The Mid Suffolk Planning Committee met to consider planning applications and related matters. The agenda included discussion of a public path diversion in Stowmarket, and a hybrid planning application in Thurston comprising both full and outline elements. The committee also scheduled a site inspection.

Planning Applications

The committee was scheduled to discuss two planning applications.

T246 Walnut Tree Walk, Stowmarket

The committee was to consider a recommendation to authorise the Head of Public Realm and Parking Services to make a public path order under Section 119 of the Highways Act 1980 to divert Stowmarket Public Footpaths 18(part) and 62.

The report pack stated that the reason for the proposed diversions was:

to regularise the realignment of the public footpaths which has been necessary to enable the redevelopment by Mid Suffolk District Council of the old Middle School site off Walnut Tree Walk.

The report pack noted that the Auto Cycling Union, The British Horse Society, the Byways and Bridleways Trust, Cycling UK, the Open Spaces Society, Stowmarket Ramblers, Stowmarket Town Council, Suffolk County Council and the Ward Members had raised no objections to the proposals.

DC/23/02429 Land at Norton Road and Land at Barrells, Thurston

The committee was to consider a hybrid planning application comprising two elements:

• A full application for the erection of three dwellings with garaging and open space provision on land north of Norton Road.
• An outline application for the erection of seven dwellings, with access to be determined, on land west of Barrells Road, with open space provision.

The report pack stated that the application was considered to be controversial by the Chief Planning Officer because both elements of the application occupy sites that lie outside of the defined settlement boundary for Thurston, and the outline component had attracted significant local objection but was supported by Thurston Parish Council.

The applicant had offered to transfer the freehold ownership of New Green and the New Green Centre, and land adjacent to both application sites to the Parish Council for £1.

The report pack included a summary of relevant policies including SP03 The Sustainable Location of New Development from the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan.

Historic England objected to the Norton Road element of the application, stating that it would result in harm to the significance of the grade II listed Marsh Farm House.

Suffolk County Council Highways initially recommended a holding objection until a 7-Day ATC speed survey was carried out to quantify the 85th percentile speeds at the location of the access.

The Mid Suffolk Disability Forum noted the commitment to ensuring that all dwellings would meet Part M4(1) of the Building Regulations, and would like to see a commitment that the development would be fully inclusive of all people including wheelchair users so that they can access the whole development.

The Suffolk Preservation Society objected to the application, stating that the site was unallocated, contrary to the adopted Neighbourhood Plan and a needs case could not be identified.

The report pack stated that seventy letters/emails/online comments from single addresses had been received, representing 66 objections, and four support comments.