A HOUSING development on the fringes of an historic town could become a role model for eco-friendly homes for the future, it was claimed last night.Members of the Sudbury Society last night led calls for the Chilton Woods housing and industrial development to be a “test case” in the response to climate change.

A HOUSING development on the fringes of an historic town could become a role model for eco-friendly homes for the future, it was claimed last night.

Members of the Sudbury Society last night led calls for the Chilton Woods housing and industrial development to be a “test case” in the response to climate change.

Stephen Thorpe, society vice-chairman, said the massive £500million project should be a “revolution” in housing design and have cycle and bus routes at the heart of the development to ensure cars are kept at home.

“Chilton Woods could prove quite a test case for the local response to climate change. Everything we do from now on should use climate change as a guiding principle,” Mr Thorpe said.

“We should be looking for imaginative energy-saving housing design, not just fashionable gizmos like solar panels attached to the usual little boxes.

“In principle, the society was against the development because we did not think it was suitable for a traditional market town. There are natural fears about extending the town but we are now presented with a blank canvas and, in terms of housing designs, this project should be a revolution.”

The development, which is currently going through a whistle-stop consultation exercise, would see 700 new homes and up to 30 factories built alongside other amenities.

But amid fears about the impact on Sudbury's infrastructure, Mr Thorpe said: “We should also be looking and arguing for positive measures to encourage less car use.

“These could include safe and continuous cycle and pedestrian ways through the development, linking to the centre of the town, its schools and other community facilities.

“A convenient bus service is essential - in a properly designed housing layout, it should run near every house. Such measures would, of course, have a wider and beneficial impact on the town as a whole.”

Though unavailable to comment last night, Simon Butler Finbow, the company's planning director told a meeting in Sudbury last month: “We appreciate the perception of traffic issues in the town but we have a raft of measures designed to address issues on and off site.

“We want to change travel habits and people to get out of their cars by working with bus operators and improving walking and cycling areas.”

dave.gooderham@eadt.co.uk