Councillors in a Suffolk town threatened by a "concrete tsunami" of multiple large scale developments are calling for national planning reforms to compensate people affected by such schemes.

Saxmundham Town Council would like to see a new "Severely Impacted Zones" designation inserted into the National Planning Policy Framework, which would require infrastructure and housing projects to be coordinated to ensure communities are compensated.

The east Suffolk market town is set to feel the impact from a number of major building projects happening at the same time, including plans for a new 800 home "Garden Neighbourhood" to the south of the town and a number of energy schemes.

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A map of the new housing and infrastructure projects that will affect SaxmundhamA map of the new housing and infrastructure projects that will affect Saxmundham (Image: Submitted) These schemes include the construction of the new Sizewell C nuclear power station, which will increase traffic on Saxmundham's roads and power firm National Grid's Nautilus, Sea Link and LionLink projects.

Sea Link refers to the electric cable taking power from offshore wind farms to Suffolk and Kent, while LionLink is the offshore wind farm cable linking Suffolk and the Netherlands and Nautilus is the power line between Suffolk and Belgium.

A converter station, which the council says will be 26 metres high, is set to be built at Saxmundham to receive the cables associated with these offshore wind farm projects.

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A converter station similar to the one that is set to be built at SaxmundhamA converter station similar to the one that is set to be built at Saxmundham (Image: National Grid) The council's chair John Findlay said: “The current national planning regime has a huge hole in it.

"There is no joined-up planning process, coordination or protection for areas like Saxmundham which are at the sharp end of multiple large scale projects, deemed to be in the national interest.

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"They are all treated separately and the cumulative impact is ignored under the current rules.

Saxmundham Town Council chair John Findlay says there is a hole in planning policySaxmundham Town Council chair John Findlay says there is a hole in planning policy (Image: Saxmundham Town Council) "Towns and communities like Saxmundham cannot be left unprotected.

"The current reform of the National Planning Policy Framework provides an opportunity for proper coordination and protection. 

"Saxmundham is facing a concrete tsunami and years of disruption.

"The town council has made a very reasonable request for the government to look at all the planning issues together.

"Only then can you appreciate the true impact of the developments and plan accordingly.”

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