A mayor has hit out at plans for 1,000 new homes on the edge of a town, raising concerns over road safety, access and traffic that he said could spell 'disaster' for the area.
Suffolk County Council is seeking outline planning permission from West Suffolk Council planners for up to 1,000 homes on land west of Mildenhall, either side of West Row Road.
The outline plans also include up to 80-bed care units, up to five hectares of commercial land, a local centre, land for a primary school and two early years facilities, public open space and associated landscaping.
Full planning permission is sought for means of access to the northern parcel of the site, the reconfiguration of James Carter Road and Fred Dannatt Road, alterations to the Safe Pac site and the construction of a new yard.
Ian Shipp, who represents Mildenhall Kingsway & Market on West Suffolk Council and is also the mayor of the town, said he is 'very concerned' about the plans that, in his opinion, do not deliver a 'safe and suitable' access.
"Mildenhall is already over its traffic capacity a fact seemingly ignored by Suffolk County Council and their consultants," he said.
"When this scheme was first conceived RAF Mildenhall was thought to be closing and the scheme included a relief road utilising land on the base. However the base isn’t closing now and yet Suffolk County Council are adamant that their mitigations for these houses will actually make traffic flow in and around Mildenhall better. I totally disagree.
"This development without a real solution to traffic capacity issues will be a disaster for Mildenhall and surrounding villages and is being driven by greed.
"Suffolk County Council haven’t listened to us to date but we will continue to fight our case for a proper access solution."
A Suffolk County Council spokesperson said: "The West Mildenhall site is allocated in the West Suffolk Local Plan for up to 1,300 homes, a new primary school and pre-schools, new employment land, a local centre and significant open space. The site will be developed by Edmundham Developments, a joint venture between Lovell Partnerships and Suffolk County Council. Homes will be highly energy-efficient, with no fossil-fuel based heating systems used.
“The site plans have been through three rounds of public consultation since early 2021, and the feedback from these consultations, as well as from Planning Officers, has informed the scheme design.
“The planning application is accompanied by the required transport assessment documents that set out the traffic impact of the development, how it would be mitigated, and extensive sustainable transport proposals. The Town Council has been engaged in the preparation of the transport proposals and their own transport consultant has contributed feedback and data to it.”
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