Plans for 300 new homes between Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket
People living around Red Lodge are now being given a say on the plans
Last updated 11th May 2022
A masterplan for 300 or more new homes north of Red Lodge has been published.
A public consultation can now go-ahead on the masterplan for land off the A11 north of the village, which proposes 300 new homes.
Planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore said it plans to submit an outline planning application in late 2022, and will look for a developer to build out the 69-acre site over six years once all the necessary planning permissions have been granted.
In the masterplan the firm said: “The vision is to create a new sustainable neighbourhood to the north of Red Lodge set within an attractive environment that responds to the local character and landscape setting of Suffolk.
“The new development should fully integrate existing and new residential areas, with local services, new employment and open space, delivering benefits to the existing community as well as the new residents.
“The new primary school, known as The Pines, has already been provided and opened in September 2018. When the rest of the North Red Lodge development is complete it will provide around 300 high quality homes of mixed tenure, a new local centre, major employment opportunities, further scope for the primary school to expand to meet local need and new areas of open space.”
The land is allocated for a mixed use development – including up to 350 homes and 8-hectares of employment space – in West Suffolk Council’s 2019 site allocations. The authority’s local plan policy requires a masterplan to be developed and approved by the council before a formal planning application is lodged. It will be a material consideration for the future planning committee when an application is decided in future.
The masterplan says the new neighbourhood will retain mature trees, provide footpaths and cycle connections and a new “community hub”. It also offers the opportunity to expand The Pines primary school.
Work on the masterplan, including talks with utility firms and West Suffolk and Suffolk County councils, has been ongoing since spring 2018.
West Suffolk Council approved the masterplan to go out to public consultation. A date has not yet been confirmed.
Barton Willmore has been approached for comment.