Villagers angry about too many homes

VILLAGERS are angry at moves to put twice as many homes on a site than initially proposed - and say it will mean people living like sardines.

Developers want to use the old piggeries in Trimley St Martin for 11 houses, three of which would be affordable homes for people from the immediate area.

Parish councillors accept some development on the site off Old Kirton Road and Mil Lane, but say 11 is more than twice as many as was envisaged and will leave no room for on-street parking.

KET Construction Ltd wants to demolish the old agricultural buildings and build a mix of two, three and four bedroom houses.

Trimley St Martin Parish Council is urging refusal because three years ago Suffolk Coastal said it expected the site to accommodate a small group of up to five homes.

“The current application continues to cram as many properties in as possible without thought for any practicality of living on such a 'sardined' development,” said the parish council.

It says there is also no parking for visitors to the proposed properties.

“For example, if a large refuse vehicle were to be able to access the properties, it would be on the basis that there were to be no vehicles parked in the road, which is clearly not practical,” added the council.

Six letters of objection have been sent from residents concerned over extra traffic, overdevelopment and other issues.

A report to Suffolk Coastal's south area development control sub committee - which is recommended to approve the project on Thursday - says 17 car parking spaces have been included, which equates to 150 per cent provision in line with the council's car parking standards.

“The proposed layout also makes provision for rear access to a number of dwellings fronting Mill Lane that currently have access through the application site,” it added.

Is 11 homes on the site too many? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk