Planning Success at School Road, Elmswell

JBPL are pleased to report that following a planning application that was submitted back in May 2018, the site to the north-west of School Road, Elmswell was approved by Mid Suffolk District Council on 20^th January 2021. Having been 4+ years in the making, a highly sustainable Outline consent has now been achieved, which in no small part has been due to the exceptionally positive working relationship between the applicant, landowner, their consultant team, the District and County Councils and their Officers, local residents, and various stakeholders.

The Outline application has secured 86 units with a fixed housing mix, which includes much needed bungalows, that has been carefully agreed with Officers. There is also the unique opportunity to deliver some key infrastructure for Elmswell, including: the provision of land for a pre-school; important landscaping; various highways and junction improvements; and most especially a critical part of the footpath and cycleway link between the two villages of Elmswell and Woolpit. The Planning Committee in November 2020 also sought the protection of a 150+ year old oak tree off School Road, which was carefully considered and will now be retained in the final scheme. 

Despite being an allocation in the emerging Joint Local, it was still important to ensure that the appropriate community benefits were provided by the scheme. It is felt this has now been achieved, and the hard work and effort from all those involved has paid off, and has paved the way for this site to make a positive difference to this important Key Service Centre.