Residents are being consulted on the first 315 new homes at a 2,000 property housing development near Adastral Park at Martlesham.

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has bought the land located east of the A12 at Martlesham, close to the Adastral Park science campus, for the £300m Brightwell Lakes project.

It will include 2,000 new homes, made up of affordable and starter properties, family-size houses and accommodation for older people. A school, shops and a new health centre could also be built on-site, but if not, £725,000 will be provided to existing surgeries in the area.

Open spaces will be improved, which include woodland, meadows, heathland, play areas, an exercise trail and 7km of circular walking routes and cycle paths with the existing lake having a beach area, picnic areas and a cafe.

East Suffolk District Council - then Suffolk Coastal before it merged with Waveney - gave outline planning permission in 2018 for the project, which is set to include £96m in infrastructure investment, along with approximately £40m in S106 community payments and a £15m investment in highways.

Land owner, Carlyle Land, handed over the keys to the site to Taylor Wimpey on Wednesday, March 31, and the housebuilder is looking at applying for two reserved matters planning applications in July.

Bryn Maidman, managing director for Taylor Wimpey East Anglia, said: "Our vision for Brightwell Lakes, as set out during the outline planning approval stage, is to create a healthy environment to live and work in, set within an extensive network of community and green spaces. This high-quality new community will stand the test of time and provide facilities for both new and existing residents to enjoy.

"We are set to undertake a wide programme of community engagement and consultation in the coming weeks, and the feedback provided will help to shape our plans as they develop."

Philip Ridley, head of planning and coastal management at East Suffolk Council said: “The work which East Suffolk have already undertaken has led to national and regional award recognition for the community engagement and masterplanning process and we are very pleased to see that Taylor Wimpey will continue to commit to that approved approach.”

East Suffolk ward district councillor for Orwell and Villages Richard Kerry admitted not everyone was happy about the new homes but said it would be a great investment locally.

"It's been a long time coming," Mr Kerry said. "I'm pleased something is going to start.

"But Rome wasn't built in a day."

The consultation will run from Monday for two weeks with a webinar held at 6pm on July 7. For more see taylorwimpey.co.uk/brightwelllakes