Plans to build a new 80-home estate have been approved after developers and council officers agreed to protect a nearby meadow and pay thousands towards local infrastructure.
The agreement has come after Mid Suffolk District Council’s planning committee narrowly voted in favour of the plans, set for land south of Gipping Road in Stowupland, at a meeting in August.
Gladman Developments Ltd submitted the bid in April to construct 80 homes on the land, just weeks after it had a scheme for 70 homes on the same plot rejected.
However, after a three-and-a-half hour debate at the committee meeting earlier on in the year, councillors approved the plans by eight votes to seven.
The agreement, known as Section 106, will see developers pay £50,000 towards improvements to the A1120 and the B1115 to increase capacity and reduce traffic delays.
It will also ensure 35% of the homes will be affordable and the adjacent Thradstone’s Meadow will also fall into ‘community ownership’, preventing future development. A maintenance fee for the meadow of £70,000 will also be paid.
At the meeting, Stuart Carvel from Gladman said: “Following the committee’s decision to refuse the first application in January we carefully considered those reasons for refusal and have sought to bring back to the committee addressing your concerns through this new planning application.
“The scheme is in a sustainable location identified in the council’s A14 growth corridor with close access to facilities in Stowmarket, including the mainline railway station.”
However, neighbours had fought against the plans - which they say would lead to over-development of the village.
Ward councillor Rachel Eburne said: “The edge of this village should be the landscape we are currently looking at, which is a rural landscape that is not special in the official definition of the word but is special to the residents of Stowupland and it is a very valuable landscape.”
Keith Welham, ward councillor and parish councillor, added: “The parish council are totally against allowing this development.
“It is clear that the social, road safety and the environmental disbenefits outweigh any economic benefit.”
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