Martlesham Heath Householders

BT's latest proposals will have a drastic effect on the heathland environment all around the local area, and the potential number of houses has grown from 2000 to 2500.

Traffic and noise levels will rise significantly.

In effect the area will lose its village-like situation and become part of a much larger town.

MHHL will be sending its comments and objection to SCDC before the 22 May deadline and these will reflect our determination to preserve the heathland environment which has been one of our goals over the 30 or so years since being founded.

Meanwhile concerned residents are urged to send in their own comments and objections if they have any - the relevant web site is:

http://www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/yourdistrict/devcontrol/adastralpark/default.htm

There are a huge number of documents to read so we recommend that you first look at the Planning Statement which summarises the scope of the development which consists of

As anyone who attended the SCDC planning meeting on 5th February 2009 or has read the officers report will notice, under the Local Plan, Martlesham Heath and its open spaces that we all enjoy so much are well protected by existing policies such as AP28 (Areas to be protected from development), AP212 (Ipswich fringe open character between settlements) e.g. western corridor and AP214 paragraph 13.27 this protects the concept of Martlesham Heath of hamlets separated from each other by wide areas of open space.

All of the above policies have protected us very well over the last few decades but now these policies are to be removed and replaced by new policies being proposed under the new Local Development Framework. This document is now in the process of a consultation exercise due to close 20th February 2009. Most people appear to be under the impression that this document is only about where the 1,000 or so new houses will go but it's equally important to note that it also includes replacement policies for planning strategy and development control.

Having checked this document the only reference that may give us some protection would be Strategic policy SP27 Landscape and Townscape the third paragraph on page 70 of Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Preferred Options. The document states "This strategy will extend to towns and villages where sites, gaps, gardens and spaces which make an important contribution to a particular location in their undeveloped form will be protected and identified where known".

Compared to old policies this is very weak and inadequate to give us residents at Martlesham Heath the protection that we have been used to. There are no Development Control policies that refer directly to Martlesham Heath. The absence of policies to replace AP28, AP212 and AP214 will leave us open to the type of development, which was being proposed last Thursday.

If you are interested in preserving the character of the village please will you send an email to Suffolk Coastal before 20th February raising your concerns regarding the inadequacy of the proposed policies to protect the environment of Martlesham Heath and suggest that similar robust statements and policies should be put in place that exist presently in The Local Plan e.g. AP28, AP212 and AP214.

A template letter is shown below . Please write something on the same lines but try not to replicate it in full, adding something which is unique to your own point of view.

This letter should be sent by email to: development.policy@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk

In The Subject line of your email please put; "Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Preferred Options"

YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE SPEND A MINUTE OR SO NOW FILLING IN THE FORM OR WRITING A LETTER - THIS WILL PROTECT OUR VILLAGE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

I would like to place on record my request that existing policies AP28, AP212 and AP214 are replaced in their present form when the change is made from Suffolk Coastal's Local Plan to the Local Development Framework. The policies named above have protected us here at Martlesham Heath on several occasions from unwanted development within the Village and we would like to continue with this protection in the future, to the maximum degree possible.

The proposed SP27 appears to be a very weak and inadequate policy and does not offer the ability to protect our environment here at Martlesham Heath, which we, as long term residents, have enjoyed in the past.

Please help us to keep Martlesham Heath safe from unwanted and invasive development, and keep the original concept of our Village intact. Please replace AP28, AP212 and AP214 with policies of equal or preferably stronger protection to our Village.

Residents should not be complacent about SCDC Development Control Commttee's refusal of a planning application in Martlesham largely on grounds that it was made in a greenspace area protected from further development (Local Plan Policy AP28).

It is important to understand that the Local Development Framework (LDF) is in the process of consigning the Local Plan to history (in the words of the Government website relating to The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 - in a nutshell).

Those of us who have followed the above application will have noted that a case for the development was made on the basis of "sustainable development". In future, planning applications will be judged against planning policies enshrined in the LDF that support this principle.

The Council is seeking views from everyone who has an interest in the future of the district. It is just as important to comment on the draft LDF Core Strategy document's shortcomings in protecting our greenspace and greenfield sites from future development as it is to object to potential planning applications on those sites.

Proposal: Erection of detached two-storey dwelling together with provision of public amenity area including play area

Applicant: Mrs M Sugden-Jones - Lasting Dreams

Date Decision Made: 09/02/2009

1) The application site is prominently located at one of the principal approaches to the Martlesham Heath Village and comprises a landscaped amenity area that was specifically laid out as one of the structural landscaped areas associated with the original development at Martlesham Heath. The application site, together with other land, forms part of one of the wide areas of open space that were designed to separate the various hamlets of housing that comprised the Martlesham Heath development. These areas, including the application site, are identified on the Proposals Map of the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan (Incorporating the First and Second Alterations) as areas to be protected from development.

The application, which proposes the erection of a dwelling and an equipped children's play area, is contrary to the original design intent for this part of Martlesham Heath and is contrary to Local Plan policies AP19, AP28, AP39 and AP40 which seek to ensure the provision of adequate amenity open space within residential developments, and to prevent development that would comprise poor design and layout or otherwise seriously detract from the character of their surroundings. Policy AP28 specifically seeks to resist development that would materially detract from the character and appearance of those areas identified on the Local Plan Proposals Map as areas to be protected from development.

The erection of a dwelling and the provision of a children's play area would seriously erode the visual amenity and character of this prominent approach to Martlesham Heath and would, if approved set a most unfortunate precedent for similar proposals elsewhere at Martlesham Heath and which the Local Planning Authority would find very difficult to resist. The overall likely result would be a progressive and significant erosion of the character and appearance of Martlesham Heath contrary to the above-mentioned policies.

2) The proposed equipped children's play area, by reason of its proximity to existing dwellings, would result in a significant loss of the amenity that the occupiers of those dwellings could reasonably expect to enjoy as a result of noise nuisance and general disturbance, contrary to the provisions of Local Plan Policy AP39. Furthermore, the location of the proposed play area immediately adjacent to a roundabout on a busy local distributor road would not provide an attractive play environment for children using the play area, or those supervising children on the site.

3) Eagle Way has been designed and constructed as a Local Distributor Road, and as such it is not intended to serve frontage development with individual accesses. The proposed vehicular access for development is located near to the Eagle Way roundabout with limited visibility for vehicles coming from the A12. Vehicles waiting to turn right into the proposed access will cause obstruction and dangers for other road users and may lead to rear end collisions, to the detriment of highway safety.

1) In determining this application, the Local Planning Authority has paid regard to the following policies of the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan (Incorporating the First and Second Alterations: AP17, AP19, AP28 and AP40 (together with relevant Supplementary Planning Guidance) and all other material considerations.

Shortly before Christmas a planning application was submitted to Suffolk Coastal District Council for the "Erection of detached two-storey dwelling together with provision of public amenity area including play area" on the mound beside the mini-roundabout on Eagle Way.

As a resident of Martlesham Heath you enjoy the benefit of living on a unique development, a purpose built village that was designed from day one around several social concepts, not least of which is the wide provision of areas of open green space.

These areas of amenity land have been protected over the last three decades by Suffolk Coastal's Local Plan which states that:

"The overall physical and design principle which emanates from the original social concept is one of a series of hamlets separated from each other by wide areas of open space. The District Council has sought, and will continue to uphold the principles of this concept, and, accordingly, once these hamlets have been fully developed there will be no potential for further development other than ancillary to recreation of an outdoor nature. To do otherwise would be regarded as adversely affecting the village and its open setting".

The implications of planning being granted either fully or partially on this piece of land will be severe, not only for the mound, the natural habitat that it may once again provide and for the people who live nearby, but also for the secure future of all the other open spaces that we enjoy around the heath.

As one of the 1,400 householders on Martlesham Heath you will undoubtedly have a strong opinion on the protection of the environment in which you live.

Either email or write to the Planning Department at Suffolk Coastal District Council (citing planning application C/08/2215) at the address below.

Head of Planning Services
(C/08/2215)
Suffolk Coastal District Council
Melton Hill
Woodbridge
Suffolk IP12 1AU

Email: d.c.admin@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk

Details of Planning Application - C/08/2215

Erection of detached two-storey dwelling together with provision of public amenity area including play area

If you would like to comment on this planning application please email d.c.admin@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk including the application number, your name, address, comment and reason for interest.