Proposals for a new housing development in a small Suffolk village are expected to receive a “mixed reaction” at an upcoming meeting.

Hopkins & Moore’s application to build 17 dwellings, including five affordable homes, in Easton will be discussed at a special meeting of the parish council on February 24.

Parish chairman John Owen said he was unable to speak on behalf of the council before the meeting but felt there would be a “mixed reaction” among the villagers.

“I think there are going to be some in favour and quite a lot against,” he said.

“The advantage is that there is provision for car parking at the primary school for parents picking up and dropping off children and we’ve had a major problem in the village with cars blocking up traffic.

“The other view is that Easton is a small village with only 149 houses in it so 17 new ones is quite a high percentage to be adding.”

The proposed four acre site is located in The Street next to Easton Primary School. As part of the developer’s 106 agreement, the school has been offered extra land, some of which would be used to expand its parking facilities. A further contribution of at least £50,000 has been offered to help the school “adapt its facilities to cater for extra children”.

Headteacher Cheryl Singleton said that anything improving safety at the school was a “big plus”. “At the moment the children get dropped off at the other end of the school which is causing problems every day so anything that can help with that has to be good for us.”

The developer has also offered money to Suffolk Coastal District Council for use improving sporting facilities in the village.

Its application states there is: “broad based community support for this development which delivers affordable housing, family housing and an attractive development in a sustainable way”.

A spokesman for Hopkins & Moore said the site had been identified by Suffolk Coastal District Council as the preferred location for housing in the village.

The public are invited to raise their views on the development at Easton Parish Council’s special planning meeting at the village hall from 7pm on February 24.