Thurston: Plans to bulldoze allotments in Suffolk village

Thurston residents have lodged 37 objections against an application which will see the village's allotments bulldozed in favour of building eight homes.

The plans for land west of Barrells Road, which were revealed in late May, replaced an application for 58 houses on the same site.

In return for ownership of two pieces of land in the heart of the village, Thurston Parish Council is supporting the proposals in addition to five houses in Church View at Manor Farm.

Now, Thurston residents have come out against the plans, with 37 objections lodged in just under two weeks, alleging that the council only accepted the gifted land to "sweeten the deal".

New plans for eight homes backed by the parish council are replacing previous proposals for a 58-house development on the same site. (Image: Google Maps)

One disgruntled resident said: "At some point, the council have to take a stand for what is right, not what they think they can get out of a deal.

"The allotments should be extended as the village is growing, not swallowed up by houses."

Another said that they grew all their own vegetables on the land and the suggested replacement land was "poor" and "difficult to cultivate".

"There's nothing sustainable about these carbuncles around our village," they added.

"Give us all a break!"

The Thurston allotments appear on a map from 1905. (Image: Google Maps)

READ MORE: Second set of plans revealed in Thurston council land swap

Concerns have also been raised surrounding the protection of the landscape and habitat, as deer, hedgehogs, slow worms, grass snakes, newts, bats, owls, buzzards, kites and butterflies are known to live on the land.

One resident highlighted the nation's increasing awareness of the need for habitat protection, but added: "Sadly, as we have seen across Suffolk in recent years, this seems to count for nothing when up against the relentless development of housing sites."

Thurston Parish Council was contacted for comment.