Category Archives: Why is this happening?

Why the development is proposed for Grange Farm

Persimmon appeal rejected 15 October 2017 by Planning Inspectorate

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As reported here by the Ipswich Star, after an appeal by Persimmon (which was heard by the Planning Inspectorate over 4 days in August), on 15 October 2017 the appeal decision was announced rejecting Persimmon’s appeal for 300 new homes at Longstrops by Bell Lane. Planning Inspector, Paul Clark, said the development “would not be in a sustainable location because it is distant from opportunities to undertake day-to-day activities,” and added that growth patterns needed to be managed to ensure best development of infrastructure such as transport and public services, which the application did not provide.

As further reported here by the Ipswich Star, Martin Davidson, land director for Persimmon Homes Anglia, was reported to say: “We are obviously disappointed with the outcome of the public inquiry, and will need to review the decision with our consultants and counsel before deciding what next steps to take”.

Should Persimmon decide in the future to launch another application for any of the land at Longstrops on the border of Kesgrave, KAGE will again do what it can to raise awareness of the issues arising from any major expansion of Kesgrave, particularly without any investment in the surrounding infrastructure.

Court of Appeal turns down NANT’s Appeal

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As reported by the BBC today, the Court of Appeal has turned down No Adastral New Town’s (NANT’s) appeal concerning the allocation of 2,000 new houses at BT’s Adastral Park site, as part of Suffolk Coastal District Council’s core strategy. This decision has just been announced and follows a 2 day court hearing late last month. The Appeal Court judges also refused to grant NANT permission to take its case to the Supreme Court but NANT can still apply directly to the Supreme Court in an attempt to get their case heard (although such costly action is unlikely to prove fruitful for NANT other than again delaying the use of the Adastral Park site).

With SCDC’s core strategy finally free from legal challenges, the SCDC Planning Department will be better positioned to recommend that any major applications for planning permission away from Adastral Park (such as Longstrops) are rejected.

NANT go to Court of Appeal in 2015

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NANT’s appeal is to be heard in 2015 by the Court of Appeal, meaning the SCDC are left without a large portion of their core plan for future housing until the case is decided – hence developers are likely to try and push other housing schemes through in the meantime. For more information see this EADT article.

Update on Legal Action by NANT re Adastral Park

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No Adastral New Town Ltd (NANT) have been holding up Suffolk Coastal’s core strategy of establishing 2,000 new homes at Adastral Park by their legal actions against the local plan. An update on the latest position can be viewed here which states that whilst NANT’s leave to appeal against the High Court judgement has been refused by the Court of Appeal on 16 June, NANT have now asked for an oral hearing to challenge that decision. The longer that Suffolk Coastal’s core strategy is held up the more likely that housing developments outside of the local plan are given the go-ahead due to pressure to build new homes for the ever increasing local population.

Community Consultation on 12 Dec 2013 re Persimmon Development at Long Strops from Bell Lane

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KAGE have today also received notification from Will Lusty at Savills about the forthcoming Community Consultation on behalf of their client Persimmon. Mr Lusty was the point of contact at Savills for the Public Consultation in February so he will be well aware of the issues already raised about housing development on Long Strops. He also says that ‘Following the public exhibition that was held in February 2013, and having reviewed the community feedback received at that exhibition, the decision has been taken to progress proposals for development of the land to the east of Bell Lane, instead’. Our assumption is that Savills/Persimmon feel it will be easier to get permission for the ‘Bell Lane’ half of Long Strops first (and then presumably the ‘Dobbs Lane/Millennium Field’ half later).

Please do note that the proposed development is contrary to Suffolk Coastal District’s Local Plan as per point 4.14 on page 66 which sets out how they plan to satisfy the expected need for the creation of 2,320 new homes from 2010 to 2027 – this mainly being done via 2,000 new homes at Adastral Park. This part of the Local Plan is however subject to judicial review in the High Court on 16 and 17 January 2014 after NANT lodged a legal claim earlier this year and it is perhaps hope of further delay in the Council’s ability to deliver the new homes at Adastral Park that has led to Persimmon’s fresh ‘assault’ on the fields at Long Strops. If the proposed Adastral Park development survives the High Court review and is fully cleared to proceed, one would question why Savills/Persimmon would want to pursue their Long Strops proposal when the District Council have set out where expected demand for new homes will be satisfied over the next 14 years because as such the Planning Department would presumably recommend any proposal at Long Strops be rejected by the Council.

A couple of further things to bear in mind are that i) as per point 4.16 of the Local Plan it appears there will be a detailed Area Action Plan prepared to assess more exactly the number of new homes to be built at Adastral Park so it is possible the 2,000 homes may have to be scaled back and ii) the Local Plan does warn, at point 4.17, that longer term there may well be a need for further new homes and they intend reviewing their Local Plan with the aim of setting out by 2015 options for further future development.

The Local Plan and other Core Strategy documents can be accessed from here.