An “important milestone” in the 2,000-home Brightwell Lakes development has been reached after final approval was granted for the first phase.

East Suffolk Council’s planning south committee unanimously granted approval of the layout, scale and appearance of 122 homes – located off Ipswich Road – at its meeting on Tuesday.

Developers Taylor Wimpey said it would enable the first occupation of homes in February 2024.

Jordan Last, from Taylor Wimpey’s planning team, said: “It’s an important milestone for this flagship site in East Suffolk which Taylor Wimpey is hugely proud to be delivering.

“These early phases will set the tone for what will be delivered across the whole settlement.”

Taylor Wimpey has pledged to install bird boxes, hedgehog-friendly fencing and bug hotels to boost biodiversity, and said all homes with their own parking spaces would have electric vehicle charging points.

It also plans to heat homes through air source heat pumps.

The first 122 homes phase includes 34 affordable properties.

Ian Kay, from Waldringfield Parish Council, said: “Waldringfield Parish Council is concerned about the access strategy shown. We think it includes contradictions and ambiguities in relation to the vehicle access.”

Ward councillor Chris Blundell said most outstanding issues had been or were being ironed out, but stressed there remained concerns about the traffic on the A12 the overall development will bring, as well as demand on healthcare and GP services.

He said: “The demand is going to grow with it but what is going to be done we don’t know.”

The 122 homes, known as parcels E1 and E1A are the first to secure the final reserved matters approval needed, with the east and west portions of the overall Brightwell Lakes development coming forward over a number of phases.

In total, it will deliver 2,000 houses on the land south of Adastral Park.

Further reserved matters applications for 22 homes and 173 homes have also been submitted to East Suffolk Council and awaiting consideration.