A key site in Sudbury town centre with outline planning permission for 19 apartments is set to go up for sale at to auction in two weeks time.
The former tax office block in Newton Road will go under the hammer at Allsop residential auction on Thursday, February 15, with a guide price of £695,000.
The site, opposite Belle Vue Park, is close to the Hamilton Road quarter which has been earmarked for redevelopment and could eventually include a cinema, cafes and new shops.
Planning permission for the site was originally put forward in November 2014, but was withdrawn when the district council asked for it to be marketed for commercial/employment purposes for a further 18 months.
After no-one came forward to use the tax office site for commercial purposes, an application was submitted for outline planning permission to build 23 apartments.
This was subsequently withdrawn by the owners following criticism from people living in the streets nearby.
They raised concerns about everything from lack of parking and the impact it could have on neighbouring streets, to the proposed design of the building.
The site received outline planning permission for 19 apartments – 15 one bedroom and four two bedroom – with associated parking, garaging and communal areas and construction of new vehicular access, in November last year.
Jack Owen, Labour county councillor for Sudbury, objected to the original application for planning permission on the grounds that the design was unattractive.
He said: “My main concern was that the original plans for the development made it look like a dormitory. It was very unattractive.
“It’s up for grabs now and in the lap of the gods. I hope whoever does buy it, develops it in a tasteful way that is in keeping with the area.
“It’s one of the main things you see as you come into town and so it needs to be done in a way that is pleasing to the people of Sudbury.
“I hope that Sudbury planning committee will be mindful of what the plans are when the time comes.”
The freehold cleared site, which extends to around 0.4 acres, does not require a Section 106 contribution.
For more information, visit www.allsop.co.uk
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