Appeal over 49 Framlingham homes is rejected by inspector

Developer Leaper Land had appealed against East Suffolk Council's refusal of the application for land at Victoria Mill Road in Framlingham after hearing that the neighbourhood plan (NP) had allocated approximately 30 dwellings for the area.

However, the district council did agree to separate Leaper Land plans for a reduced number of 35 homes at the site.

READ MORE: Framlingham: East Suffolk approves 35 homes in town

The planning inspector took this separate approval into consideration when reaching a decision on whether to accept the appeal.

In addition, the designation of the land as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), which restricts development, was also taken into consideration.

However, the planning inspector deemed that as the plans for 35 homes had been granted by the council, the loss of the ACV had already been accepted.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Developer seeks to revive controversial 49 homes

Instead, the scale of the proposal and the fact that the area had been earmarked for 30 homes in the NP were given as the main reasons for refusing the appeal.

The inspector said: "In conclusion, the scale of the proposal would not be suitable when applying the spatial strategy in the development plan, which is a carefully drafted and 
considered statement of policy.

"Instead, the proposal would undermine the objectives of the strategy and the neighbourhood plan.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Funding issue over legal appeal to 35 homes

"This would be harmful given the public interest in having a genuinely plan led system that provides consistency and direction."

In June, Framlingham town councillor Simon Garrett told the EADT he feared the developer was looking to submit separate applications for 35 homes and then for 14 homes at a later date, which would bring the total number to the 49 envisaged in the original plans.

Both Leaper Land and Mr Garrett have been approached for comment.