You will no doubt be aware that Rural Community Housing Limited has applied for detailed planning permission for the above locations in our parish. Outline Planning Permission was granted on 25th November 2015. Pinewood Parish Council objected to the application for 135 dwellings and a 65 bed care home on Belstead Meadows chiefly because of concerns about road access. Our view was that the access roads were not suitable for the extra traffic which would be generated and that the burden that would be placed on our local surgeries was too great. We raised no objection to the conversion of Belstead House and its surrounding buildings to a further 20 dwellings. Though the application was rejected by the planning committee on the first vote of the day, it was subsequently overturned and Outline Planning Permission was granted. Pinewood Parish Council voiced our concerns about the procedure followed but they were dismissed.
We had previously asked that no decisions should be made on this development, the Wolsey Grange site and other local development proposals until a comprehensive of the cumulative effect of them on the South West Ipswich Fringe has been undertaken. Factors such as traffic congestion on the A12,A14, A1214 and local roads, loss of green space and recreational areas and pressure on medical provision were all issues we believed should be considered in any review. Our concerns were ignored.
The council has received notice that the developer has now applied for Detailed Planning Permission. We asked if we could meet with the Planning Officer but this was not possible, however we have been able to submit questions to him before we formulate our response to the application. These are likely to focus on concerns expressed when the initial application was made. We will do our best to try to protect the interests and wellbeing of present residents and also to try and ensure that it is a pleasant and sustainable development for new residents.
Pinewood Parish Council would like to invite you to a public meeting at the Pinewood Community Hall on Wednesday 5th June at 7.30pm so that we can update you on what we know so far and hear your views on the matter. The council still has concerns about how this application will impact upon our local infrastructure, e.g. our roads and also upon our already extremely stretched local medical practices.
Pinewood Parish Council has been granted an extension for submitting objections. If you wish to submit your comments please do so by 12th June.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to see the plans they are aailable for you to see on the Babergh District Council website in the Application Search and Comment section. The planning numbers are
DC/19/1666 and DC/19/1703.
We look forward to seeing you at this meeting.