A housing development in Boxford has been turned down on appeal to the delight of local residents.

East Anglian Daily Times: Residents from Boxford have come in number to meetings and are delighted with the eventual outcome. Picture: PAUL GEATERResidents from Boxford have come in number to meetings and are delighted with the eventual outcome. Picture: PAUL GEATER (Image: Archant)

The appeal was made by Landex Ltd after Babergh District Council rejected plans for 24 new dwellings by seven votes to six in the original planning meeting in November 2017.

The controversial application was proposed in early 2017, but after a planning meeting and against the advice of their officers, councillors voted to throw out the plans.

The sticking point of the project was the ability of the current infrastructure to safely cope with the increases in traffic that the development would bring to Boxford.

The biggest concern was Swan Street, a narrow road that commuters would have to use to get to either Bury St Edmunds or Colchester.

A report written by inspector Simon Warder said: “I find that the proposal would have a significantly harmful effect on highway safety.

“Developments should be refused if it would have an unacceptable impact on highway safety or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe.”

When another group of houses were built two years ago, a plan was put in place to limit the number of properties to 20 on the north side of town near Swan Street.

This capacity was reached when those houses were constructed and the current plans, if permitted, would have more than doubled that number.

Bryn Hurren, district councillor for Boxford, said: “I am thrilled at the result. It was the right result and we are delighted.

“We are not against more properties being built in Boxford, but they would need to be near the bypass and not on the side of the village near Swan Street.

“However, we are upset with the lack of support from Suffolk Highways who, despite agreeing with the limit of 20 properties in Boxford, even argued that the plans should go ahead.”

Boxford locals turned up in their numbers to the meeting and David Lamming, gave evidence about the traffic on Swan Street.

He said: “ We are absolutely delighted.

“I don’t think I have spoken to one person around the village that doesn’t agree that it was the correct result.”