A final verdict is set to be given on a planning application for a controversial new housing project.

%image(15244217, type="article-full", alt="Banners opposing the Melton Hill housing development were put up around Woodbridge in protest at the "cheese wedges" plan. Picture: CLAIRE PADFIELD")

East Suffolk Council's planning committee will consider the future of the former Suffolk Coastal District Council offices in Woodbridge at its meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

The plans would see around 100 new homes built at the site with a around a third of these marked as affordable housing.

The site, officially known as King's View, because of its views of nearby Sutton Hoo, has become known locally as the 'cheese wedges' due to the development's unique design.

It's the third application to be made on the site by developers Active Urban Woodbridge Limited in the past three years.

The original application, was given full backing by the-then Suffolk Coastal District Council in April 2018 after developers answered council queries about parking and affordable housing.

However, in August 2018 this application was withdrawn and replaced by a new proposal which included less affordable housing and instead called for vacant building credit (VBC) to be awarded.

VBC encourages developers to use previously occupied, brownfield, sites.

However, this application was dismissed by councillors in November as the site had not been empty enough for the credit to apply.

The latest set of proposals were submitted in July 2019 and re-instated the full amount of affordable homes.

Council officers have recommended that this latest application be approved, stating in their report to councillors that the benefits outweighed any harm they identified.

Large numbers of protestors from Woodbridge and Melton are expected to attend the meeting to voice their concerns which include the design of the site and whether it meets the government's latest advice on housing.

Speaking earlier this year David Hughes, managing director at the Active Urban Property Group said that the company had spent time looking over suggestions made on previous applications and had made changes to their latest proposals accordingly.

"What was a reasonable suggestion was the frontage and so we changed the landscaping," said Mr Hughes.

"It will be a stunning development," he added.