Plans for 113 village homes withdrawn after years

A general view of new homes being built. The roofs are covered in scaffolding. A lone worker wearing a hard helmet and high vis jacket works on one of the roofs. — Image caption,
Planning permission for the new homes was sought in 2021, but the plans never progressed

Joao Santos

Local Democracy Reporting Service

5 September 2025

Plans for 113 new homes in a village have been withdrawn by the developer years after being submitted.

Persimmon Homes initially sought permission from West Suffolk Council to build the homes on land at Turnpike Road, in Red Lodge, near Newmarket, in July 2021.

The developer had hoped to gain permission that year so work could start in 2022, but the plans never progressed.

A spokesperson said the withdrawal was due to the council's most recent local plan no longer allocating the site for housing, to which the council said its decision was "due to uncertainty" over the project.

The plans were originally for 148 homes, but were reduced to 113 and if they had been approved in 2021, construction would have taken place from 2022 until 2026.

The council's most recent local plan was formally approved in July, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"A decision was therefore made to withdraw the planning application, however, we will continue to work closely with West Suffolk Council and the local community with a view to progressing this site in the future should local housing needs change," the developer said.

A general view of the Red Lodge village sign. The sign sits on a square of red bricks. — Image caption,
Red Lodge is situated between Mildenhall and Newmarket

A representation from the council's planning policy team said its decision was due to uncertainty over whether the project could come forward as a result of the land being under multiple ownerships.

The team said documents should be resubmitted to reflect the new policies, which included an increase in the requirement for affordable housing to 40% for greenfield sites, rather than the 30% proposed by Persimmon Homes.

The latest representation from Red Lodge Parish Council called the plans both speculative and inconsistent with policy.

Up to last month, the plans had also received objections from the highways and ecology teams.

The development would have required the developer to pay just over £2.3m for education provision, school transport and library enhancements.