By Patrick LowmanA CONSERVATION group is demanding action after exclusive homes on a site overlooking some of a town's favourite beauty spots were painted bright lilac.

By Patrick Lowman

A CONSERVATION group is demanding action after exclusive homes on a site overlooking some of a town's favourite beauty spots were painted bright lilac.

Members of the Sudbury Society say the colour scheme at the 27-house development at Meadow Lane, Sudbury, is "totally alien" and "sticks out like a sore thumb".

The one, two and three bedroom homes are being built by developers Rydon Homes at the former Sudbury gasworks site.

The site overlooks the popular riverside Mayor's Walk and Friar's Meadow and also backs onto the town's Quay Theatre and the Granary headquarters of the River Stour Trust, both of which are listed buildings.

Members of the Sudbury Society were horrified to see that several of the homes had been painted a mixture of cream and bright lilac and Babergh District Council has now confirmed the colour is contrary to those chosen when planning permission was granted.

Sudbury Society chairman David Burnett has now written to developer Rydon Homes urging them to change the colour.

He said: "The choice of lilac for such a high profile development in a semi-rural part of the town is bizarre and inappropriate. The traditional colours for render in Sudbury are a pale cream or plain white - I cannot think of any local buildings where bright lilac is used. I don't understand why the developers are introducing this totally alien colour scheme which will make the development stand out like a sore thumb."

Ironically, the fiasco has occurred just weeks after a mother-of-two reluctantly gave up her fight to keep her historic home, in Clare, bright lilac.

Janice Daines painted her historic cottage in Callis Street, Clare, bright lilac without planning permission. After more than two years of legal wrangles she has finally agreed to re-paint the home after St Edmundsbury Borough Council threatened her with legal action. The house is due to be repainted a shade of Suffolk pink in the near future.

Mr Burnett added: "If lilac is not suitable in Clare it is equally unacceptable in this sensitive part of Sudbury."

Bosses at Rydon Homes declined to comment yesterday but Babergh's senior development control officer Michael Collins said: "When permission for the development was granted it was with the condition that the colour finish was agreed with us. We have inspected the site and the colour used is not in accordance with the colour scheme we approved.

"The agreed colours included a charcoal grey, cream and Oakington lilac, which is a very dark colour. The colour used is very bright and we have asked to developers to meet us on the site to discuss the matter. From there we will determine what action is needed."