Plans for 185 homes backed despite concerns

The plans had previously been recommended for approval by planning officers

Plans for 185 homes in a village have been given the go-ahead despite concerns.

East Suffolk Council's planning committee approved the homes on a site north of Hall Lane in Oulton near Lowestoft.

The new homes will be built alongside a pre-school and the developer, WM Tubby Limited, has proposed a phased scheme.

Alan Presslee, agent for the developer, told councillors "any minor harm arising is substantially outweighed by the benefits of this scheme".

"These hybrid phased application proposals have been long in preparation and consideration through extensive public consultation," he added.

The proposed phased scheme included an initial delivery of 26 homes fronting Hall Lane, with the remaining 159 subject to a further application outlining the appearance, layout, landscaping, and scale for the rest of the site.

Public open space, infrastructure, and new pedestrian and vehicular access were also part of the application, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It was revealed the development could start as early as next summer and take up to five years to be fully delivered.

'Completely suburbanised'

There were local concerns about the scheme, however, with 41 letters submitted to the district council, as well as formal objections from Oulton Parish Council and neighbouring Lowestoft and Flixton (east) parish councils.

Their representations included fears of overdevelopment, the loss of greenfield land, noise, and highway safety.

Oulton Parish Council also objected to plans to use up a paddock field outside the residential allocation.

Addressing the issues with the use of the paddock, officers said it had been left out of the allocation due to the potential impacts on Manor House, a Grade-II listed building, but stressed the application would only cause ‘less than substantial harm’.

No objectors spoke during the meeting.

Conservative councillor, Andree Gee representing Oulton Broad, told the community backlash was due to years of development which left the village "completely suburbanised".

As part of the plans, the developer will have to pay just over £2.25m in developer contributions which will be used for education, library, waste, and highways infrastructure.

The final decision to approve the plans was reached with seven votes in favour and two against.