built until a substantial proportion of the homes on the site are completed.

Among the earlier projects are the construction of two new bridges over the East Suffolk rail line – one for vehicles and one for cyclists and pedestrians only.

The Ipswich Garden Village will be split into three distinctive areas – Henley Gate to be developed by Crest Nicholson, which has already received outline planning permission, Fonnereau to be developed by CBRE/Mersea Homes which is due to be considered by the borough’s planning committee soon, and the Red House area which will also be built by Mersea Homes but which is not yet at the planning stage.

The Henley Gate area is the only part of the development to the north of the rail line and the bridges will have to be completed once a certain number of homes are occupied – the number is to be agreed with Crest Nicholson.

As well as homes, there will have to be new shops, business units and leisure facilities included in the development.

There will also have to be improvements to the road network and new footpaths and cycleways enabling people to get from the Garden Suburb into the town centre without driving.

New bus priority measures will also be included in the development.

There are also hopes for an upgrade of Westerfield Station which will be next to the Ipswich Garden Suburb – enabling residents of that community to use the train without having to drive to the main station first.

The blueprint was agreed by the council because all the Labour councillors at this week’s meeting backed it.

However opposition Conservative councillors, led by Castle Hill councillors Robin Vickery and David Goldsmith, opposed its adoption because of fears that not enough was done to avoid traffic congestion.