Almost 500 homes complete with a new relief road could be built west of Bury St Edmunds if fresh plans submitted to a council are given the go-ahead.

Applicant Pigeon (Bury West) Limited first submitted proposals for 485 homes on land off Newmarket Road in 2019, but concerns were raised around the access roads, which included roundabout access onto Newmarket Road and a part relief road onto Fornham Lane, as well as the green buffer and the total number of homes included.

In a new application before West Suffolk Council, the applicant is once again seeking permission for up to 485 homes, but has made changes to the planned relief road including roundabout site access on Newmarket Road and Westley Road, as well as a new priority junction from the relief road onto Hill Road. 

The plans seek full permission for the relief road and outline permission for the homes which would be between two and three storeys and of various sizes and tenures, including family housing. 

The site, which is located on the western edge of Bury St Edmunds just 200m south of junction 42 of the A14, would be complete with open space including play areas and landscaping. 

Drainage basins would be constructed next to the relief road and there would be a new pedestrian and cycle route onto Oliver Road and cycle connections onto Newmarket Road.

The scheme is on land allocated for residential development.

Original proposals included the provision of land for a sub-regional health campus to enable the relocation of West Suffolk Hospital but, in 2021, the hospital announced it had purchased Hardwick Manor to the south of their exisiting site with the intention of moving there instead. 

A statement to West Suffolk Council on behalf of the applicant said: "For the purposes of clarification, land for the former Health Campus Site does not form part of this planning application, although the proposals ensure that it does not prejudice any future development of the site, should any future proposals come forward." 

They added that the scheme would bring "key benefits" to Bury St Edmunds and Westley including the delivery of "market and affordable housing".