Developers left with six months to appeal Melton Hill ‘cheese wedges’ decision

The plans, which would see 100 new homes being built at the former home of Suffolk Coastal District Council on Melton Hill, were narrowly given backing by Suffolk Coastal’s planning committee last April.

However last summer the developer, Active Urban Woodbridge Ltd, decided to withdraw its original plans and submit an amended application.

The new application reduced the number of affordable homes on the site from 32 to 15, while keeping the rest of the design the same.

The plans also included an application for Vacant Building Credit - a scheme promoted to encourage developers to use brownfield sites.

However planning officers decided against the change, stating that the site had not been vacant for a sufficient length of time to qualify for the credit.

As such the new application was refused when it went before the planning committee again in November 2018.

At the time the developers stated that they disagreed with the council’s assessment, saying that the credit would have helped to make the project viable for them.

The plans had become controversial with residents who were unhappy with the design’s height and density, as well as the decision to change the number of affordable homes.

Some residents placed banners around the area to express their unhappiness at the plans.

It is not yet known if the developers will appeal the council’s decision or submit another application on the site.

Suffolk Coastal District Council said that the developers had been formally issued with the council’s decision and that it was now in the developer’s hands.

A spokesman for Suffolk Coastal said: “The refusal on this planning application has now been issued to the developer.

“If they wish to appeal against this decision, they have six months in which they can launch any appeal.

“We now need to wait to hear from the developer what they plan to do next.”

Active Urban Woodbridge Ltd have been contacted for comment.