Parish accuses Stowmarket Town Council of ‘stealing’ their land in boundary battle
Police are appealing for witnesses following a spate of car break-ins across Stowmarket - Credit: Archant
A parish chief has said there is nothing he can do to stop Stowmarket Town Council from “stealing” land in their village
The town council has asked Mid Suffolk District Council to carry out a boundary review as major new housing developments are on the way – with parts of them outside of its limits.
As the new homes are built, millions of pounds in development money will be available to improve infrastructure – a slice of which Ron Raisey, chairman of Onehouse Parish Council, thinks should go to the village.
The town council proposals have now been revised by Mid Suffolk and put forward as final plans to go before a district council committee next month.
Mr Raisey said: “The changes to the proposals have kept some of the residents of the village – the ones who want to stay in – those in Onehouse Road and Paupers Grave, but it has still eaten into a huge chunk of the village and we are not happy, as you would expect.
“Not only are they stealing our land, they are depriving us of potentially future revenue from Section 106 money, as I’ve said before it’s a typical example of the big boys riding roughshod over the smaller villages.”
Combs Parish Council has, in the past, also opposed the proposal but nobody was available to comment.
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David Blackburn, clerk for Stowmarket Town Council, said: “The proposals are welcomed by us in expanding the town boundary to reflect the new development that is taking place around the edge of Stowmarket.
“We also endorse the creation of four similar sized wards, with each ward being represented by four town councillors.”
Mid Suffolk will meet on December 17 to make a final decision, which could also see land taken away from Creeting St Peter, Haughley and Badley.
A Mid Suffolk spokeswoman said: “Mid Suffolk District Council has a statutory responsibility for undertaking community governance reviews in the area.
“The process is strictly defined in legislation, including formal invitation for submissions and consultation stages and final approval by a meeting of the full council.”