Plans for almost 150 new homes near Mildenhall approved
They'll go off the A11 at Red Lodge
Plans to build 141 homes in Red Lodge have been approved by West Suffolk Council, despite concerns about potential parking problems.
The application to build 141 homes on the site immediately adjacent to the Kings Warren housing development was approved by West Suffolk Council’s development control committee last Wednesday, with 11 votes in favour and five against.
This comes after the committee deferred the decision in July, asking for clarification about the standard of design for main roads and paths, emergency vehicle access, boundary strategy, and parking availability and restrictions. It also requested that a site visit was carried out.
Andrew Drummond, Conservative councillor for Newmarket West, said: “I’m very pleased that the parish council has removed its objections.
“I’m doing some work getting the civil parking enforcement (CPE) team to carry out enforcement in Red Lodge, so we will have traffic regulations there.”
Cllr Drummond recommended the approval “with no hesitation”, and councillor Stevens seconded this.
After deferment in early July, applicant Crest Nicholson (Eastern) Ltd undertook a site visit and agreed road, foot and cycle path designs with the Highway Authority.
Temporary alternative access to be used by emergency vehicles during construction was also identified.
Crest Nicholson proposed a strategy for fencing marking the eastern boundary of the development site, which officers agreed was appropriate.
The Highway Authority confirmed its view that on-street parking restrictions will be required along Thistle Way. A request for developer funding of £10,000 for the Traffic Regulations Order (TRO) and £5,000 for signage and lining to implement this has been made.
Independent councillor for Haverhill East, John Burns, said: “The actual development itself I don’t have a major problem with.
“Parking is the bare minimum of course, primarily because parking standards are so bad these days.
“We all know what’s going to happen – people will park in the road because there won’t be enough parking spaces for the houses.
“I spoke to residents at a house in Thistle Way, who had not been advised about this development or about the proposed traffic regulation order restricting parking. They found out from someone driving an excavator on site.
“This may be legal, but I don’t think it is morally acceptable.
“Yes, there is parking around the back, but there’s only six spaces allocated – which is not enough for all the houses which need the spaces.
“I, for one, will not be voting in favour of this.”
Cllr Burns withdrew his point that the CPE is “not fit for purpose” after encouragement by Councillor Andrew Smith, the committee chair and Conservative representative for Bardwell – but he maintained it was not effective in Haverhill.
Having previously objected to the plan on the basis of parking and highways issues, Red Lodge Parish Council stated it now has no objections – in light of the further information provided by the applicant and Highway Authority.
Of the 141 planned homes, 32 will be classed as affordable dwellings and ten as affordable maisonettes.
The definition used by local authorities for affordable housing is ‘housing for sale or rent, for those whose needs are not met by the market’.
To be classed as affordable, homes must be either 20% (or more) below local market rents, or set in accordance with the government’s rent policy for social rent or affordable rent. ‘Affordable’ homes for sale must typically be at least 20% below local market value.
The new Red Lodge development site is made up of mostly agricultural land, and is bounded by woodland and a farm track to the east.