HOUSING needs in mid Suffolk could be significantly reduced if a 'master plan' to develop a quarry site is given the thumbs up.Owners of the Needham Market chalk quarry have produced a brochure detailing ways they would like to see the Ipswich Road site developed.
HOUSING needs in mid Suffolk could be significantly reduced if a 'master plan' to develop a quarry site is given the thumbs up.
Owners of the Needham Market chalk quarry have produced a brochure detailing ways they would like to see the Ipswich Road site developed.
It is sold as an opportunity for the town to take its "fair proportion" of housing growth required in the district - with 7,700 new homes needed by 2021.
But the proposals, still at the ideas stage, could all come to nothing when formal planning applications are made as the town council says there is no need for more homes in the town.
The document is labelled as "illustrative" by town planners Andrew Martin Associates who produced it on behalf of Needham Group.
The idea is to show the opportunities for housing, commerce, business and leisure on the site before Mid Suffolk district council's local development framework is finalised.
Housing developments in the document include lower cost smaller homes, family housing, affordable housing, and retirement settlements as well as
a cinema, farmer's market, convenience store and retails outlets.
Kate Ritchie, senior planner at Andrew Martin Associates, said: "The overall design concept is to establish a linkage between the existing town and the new development, in order to create a new part of the town that can interact with the existing settlement."
Councillor Ray Darnell, Mayor of Needham market, said: "When a land bid came in for this area the council recommended refusal but until formal applications come in I don't know what will be made of this.
"If it looks good for the town the council could quite easily change its mind.
"Having said that, the town's housing needs are pretty much met up until 2016 - it's elsewhere in the district needs houses."
How do you think the chalk quarry site should be developed? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk or visit the forum at www.eveningstar.co.uk
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