A controversial plan to build two homes in the garden of a Sudbury house has been approved. 

Plans for two three-bedroom homes behind 12 Clarence Road, on the corner of Stanley Road, were submitted to Babergh District Council on May 3. 

This came just days after a previous plan by the same applicant for five one-bedroom homes on the land was refused on April 24.

The previous plan, submitted in February, was met with 30 public comments of objection and the council refused it, stating the application failed to demonstrate that five homes could be accommodated without appearing "cramped and overdeveloped". 

The current two-home plan was also been met with some criticism, with Sudbury Town Council recommending refusal and several neighbours submitting comments of objection.

One stated the new plan "does nothing to address the concerns in the first application" and raised concerns over privacy and traffic.

Another objector wrote: "The risk to child safety, insufficient parking, inadequate drainage, negative visual impact, construction disruption, environmental concerns, and long-term health and safety risks collectively make this proposal unsuitable for approval." 

Despite this, on Thursday, Babergh District Council planning officers gave the plan the seal of approval. 

In an officer report, under the subheading of design and layout, the council wrote: "The application addresses concerns and the reasons for refusal under the previous application.

"It is therefore considered that there is no justified reason for refusal in this regard at this stage." 

Regarding concerns of overlooking, they said: "Due to the number of dwellings being reduced, reducing the total number of windows and potential for overlooking, it is considered that through suitable design under the reserved matters this concern can be mitigated and refusal for this matter alone would not be justified at this stage."

They concluded: "The proposal accords with the Development Plan and the recommendation is therefore to grant outline planning permission." 

The applicant now has three years to begin work at the plot.

For more information about planning notices visit the Public Notice Portal