Statement of Community Involvement

“Construction of residential development of up to 226 dwellings, including vehicular access off Old London Road and public open space, alongside associated development.”

Land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook

on Behalf of Suffolk County Council and the Trustees of Red House Trust

September 2020

Our Ref: C20007

Quality Assurance

Site Name: Land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook

Client name: Suffolk County Council and the Trustees of Red House Trust

Type of Report: Statement of Community Involvement

Prepared by: Lewis Halliday

Signed L. Halliday

Date: September 2020

Reviewed by: Michael Calder

Signed M. Calder

Date: September 2020

Contents

1. Introduction ...... 1 2. The Consultation Process ...... 2 3. Consultation Feedback ...... 3 4. Responses to Consultation Feedback ...... 5 5. Conclusions ...... 19

Appendices

Appendix 1 – Public Notice

Appendix 2 – Public Consultation Leaflet

Appendix 3 – Consultation Document

Appendix 4 – Frequently Asked Questions in relation to the Proposed Residential Development

1. Introduction

1.1 This Statement of Community Involvement has been prepared by Phase 2 Planning and Development Ltd on behalf of Suffolk County Council and Trustees of Red House Trust, hereafter referred to as the Applicant.

1.2 It is written in support of their proposal for new residential development on a site referred to as ‘Land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook’. The site is allocated for the development of up to 226 dwellings under Policy C&W4 of the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Development Plan (NP) and Policy LA008 of the emerging Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan.

1.3 Whilst this application only proposes to construct up to 170 residential units on the site (with a vehicular access off Old London Road alongside associated development), the submitted application documents illustrate that development of part of the site only will not prejudice the comprehensive development of the entire allocation which seeks to achieve 226 dwellings.

1.4 Accordingly, it is considered most appropriate to base the virtual consultation event on the full quantum of development allocated in order to provide the general public with an overarching perspective as to how the whole site could be developed, and whose comments will contribute to shaping any subsequent planning application proposals on the subject site.

Purpose of this Report

1.5 The purpose of this statement is to explain the consultation process and present the results of the consultation that was undertaken prior to the submission of this planning application.

1.6 The role of community involvement in the planning process is further supported by the Government in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which states at paragraph 128 that:

“applicants should work closely with those affected by their proposals to evolve designs that take account of the views of the community. Applications that can demonstrate early, proactive and effective engagement with the community should be looked on more favourably than those that cannot.”

Structure of this Report

1.7 This report is structured as follows:

• Section 2 describes the consultation process; • Section 3 examines the consultation responses received; • Section 4 details how those comments have influenced the submitted proposals; and • Section 5 provides a summary and conclusions of the consultation process. C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

2. The Consultation Process

2.1 The community engagement process focused upon an online public consultation held by Phase 2 Planning and Development on behalf of Suffolk County Council and Concertus (the applicant) between Wednesday 19th August and Friday 28th August 2020. A phone line was also provided for those without access to the internet to request copies of the proposals and to leave their comments.

2.2 The consultation took place at a time when restrictions were in place in order to control coronavirus (COVID-19), which included limiting the level of contact with other people. Considering this, it was necessary to avoid public meetings and to make the information available to the public by means other than an exhibition.

2.3 In order to promote the consultation a public notice was placed in the Ipswich Star on the 14th August, with an audience scope of approximately 14,000 residents in the Ipswich and surrounding area. A digital version of the advert was also placed, on the same date, in the Eastern Daily Press for a period of one week (the Ipswich Star did not unfortunately offer this service). A copy of the public service announcement is provided in Appendix 1.

2.4 A leaflet summarising the proposals and providing details of the consultation was distributed to local residents within the parishes of Copdock and Washbrook (Appendix 2).

2.5 The consultation was held on the website http://www.phase2planning.co.uk/planning- consultations-copdock-washbrook.html and provided a consultation document which set out the nature of the proposed development in terms of its indicative layout and access, with all other matters reserved. Nevertheless, the public consultation event sought to welcome comments in relation to all matters of the proposed development. A copy is provided at Appendix 3. Alongside the consultation document, detailed frequently asked questions (FAQs) documents were provided to give additional details regarding the proposal. The FAQ document relating to the proposed residential development is at Appendix 4.

2.6 The website provided an online comments form for people to provide their views. This comprised three questions and a box for general comments. These could be submitted via the website, alternatively comments could be emailed.

2.7 For those who do not have access to the internet, a phone line was set up. This allowed people to leave a message to request a copy of the consultation document or to leave their comments about the proposals.

2.8 In addition to community consultation, the applicant has undertaken pre-application discussion with Babergh District Council and has had regular meetings with Copdock and Washbrook Parish Council regarding the progression of this proposal. This is fully detailed within the accompanying Planning Statement.

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3. Consultation Feedback

3.1 In total, 75 feedback forms were completed online. A further 8 comments were emailed and there were no requests for information or comments made by telephone.

3.2 The feedback form comprised three questions and an opportunity for people to write their comments. In relation to the three questions posed the responses were as follows:

Question Yes No Don’t Know 1. Do you support the principle of Suffolk 18 55 2 County Council’s proposal to deliver 24% 73% 3% residential development on this allocated site within the emerging Joint Babergh Local Plan and the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan? 2. Do you believe that the proposal will 12 51 11 deliver the aspirations for the site 16% 69% 15% contained within the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan? 3. Do you support the proposed character of 13 55 7 the scheme and consider it in keeping 17% 73% 10% with Copdock and Washbrook?

Table 3.1 Frequency Table detailing the quantitative data gathered from the Consultation Question Responses.

3.3 From the table above, it is clear that the majority of people who responded objected to the principle of delivering residential development on the allocated site, comprising 73% of overall responses. 24% of respondents stated their support for the proposal, while only 3% stated they did not know.

3.4 Only 16% of respondents believed that the proposal would deliver the aspirations for the site contained with the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan, while 15% were did not know. In contrast, 69% of the total responses received conversely believed the proposal would not deliver the aspirations for the site.

3.5 In a similar vein, 73% of local residents answered ‘yes’ to question 3, purporting their view that the proposed development would not be in keeping with Copdock and Washbrook. 10% of residents were unsure, but 17% of local residents felt that the proposal would preserve the character of the parish.

3.6 It is important to note that the 2011 Census data advises that there are currently 452 households in Copdock and Washbrook and therefore the 83 responses received represent only 18% of the population which is indicative of a minority view from the village.

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3.7 Detailed responses regarding comments received concerning the proposed residential development are set out within this Statement of Community Involvement report that has been submitted to Babergh District Council.

3.8 With regard to the written responses, the views imparted by local residents covered a wide range of issues. A detailed assessment of the comments received in relation to the proposed residential development and responses to those comments is provided within the next section of this report.

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4. Responses to Consultation Feedback

4.1 The following section sets out the Applicant’s responses to the comments raised during the consultation period (outlined in Section 3). The Applicant has sought to incorporate the comments received during the Consultation into consideration in finalising the planning application which accompanies this Statement of Community Involvement.

4.2 The Applicant’s response is made under the following broad headings.

• The principle of the development; • Transport and highways; • Design, character and landscape; • Infrastructure; • Miscellaneous.

The Principle of the Development

4.3 As identified in the preceding section, the majority of local residents (73%) objected to the principle of residential development.

4.4 Many comments of objection received commented that the parish of Copdock and Washbrook is too small to accommodate the scale of development proposed. As one resident commented: ‘’I would also like to voice my concern about the size of this development in relation to the village’s existing size, an increase as I understand it of over 50%’’. Other resident estimates ranged from 40% to 70%.

4.5 Some of the comments received of those objecting stated that Copdock and Washbrook is classed as a village, and therefore more houses do not to be built in the parish. Nevertheless, of those objecting, a number of comments would welcome development on the application site if it were of a smaller scale (recognising the needs for local housing), with suggestions ranging from approximately 60 to 100 dwellings. One comment, alternatively, suggested the provision of a minor development consisting of only affordable dwellings.

4.6 Several comments received questioned whether proposed residential development could be accommodated at several, smaller sites (thereby negating the need to use agricultural land). For instance, one respondent queried whether derelict retail sites could be considered for residential development, including ‘’the old Toys ‘R’ Us store, the old mothercare store and the old furniture store’’.

4.7 A few other comments received highlighted that proposed developments within the wider area had already been granted planning permission, such as approximately 500 dwellings being constructed at Wolsey Garage, adjacent to the nearby Holiday Inn site. From this, it was suggested that the parish would be unable to accommodate such a level of residential development on top of that already approved.

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4.8 One resident acknowledged that the site has been allocated as part of the emerging Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan. However, they felt that they had little opportunity to impart their view on the proposed location within the neighbourhood planning process.

4.9 Conversely, several respondents stated that they supported the principle of residential development. For instance, one remarked that ‘’the development appears to be in a highly suitable position’’.

4.10 In light of the views expressed above, the applicant’s response is offered below which seek to address these comments:

Housing Need

4.11 National planning policy requires that local planning authorities produce Local Plans to meet, as a minimum, the identified future housing needs in the Plan area, as well as cooperate with neighbouring local planning authorities to meet the overall needs of the identified Housing Market Area (HMA) as a whole. The relevant HMA for the Babergh and Mid Suffolk area is known as the Ipswich HMA which consists of the entire districts of Babergh, Ipswich, Mid Suffolk and the area of the former Suffolk Coastal District Council. There is a clear identified need for new housing within the District and the ‘Joint Local Plan’ seeks to identify the most suitable locations to accommodate new housing, among other forms of development, have due regard to all competing interests in the pursuit of achieving ‘sustainable development.’

Housing Suitability

4.12 The adopted Babergh Core Strategy (2011) identifies Copdock and Washbrook (C&W) as a Hinterland Village, which is considered suitable for new development to meet needs. More recently, the Babergh District Council ‘Joint Local Plan’ Preferred Options document 2019 identifies C&W as part of the ‘Ipswich Fringe’ in the settlements hierarchy, where in accordance with the strategy, Market Towns/Urban Areas and Core Villages will act as a focus for development, which will be delivered through site allocations in the Joint Local Plan and/or in Neighbourhood Plans, and windfall development in accordance with the relevant policies.

4.13 C&W is well located in terms of its access to Ipswich through public transport, cycling and walking. It is therefore a suitable location to propose new development that would not be reliant on the private car. The application site is also suitably located in proximity to the existing services within the village but provides opportunities for improving accessibility from the south of the village to services in the north by creating new public access.

4.14 The parcel of land to which the application relates has been identified as a draft allocation for residential development of up to 226 dwellings in both the emerging Joint Local Plan and the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan. The site has been selected as an allocation based on a robust evidence base which demonstrates that the proposed development would have an acceptable impact upon the area in regard to matters such as infrastructure and its character. For instance, Copdock and Washbrook Parish Council commissioned a Landscape Appraisal which assessed the appearance and essential characteristics of the local landscape, which informed the final illustrative masterplan contained within Policy C&W4 (designed to C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

guide any proposed development on the land parcel). Thus, the direction of travel of planning policy is that the application site has been evidently demonstrated to be suitable for residential development.

4.15 Nevertheless, it should also be remembered that the site has been chosen for residential development by the parish of Copdock and Washbrook as part of the Neighbourhood Plan. Those local residents who have not been actively involved in the neighbourhood planning process have still had an opportunity to present their viewpoints on the proposed site allocations, alongside the other aspects of the Neighbourhood Plan, at a public consultation event held at Copdock Primary School on Saturday 29 February 2020.

4.16 It can be confirmed that the proposed development of up to 226 dwellings represents approximately a 50% increase in the 452 households in the parish, according to the 2011 Census. While some local residents suggested that the scale of the proposed development is excessive, the aforementioned comments demonstrate that the site can comfortably accommodate the proposed scale and neither the Distict Council, C&W Parish Council or the applicant have identified any insurmountable infrastructure constraints to accommodating the level of development proposed.

4.17 The classification of the parish of Copdock and Washbrook as a village is acknowledged. However, Policy CS2 in the Adopted Local Plan identifies the parish as a ‘Hinterland Village’. This means that housing will be sequentially directed to this settlement to help meet the housing requirements of the Babergh District. Thus, in policy terms, Copdock and Washbrook is recognised as being able to accommodate additional residential development in line with the existing social and physical infrastructure.

4.18 It is recognised that other suggested sites, such as derelict retail sites, may be suitable for residential development in their own right but they due to their size would fragment provision and result in fewer affordable homes among other infrastructure. In addition, it should be noted that any future additional planning applications in the vicinity of the application site, will also have to demonstrate that they do not adversely impact on local infrastructure. This will ensure that the parish of Copdock and Washbrook will be able to sufficiently accommodate this proposed development alongside comparable applications in the surrounding area.

Transport and Highways

4.19 Many of the comments received from the public consultation expressed concern over the impact of the proposed development in terms of traffic generation. They highlighted that the proposed development could contribute an additional 200-500+ vehicles to the daily commute. One resident queried whether the one assumption of one can per household might be too low, with another resident claiming two cars per dwelling is a more appropriate estimation.

4.20 In particular, they note that there is already a high level of passing traffic in the village. One resident commented that ‘’the proposals appear to underestimate the current traffic flow on the old A12, which can be very busy in the home to work travel periods’’. Another resident C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

pondered whether the traffic assessment would take into account ‘’the failure of the A12 bypass being used by all traffic heading into Ipswich?’’ A further resident questioned whether the traffic assessment would take into account extra traffic being generated by proposed developments in the wider area, such as those approved at Sproughton/Bromford/Holiday Inn? Yet another resident queried whether the traffic survey was performed during peak traffic hours.

4.21 The increased congestion would, in the views expressed by these local residents, exacerbate the issue of traffic congestion in the parish. As explained by one resident, ‘’it’s hard enough to get out of the village onto Swan Hill as it is some mornings’’, with another resident estimating the delay can be up to 20 minutes. More specifically, attention was drawn to the morning rush hour (around 7.30-9.00) commute where the Copdock interchange is often congested, with traffic queuing for a significant distance along the northbound section of the A12 (this can also be an issue in the evening rush hour). As a result, some commuters attempt to avoid the congestion by diverting through the parish of Copdock and Washbrook up to the Beagle roundabout (acting as a ‘rat run’). Traffic can, as a consequence, queue from the roundabout southbound (along Swan Hill), occasionally being drawn into the parish of Copdock and Washbrook, leading to longer delays for local residents.

4.22 One resident noted that this situation may be exacerbated by the resulting impact for deliveries and businesses to these households. Two residents also noted that the situation may also be made worse by a heavy goods vehicle yard now situated on Old London Road, with several heavy goods vehicles travelling down the old A12 (passed the proposed development), then turning around to travel to the depot. Of these, one resident questioned whether it was possible to prevent these heavy good vehciles from travelling up the old A12.

4.23 As a side-effect, traffic may also (in the views of several residents) drive along Back Lane Elm Lane as part of a route to avoid potential congestion along Old London Road. These lanes are relatively narrow, with no pedestrian footpaths, so can only accommodate single file traffic. Several residents note, in their view, that these routes would be unable to accommodate any increase in the quantum of traffic that may be generated as a result of the proposed development. Other residents identified an additional side effect, namely delaying the bus service (which rarely keeps to timetable) and thus discouraging its use by residents.

4.24 One resident raised a concern that ‘’the junction of Back Lane and Elm Lane is a virtually blind junction and totally unsuitable for the increased level of traffic that will be created by this proposed development’’. Another resident expanded upon this point, stating that Back Lane has very limited passing places with a tight bend as it approaches the habituated part of the parish.

4.25 On a separate note, several residents raised concerned regarding the safety of the proposed access onto Old London Road. One resident questioned whether it was really safe for hundreds of vehicles to exit from the proposed development ‘’to cross 2 lanes onto a central reservation only wide enough for one car’’, and whether its use would also be safe for cyclists. Some residents were further, arguing that the site of the proposed access would be inherently dangerous given that ‘’sight of oncoming traffic is limited due to the topography’’.

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4.26 This concern was raised in greater detail by two residents who expressed their view that traffic would try to avoid potential delays in exiting the right-hand junction out of the proposed development by turning left along Old London Road, then carrying out a ‘U-turn’ at Wrights Corner (creating a traffic hazard). Consequently, the developers may wish to consider enhancing Wrights Corner junction with a mini-roundabout.

4.27 Other concerns raised by residents included Old London Road being used as a race track during the night, resulting in anti-social behaviour. They claim that this can even be the case during the day as some vehicles travel at motorway speeds along Old London Road, exceeding the current 50mph limit. One resident expressed concern that this could endanger pedestrians using the adjacent footpaths. Another resident states that this dangerous driving behaviour has been reported to the Police on several occasions.

4.28 Several residents also acknowledged a history of serious accidents (including some fatalities) along Old London Road (that some claim is badly lit) as well as Swan Hill (a country road with a number of ‘’severe bends’’). They worry that the traffic generated by the proposed development will only exacerbate this problem. One resident also commented that a number of vehicles tend to ignore all traffic legislation, such as driving the wrong way down Old London Road and dangerously cutting across the crossing points.

4.29 One resident claimed that no consideration has been made to the extra traffic generated as a result of the proposed development.

4.30 Several residents made practical suggestions as to help mitigate the impact of the proposed development on the highway network. This included reducing the speed limit along Old London Road from 50mph to 30mph and converting it to a single carriageway.

4.31 Another resident queried whether ‘’consideration could be made to providing a quiet surface on Old London Road and Back Lane to ameliorate the noise of a doubling of traffic’’.

4.32 Some residents who voted in favour of the proposals still acknowledged that the proposed development would need to carefully consider the impact of the proposed development upon the highway network, with the appropriate deployment of traffic calming measures required. One resident suggested amending Old London Road to a single-track lane (with an accompanying cycle track) to reduce the level of traffic using the parish at a ‘rat run’, while another suggested making improvements to the Copdock Interchange roundabout in order to increase traffic flow.

4.33 A resident highlighted that Old London Road has been identified on the Suffolk County Council website as one of nearly 150 routes across Suffolk considered as a priority for cycle improvements over the next five years. Accordingly, they suggest that any such improvements are integrated with the proposed development.

4.34 The following comments are offered in response to the above matters raised by local residents:

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Additional Impact of the Proposal

4.35 A Transport Assessment has been carried out in support of this planning application. Its purpose is to identify various transport issues relating to a proposed development, and forward appropriate measures to deal with the anticipated transport impacts. In this instance, the Transport Assessment identified that the proposed access junction is anticipated to cater for up to the following: 32 arrivals and 96 departures in the morning network peak hour and 89 arrivals and 56 departures in the evening network peak hour. This will equate to average total of approximately 2 vehicles per minute during the peak hour at the access junction. It should be noted that the methodology used was agreed with Highways England. These additional movements can be adequately accommodated within the highway network without adverse impacts.

4.36 Our assessment has given regard to average ownership in the area based upon 2011 Census data, but with parking accommodated in accordance to Suffolk County Council Parking Standards. The information was then used when calculating the anticipated traffic generation, the proposed development would generate. As before, this is an industry-standard approach that has been agreed with Suffolk County Council.

4.37 It can be confirmed that the Traffic Assessment accounted for extra traffic that has or will be generated by proposed developments in the wider area. Detailed pre-application discussions were held with Suffolk County Council to consider nearby developments such as the Wolsey Garage development. This data was incorporated into its ‘base case’ scenario. The proposed development traffic was then added to the predicted ‘base case’ traffic flows. This acts to ensure the combined impacts of both surrounding development as well as the proposed development is accounted for.

4.38 The proposed development will have only a minor impact upon existing traffic congestion in the area. As noted earlier, the proposed development will equate to a total of approximately 2 vehicles per minute during peak hour at the access junction. Therefore, development traffic in the vicinity will largely consist of through movements.

4.39 In the wider area, there are junction improvements that have been consented and are soon due to be implemented. As agreed with Suffolk County Council, the proposed development traffic impact has been considered in the context of those improvement works which are due to commence shortly and are anticipated to be negligible to their operation once the mitigation works have been implemented.

4.40 Traffic from a heavy vehicles yard situated on Old London Road has been accounted for. However, it would not be possible for the proposed development to require change in travel patterns from other nearby sites.

4.41 The Transport Assessment also undertook an assessment of the safety of the proposed access onto Old London Road. By undertaking ‘junction modelling capacity’ it was able to demonstrate the required visibility for road users exiting the junction, and that it would be able to cope with the projected vehicular movements. The proposed access junction has also

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been subject to a Road Safety Audit, undertaken by an independent road safety audit team, to ensure that its design allows pedestrians to safely cross old London Road.

4.42 The Transport Assessment has given regard to some road users potentially diverting via Back Lane/Elm Lane to avoid potential congestion on Old London Road. If drivers were to use this route it would require vehicles to loop back on themselves using a lower speed limit and is, thus, unlikely to be an attractive option for route selection. Consequently, the use of London Road is far more likely as the route is more direct resulting in shorter journeys times.

4.43 Any dangerous or anti-social driving in the area is breach of the Highway Code and is primarily a matter for the Police. Nevertheless, a comprehensive highway safety review has been undertaken with the Transport Assessment. It is anticipated that the development will make financial contributions towards local improvements that include the aspirations of the Copdock and Washbrook Parish Council for the reconfiguration of London Road, which would likely have a benefit in terms of any anti-social driving in the area.

4.44 It is important to highlight that Copdock and Washbrook Parish Council have aspirations for improvement works to London Road. This would consist of the southbound carriageway becoming a cycleway and the northbound carriageway becoming two-way and would contribute to improvements in these areas. It is anticipated that the applicant would make a financial contribution towards these works in order to assist Suffolk County Council in implementing those improvements. Consideration will be given to road surfaces.

4.45 Old London Road has been identified on the Suffolk County Council website as one of nearly 150 routes across Suffolk considered as a priority for cycle improvements over the next five years. However, since this proposal is not available at this time, the access arrangements have been designed to tie into the current highway arrangements. A financial contribution towards the local improvement scheme is still anticipated to help deliver the improvement locally. The improvement scheme will incorporate amendments to accommodate access to the application site as necessary when the scheme is developed by the Parish Council and Suffolk County Council.

Design, Character and Landscape

4.46 Numerous respondents to the online survey stated their view that if the proposed development was approved it would harm the character of the settlement, meaning that the parish would lose its ‘’village feel’’ with ‘’lovely views of the countryside’’ lost. In the words of one resident: ‘’it will turn Copdock and Washbrook into a dormitory town for Ipswich’’. For other residents, it was claimed to that the settlement would become resemblant of a large housing estate.

4.47 On a wider level, one resident believed that this proposed development contributes to the wider coalescence of the parish of Copdock and Washbrook with Ipswich (due to urbanisation), further degrading the character of the settlement.

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4.48 A number of residents stated that their support for the proposal, in particular in regard to its provision of affordable housing. By contrast, a different resident claimed that most of the proposed housing will not be affordable.

4.49 A single resident noted that the proposal must consider bungalows for the elderly, as well as sheltered accommodation, as part of its housing mix.

4.50 Two residents claimed that the proposed layout of the development is not reflective of the indicative masterplan as laid out in the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan (and consequently more intrusive). This is based on their following observations: (i) visual screening has been removed from the north-west corner of the site, (ii) the overall topography is not taken into account, (iii) gardens backing onto the site boundaries will result in an adverse invasion of privacy, which the adjoining fences potentially leading to a loss of daylight during the winter months, (iv) the views from some of their respective windows will be significantly altered. From this, they conclude the developers have completely ignored the Neighbourhood Plan, and therefore failed to ‘respect the landscape’ (as stated in Policy CS15) or provide a ‘carefully designed layout to minimise landscape and visual effects by maintaining the enclosed nature of the site’ (as stated in Page 12 of our FAQs, provided as part of public consultation event).

4.51 A few residents highlighted their concern about the proposed developments potentially adverse impact on the setting of listed buildings that are situated adjacent to the perimeter of the application site. This included, in their view, a potentially adverse impact through the siting of the dwellings in their current position and overlooking.

4.52 Some residents expressed concern that the proposed development, during its construction and upon completion, would lead to heightened levels of pollution and noise. One resident specified their concerns regarding the potential impact of light pollution on bats that inhabit the site. Another resident expressed concern regarding the impact of vehicular fumes and the creation of additional waste. Furthermore, two residents remarked that the proposed development would lead to additional noise by virtue of the proposed development.

4.53 A resident remarked their interest in seeking the preservation of the meadows and hedgerow (which likely contact an abundance of wildlife). Meanwhile, another resident claimed that the proposed development will ‘’create untold damage to the environment and the wildlife in this area’’ due to the carbon footprint generated.

4.54 One resident voiced an objection from an arboricultural perspective, namely that a 400-year- old Oak tree on the site will be destroyed, along with a huge amount of wildlife. However, they also praised the maintenance of mature vegetation on the site.

4.55 Lastly, several residents described the issue of surface water flooding that can be experienced within the parish, most notably at the bottom of The Street. This is attributed to periods of intense rainfall which fails to adequate infiltrate into the sub-surface due to the built form of the area and poorly drained roads. One resident went further, arguing that the proposed development would make this existing problem worse by contributing additional surface water flooding. C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

4.56 On a more positive note, one resident praised the retention of the existing allotments on the application site. They did, however, query whether it would be worth moving the allotment site elsewhere in order to provide additional affordable housing on the site.

4.57 The section below is offered to directly respond to the concerns highlighted:

Landscape Impact

4.58 The proposed layout has been informed by a Landscape Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) to ensure the scale and character of the development integrates within the existing landscape and built form of the surrounding area. In particular, the soft landscaping that surrounds the application site will be retained and enhanced, such as the planting of hedgerow of native species. This will provide a high level of visual screening, ensuring that the rural character of the village is retained. The site was identified in the parish level LVIA as being able to accommodate development of this form without adverse impact.

4.59 On a wider level, the site is positioned to the south of the Built-Up Area Boundary (BUAB) of Copdock and Washbrook, thereby directing development away from with the urban centre of Ipswich and thereby avoiding any coalescence. It should also be noted that there is still a natural division, consisting of agricultural fields and the A14, which presently prevents a unification of built form between the settlements.

Consistency with the Neighbourhood Plan

4.60 The proposed layout of the development has been informed by the indicative masterplan as laid out in Policy C&W4 of the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan (NP). The NP is illustrative only but every effort has been made to reflect the principles of development proposed. The proposed illustrative plan issued with this application includes a green buffer has been retained in the north-western portion of the site as to provide visual screening. The orientation of the dwellings themselves have been carefully designed as to prevent overlooking; for instance, the dwellings situated on the southern border of the application site do not directly front or back onto Elm Lane, negating any possibility of overlooking. In any case, appropriate separation distances between the proposed dwellings and adjacent neighbourhoods will ensure it has no adverse impact upon their residential amenity.

Impacts on Neighbours

4.61 It should also be clarified that no fences are planned to be installed on the northern, eastern and western boundaries of the application site. Therefore, there only site boundary that may have fences installed will be along the southern flank of the application site. Detail relating to boundary enclosures on this aspect are not being submitted with this application, but the proposed fences will be unlikely to exceed 2 metres in height. Furthermore, given the proposed properties and boundaries are sited north of south facing properties and gardens, no adverse impacts in terms of loss of daylight or sunlight are anticipated.

4.62 The overall topography has been carefully considered by the development team when formulating the proposal, which is clearly evidence in the Design & Access Statement which C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

accompanies this planning application.

4.63 Any potential loss of views is not considered to be a ‘material consideration’ within the decision-making process. This means that it will not be considered by Babergh District Council when deciding if to approve the proposed development.

Housing Mix

4.64 The scheme proposes an appropriate mix of private and market dwellings which can be comfortably accommodated on the application site. This housing mix, although presently indicative, will seek to reflect the needs of local residents, as identified in the Copdock and Washbrook Housing Needs Assessment (2019) which formulated part of the evidence base of the Neighbourhood Plan. The provision of bungalows and sheltered accommodation is being actively considered by the development team. It can also be confirmed that 35% of the dwellings proposed will be affordable, which is in line with the Adopted Local Plan.

Impact on Built Heritage

4.65 It is acknowledged that a change of land use from an agricultural field to residential development would cause a certain level of change to the setting of the listed buildings that abut the application site. As a consequence, the proposed layout has been appropriately revised (through pre-application discussions with the District Council) by presenting a landscape buffer and set back between proposed and existing buildings and relocating houses accordingly. Combined, this will provide a high level of visual screening hereby acting to minimise the potential harm to these listed buildings. On a more generic level, any harm to the adjacent listed buildings will be minimised through the sensitively designed proposal, strategically positing open space and the layout of dwellings, as to preserve their setting and prevent overlooking.

4.66 An assessment received by the Council’s Heritage Officer, as part of the pre-application response (DC/20/02024), identified a level of ‘less than substantial harm’ to the significance of the listed buildings. This requires an assessment of the harm to the assets against the ‘public benefits’ during the determination of the application. The applicant has supported its proposal with a Heritage Statement from a heritage expert to assist the Council with their assessment of the impact of the proposal on surrounding listed buildings.

Construction Impact

4.67 A Construction Management Plan will be submitted with the reserved matters application. This document ensures that possible impacts that may arise from the works have been appropriately identified, managed and minimised, including aspects such as noise and pollution. Furthermore, the proposed development has been carefully designed as to minimise the contribution in terms of its carbon footprint and waste. In terms of the former, the proposed development is situated in a sustainable location as to minimise the need for its future occupiers to make vehicular journeys; for instance, the provision of services and community facilities in the parish itself, as well as the nearby retail park which can be reached via a public foot/cycle path which extends underneath the A12. Furthermore, the applicant C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

intends to construct the proposed development according to the ‘Building For Life Silver Standard’, whilst also embedding sustainable construction practices in order to incorporate best practice in energy conservation, sustainable construction and capturing rainwater runoff. In regard to the latter, a Refuse Plan has been submitted with the Design & Access Statement (accompanying this application) which demonstrates that appropriate waste collection services can be operated from the site.

Environmental Impacts

4.68 No detrimentally adverse impacts in terms of light pollution in anticipated. Nevertheless, the Preliminary Ecological Assessment produced as part of this application demonstrates appropriate mitigation measures to manage any level of harm that may be produced to foraging bats. Indeed, it advises ‘’the proposed development should design any new lighting to avoid light spill onto boundary vegetation and building and trees with bat roost potential’’.

4.69 The illustrative layout submitted with this application demonstrates that the existing landscape features on the site will be retained and enhanced. This will include retaining the existing hedgerow that is situated on the site boundaries and the large trees within the site. In addition, enhancements to the local landscape include converting the existing north-south hedgerow into a green corridor feature and the planting of a new hedgerow on the adjacent sides of the proposed access.

4.70 The Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment, which accompanies this application, highlights the protections and enhancements that can be enacted on the application site. This means that a net gain for biodiversity on the site can be achieved; in other words, a net improvement in the variety of plant and animal life will be realised as a result of the measures that the proposed development will put into place.

4.71 As part of the planning application an Arboricultural Survey has been prepared. Its purpose is to assess the impact that the proposed development may have on tree stock that currently exists on the application site. It concluded that with appropriate mitigation measures used during the construction process that the existing trees could be protected. The requirement for the developer to use such measures will likely be imposed through a planning condition upon any approval of planning permission. Nevertheless, the Arboricultural Survey also acknowledges that it may be necessary to remove small sections of trees to create an access point. It states that the level of harm attached to this process would be acceptable.

4.72 It can be confirmed that the scheme will utilise a combination of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) designed to manage the risk of surface water flooding. This includes, but not limited to, attenuation basins and plot specific soakaways. This means that any surface water generated by the proposed development will be dealt with on-site, meaning the risk of it contributing additional surface water flooding to any existing problems within the parish itself will be minimised.

Infrastructure

4.73 Numerous concerns were raised during the public consultation process reading the impact of C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

the proposed development on the existing shops and services, as well as community facilities.

4.74 The majority of these concerned its potential impact upon Copdock Primary School which, as several residents state, is currently oversubscribed (with an approximate capacity of 80 pupils). This is due, in part, to some of the pupils coming from out-of-catchment. One resident expressed concern as to whether the children of parish will be able to attend the Primary School in the future.

4.75 Several residents wonder how the establishment will accommodate the increased demand for school places that would be generated by the proposed development. One resident noted that, if approved, the school would need to expanded which would alter its ethos.

4.76 Another concern raised by a number of residents was the difficulty in gaining a doctors’ appointments at local surgeries situated in Capel St. Mary or Pinewood. As a result, several queries ponder what improvements are planed at local doctor surgeries, and whether it considers of other developments in the surrounding area. Due to the difficulty in getting appointment, one resident claims that many local citizens attend Constable Country Medical Practice.

4.77 A number of residents express the view that the parish does not possess the necessary shops and services (in particular, a local supermarket) to accommodate the scale of development prosed. As one resident notes: ‘’the village has few facilities for a development of this size’’ and ‘’ there is no shop or Post Office with little option for non-car travel with poor and irregular bus services’’. Or as another resident states: ‘’part of Copdock is still not on mains drainage or gas..we still have to wait months to get a telephone line installed because there are not enough lines and then broadband is so bad its not worth having’’.

4.78 One sole resident expressed concern that there are not enough pavements in the village.

4.79 One the other hand, proponents of the proposed development state that the proposed development will bring much needed investment to the local area.

4.80 In response, the following comments are offered:

Impact on Local Infrastructure

4.81 Throughout the pre-application process, consultation with the relevant statutory consultees, District and Parish Council and assessment work undertaken in support of the application there has been no identification of infrastructure constraints that would prevent development.

4.82 Nevertheless, it is important to note that the proposed development, if approved, will involve developer contributions in order to mitigate its impact on infrastructure. Firstly, the proposed residential development will be charged a Community Infrastructure Levy at a rate of £115 per square metre. This financial contribution will act to deliver new or improved C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

infrastructure, such as secondary schools, libraries and waste infrastructure. This will likely extend to Pinewood Surgery in order to generate additional patient capacity to accommodate the needs created by the proposed development.

4.83 It should also be advised that since the village possess a Neighbourhood Plan, Copdock and Washbrook will receive 25% of the funds raised. This means this can be spent on local infrastructure or other projects that residents view as appropriate.

4.84 Secondly, upon approval the applicant will also enter a planning obligation (called a Section 106 Agreement), which will require the submission of financial contributions agreed with Babergh District Council to mitigate the impact of the proposed development upon the local community and infrastructure. Although the exact amounts have not yet been decided, it will involve a significant financial contributions to Copdock Primary School and Copdock and Washbrook Pre-School, as well as the local highway network. In terms of the former, this will allow for the appropriate expansion of the education establishments and, thus, the required capacity for the attendance of pupils from the parish of Copdock and Washbrook. Alternatively, the schools admission policy may change resulting in redirection of future children from outside the village so that the village has priority. This will assist with reducing school based travel peaks given the ability to walk to the local schools from this development and improved connections to surrounding housing.

4.85 In relation to concerns that the parish does not possess the appropriate provision of shops and services it should be noted that the application site lies within walking distance of a number of shops and services, including a nursery school and primary school, several places of worship, a village hall, a small gas/service station and a selection of places to eat and drink. Given the permeability of the site to adjacent cycling routes, the proposed development is also within a reasonable walking distance (less than 1.4km) of a major retail park positioned immediately the other side of the A14 (accessed via a pedestrian/cycle route which extends below the highway). This retail park provides an additional number of facilities, including a large commercial supermarket and a Park & Ride service into Ipswich itself. Therefore, it is evident that the site is accessible to local services, offering a variety of facilities that can be reached within walking or cycling distance, reducing new residents’ dependence on their motor vehicle.

4.86 The Transport Assessment contends that ‘’suitable pedestrian infrastructure already exists in the surrounding area’’. Regardless, it should be remembered that the proposal involves connecting its proposed footpaths to the existing public right of way (PROW) network, enhancing the number of routes available to pedestrians in the local area.

4.87 Lastly, it should be noted that the provision of appropriate utilities, such as broadband, will be provided as part of the proposed development.

Miscellaneous

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

4.88 A few comments suggested that the proposed development would adversely impact upon their property prices, while another resident suggested that they would increase a result of the development.

4.89 A few other residents suggested that their comments would unlikely have any impact on the proposal. Indeed, one resident suggested that any ‘’promises’’ made at this stage will change in subsequent applications.

4.90 One resident queried as to why smaller residential developments in the area are being refused, even when Babergh District Council are able to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply position.

4.91 Lastly, one resident noted that ‘’the presentations do not work well on a smartphone’’.

4.92 Comments are offered below regarding these comments:

Existing Properties

4.93 Impact on property prices is not a ‘material consideration’ within the decision-making process. In other words, the matter of property prices will not be considered when deciding if the proposed development should be approved. In any event there is no evidence to suggest such a correlation exists.

The Consultation

4.94 The applicant contends that all comments received by the general public has been actively considered by the development team, which have helped to inform the proposed layout of the residential development. For instance, comments received by residents has resulted in the proposed provision of a car park adjacent to the existing allotments to improve their accessibility for residents in the community.

4.95 The applicant also contends that any commitments made during the outline planning stage are sought to be honoured when the planning application approaches the reserved matters stage.

4.96 It is not the purpose of this document to comment on the rationale behind the refusal of planning application at other sites in the vicinity by Babergh District Council. In any case, each planning application is judged on its own relative merits.

4.97 We will review the use of the digital consultation materials to try and improve their presentation on all smartphones.

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

5. Conclusions

5.1 This Statement of Community Involvement summarises the public consultation process which has been undertaken prior to the submission of the planning application for a residential development of up to 170 dwellings, by Suffolk County Council and the Trustees of Red House Trust, on land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook.

5.2 The Applicant would like to thank the local residents, representatives and stakeholders who have contributed to the consultation process. In the planning application submission which accompanies this document, the Applicant has sought to respond positively to all comments received during the course of the public consultation.

5.3 Local residents and stakeholders will receive further opportunity to comment directly to Babergh District Council during the statutory consultation process, which begins following the registration of this application.

5.4 This statement sets out the methodology of this engagement and analyses the comments received during the consultation process and provides the applicant’s response, detailing where appropriate how these comments have influenced the final application proposals or have been taken into consideration by the project team. This document should be read alongside all accompanying application documents that provide further detail in respect of the matters raised in this document.

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

Appendix 1

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement

Notice of Public Consultation The Development of Land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook

This is a public notice to inform you of a public consultation which is taking place between the 19th and 28th August 2020, regarding the proposed development of land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook, Suffolk, IP8 3ET. Suffolk County Council is proposing new residential development on land allocated for new housing. It will comprise approximately 226 dwellings and associated open space.

An outline planning application will be submitted for this proposal in September. Before the application is submitted, we are inviting members of the public to view the development proposals online and have their say about the plans.

The consultation is being held by Phase 2 Planning on behalf of Suffolk County Council. Please visit our website http://www.phase2planning.co.uk/planning- consultations-copdock-washbrook.html to view the proposals and to have your say (please note the link will only be live from 11am on the 19th August) .

For those that do not have access to the internet, please contact Phase 2 Planning and Development Ltd on 01376 743811 and leave a message with your comments.

Appendix 2

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement Public Notice of Consultation

Land to the south east of back lane, copdock and washbrook

This is a public notice to inform you of a public consultation which is taking place between the 19th and 28th August 2020 concerning the future of land to the south- east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook. In accordance with the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan, Suffolk County Council is proposing a residential development consisting of approximately 226 dwellings. To find our more and have your say about the proposals please visit our website http://www.phase2planning.co.uk/planning-consultations-copdock-washbrook.html

What is being Proposed?

New residential development

New residential development is proposed to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook on land identified for new housing within both the emerging Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan (Policy LA008) and the Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan (Policy C&W4). It will comprise of approximately 226 dwellings and associated open space including a children’s play area.

The proposal for the new residential development has been carefully designed, having regard to planning policy and a range of other important matters including heritage, ecology, drainage and transport. Further details in relation to these matters are available on our website.

It is proposed that the site will be accessed be a single junction, positioned on the south-east corner of the site.

It is envisaged that the majority of the houses will be 2 storeys in height. Some smaller one and two bedroom dwellings will also make up the housing mix—the provision of bungalows is being actively considered at this time.

Each dwelling will have its own dedicated parking bay(s) and private garden space.

Public open space will be available for both its future occupiers and nearby residents. This includes a ‘locally equipped area of play’ (children’s play area) and its connection to the existing public right of way network.

The site itself will continue to be well-contained, with its existing vegetated boundary preserved and the addition of significant new boundary planting. This means that the site will be enhanced for local wildlife.

The existing allotment gardens to the east of the site, fronting London Road, will be preserved.

The extract opposite illustrates the indicative access, areas proposed for housing and open space. More detailed proposals will be published on our website for inspection.

Further details in relation to the proposals can be found on our website : What is being Proposed? http://www.phase2planning.co.uk/planning-consultations-copdock-washbrook.html

It is proposed to submit a planning application for this proposal in September 2020. The proposed residential development will be submitted to Babergh District Council as an outline planning application. This means that approval will only be sought in relation to the principle of development and access. All other matters, such as its layout and landscaping, will be reserved for formal consideration in a subsequent application.

Before the applications is submitted, we are inviting members of the public to have their say about the plans.

If you would like to send us your comments about the proposal, please do so by emailing [email protected].

For those that do not have access to the internet, contact Phase 2 Planning and Development Ltd on 01376 743811 and leave a message with your comments.

Should you wish to formally comment to the Council regarding the proposals, you will be able to do so once the planning application has been submitted to Babergh District Council. We will update our website once the applications have been submitted with details of how to view all of the planning application documents.

Consultation is being held by Phase 2 Planning and Development Ltd on behalf of Suffolk county council

Appendix 3

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement INTRODUCTION

Thank you for taking the time to view this public exhibition of Suffolk County Council’s proposal for residential development on land to the south-east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook (which is proposed for housing in both the emerging Neighbhourhood Plan and Babergh Joint Local Plan).

This consultation provides some background information to show you our initial ideas in terms of how this emerging site allocation can be delivered (including information relating to preliminary access, layout, and design). The location of the site is shown opposite (outlined in red).

The purpose of this consultation is to give you the opportunity to give your views on our initial proposal before a planning application is submitted. We will consider feedback from this consultation when working up the final planning application documents, which will be submitted to the local planning authority (Babergh District Council).

This document provides a summary of the proposal and is supported by a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQs) page on this website with further information. Details of how to provide feedback is at the end of this presentation. 2 THE SITE

The application site is illustrated in red on the site location plan to the left. The site is adjacent to but outside the settlement boundary of the parish of Copdock and Washbrook.

The site, which measures 13 hectares in size, is currently used as agricultural land. Allotment gardens can be found at the north-east of the site, fronting onto London Road.

The site is bound by residential development on Back Lane to its west and residential dwellings to its south along Elm Lane. Open farmland can be found to its east, separated by London Road, with Copdock Primary School and further housing located to its north.

There is no relevant planning history related to this site. 3 PLANNING POLICY

Adopted Babergh Local Plan Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council Joint Local Plan (2019) Planning law dictates that planning applications are determined in accordance with the adopted Local Plan unless material considerations The respective councils are in the process of forming an ‘Emerging Local indicate otherwise. Plan’ that will eventually replace the adopted Babergh Local Plan. It is currently a ‘Preferred Options Consultation’ approved by both Councils In this case, the current Local Plan for Babergh identifies the site as in June 2019. This document will progress to the final stages later this falling outside of the Built Up Area Boundaries (BUABs) and subject to year. restrictive countryside policy. However, the Local Plan (Core Strategy Policy CS2) categorises Copdock and Washbrook as ‘Hinterland Villages’, Of particular note is Policy LA008 which allocates this site for residential where new housing will be directed subject to satisfaction of Core development and a minimum of 226 dwellings. This means that the local Strategy Policy CS11 (Strategy for Development for Core and Hinterland authority has identified the parcel of land as a suitable location for new Villages) and CS15 (Implementing Sustainable Development in Babergh). housing and the site is to be removed from the Countryside. It also These policies require, among others, that the scale and location of any provides detailed design criteria to ensure the new development is new housing will meet local housing need. responsive to the context of the parish and its local conditions – see FAQs for more information. There is a clear need for new housing within the District signaled by the preparation of a new Local Plan. The Strategic Housing Market However, it is recognised that given its current stage in the process, this Assessment update (January 2019) identifies those needs in detail. emerging Local Plan carries less weight in decision making compared to Copdock and Washbrook Parish Council (CWPC) also undertook their the current adopted Local Plan. own consultation with its residents and the results identified that 46.19% of residents felt that there was a need for more housing within National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) the village. The revised NPPF, which was published in February 2019, sets out the Policy CS11 and CS15 specify other criteria that must be met by new priorities and principles of development established by the central housing, against which Babergh District Council will assess the proposals. government. One of its key aims is to ‘’significantly boost the supply of More information is provided in respect of these policies within our new homes’’. This is so that a sufficient amount and variety of new land FAQs. can come forward to help address the current shortfall of housing. 4 EMERGING JOINT LOCAL PLAN

Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council Joint Local Plan (2019)

The ‘Emerging Local Plan’ allocates the application site for residential development, meaning that it has been identified by the local authority as a suitable location for new housing.

Policy LA008 elaborates that the proposed development is expected to ensure its design, layout and landscaping is sympathetic to the close setting of the adjacent heritage assets whilst preserving the existing allotments, amongst other requirements.

Whilst these matters are reserved for consideration in a subsequent application, the proposed development has been sensitively designed as to ensure the setting of the heritage assets is preserved. In addition, the allotments will be retained, with additional car parking for its users provided as requested by local residents. 5 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN The Copdock and Washbrook Neighbourhood Development Plan is currently in the process of being formulated - it was most recently published for public consultation between February and April 2020. Although the neighbourhood plan is not yet complete, it will still be considered (‘given weight’) as part of the planning application process. The key policies are summarised below:

Policy C&W4 establishes a set of specific principles to be included in the final design. This includes retention of allotments on their current site and requires the proposed development to be designed in accordance with their illustrative masterplan (shown opposite).

Policy C&W13 requires that when a new access is created, an adjacent hedgerow of native (local) species will be planted.

Policy C&W17 states that new developments must reflect the characteristics of the local area as to preserve the village’s sense of place. It also seeks to ensure that car parking is provided on- plot, with one electric charging point per new-off street parking place provided. 6 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

Suffolk County Council are proposing a development of up to 226 residential dwellings. Its approximate layout is illustrated on the land use layout plan opposite.

It is intended that at an outline planning application (seeking detailed consent for access with all other matters reserved) will be submitted in September 2020. This means Suffolk County Council are only seeking approval for the principle of development of up to 226 dwellings and its proposed access. The plan opposite will be submitted for approval with other illustrative plans supporting.

All other details, such as the final appearance, layout, scale and landscaping will be formally considered in a future reserved matters application and not at this stage.

Nevertheless, this public consultation seeks to illustrate what the development could look like and we would be pleased to understand your viewpoints in relation to all matters of the proposed development. 7 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

It is proposed that the site will be accessed by a single junction positioned on the south-east corner of the site. More specifically, a priority junction on London Road with a right turn lane will be created.

It is envisaged that the majority of the houses will be 2 storeys in height, and include smaller 1 and 2 bedroom dwellings. This means a mixture of dwelling sizes to suit different needs would be available. Of this, 35% is intended to be provided for affordable home ownership.

Each dwelling will have its own dedicated parking and private garden space. Public open space will also be available for both its future occupiers and nearby residents.

The site will continue to be well-contained with its existing internal and external mature boundaries preserved, and the significant addition of new boundary planting. This means the site will be screened, and enhanced for local wildlife. The existing allotments gardens, situated to the east of the site, will be preserved. 8 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

The image opposite provides an illustrative perspective that could be provided within our application to demonstrate that the proposed designs will meet standards and policy requirements, including their ability to integrate into the existing landscape.

The final design of the houses, layout, landscaping and scale is reserved for future consideration as part of a Reserved Matters application should this outline application be granted permission.

Please see the FAQ pages for more information. 9 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

It is proposed to submit a planning application for this proposal to Babergh District Council in September 2020. This will be submitted in outline form, meaning that approval will only be sought in relation to the principle of development and access. All others matters, such as layout, appearance, scale, and landscaping, will be reserved for a subsequent application.

Before the application is submitted, we are inviting members of the public to have their say about the plans.

We would encourage you to complete our online comments form on this website: http://www.phase2planning.co.uk/planning- consultations-copdock-washbrook.html.

Alternatively, if you would like to send us your comments about the proposals, please do so by emailing [email protected].

For those that do not have access to the internet, contact Phase 2 Planning and Development Ltd on 01376 743811 and leave a message with your comments.

Please note that the deadline for comment submission is Friday 28th August. Please note that comments after this date may still be taken into consideration.

Should you wish to formally comment to the Council regarding the proposals, you will be able to do so once the planning application has been submitted. We will update our website once the application has been submitted with details of how to view the planning application documents.

Appendix 4

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement Frequently Asked Questions

The Proposals

What is proposed?

Outline planning permission is proposed for up to 226 dwellings with associated supporting on site infrastructure.

Where is development proposed?

The site is 13ha of primarily agricultural land (outlined in red below) located to the north of London Road and adjacent to Elm Lane, Copdock. It lies adjacent to the existing settlement boundary of the village of Copdock and Washbrook, with allotment gardens lying to the south-east of the site, fronting London Road.

What is being proposed?

Suffolk County Council (SCC) are proposing to construct approximately 226 dwellings on the site. The land is allocated within the emerging Joint Local Plan (identified as Allocation LA008: Land south east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook) and within the Copdock & Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan (Policy C&W4, known as Land south east of Back Lane for residential development)– this means that it has been identified as being suitable for residential development. The application that will be submitted is an outline planning application; in other words, SCC are seeking approval of the principle of the development of the site for up to 226 dwellings, with access as a detailed matter to also be considered. All other matters, such as the layout of the houses, their appearance, scale and landscaping, are reserved so they will be considered in a future application, should permission be granted, known as a ‘Reserved Matters’ application.

What is an outline planning application?

This planning application is submitted in outline with access in detail, but all other matters reserved. Suffolk County Council (SCC) is seeking approval in principle to develop the site for up to 226 residential units. This will leave the approval of the appearance, final layout, landscape, and scale to be decided at a later date, when further applications (the reserved matters) will be submitted to the Council.

As the scheme is submitted in outline, the only formal plans submitted for approval will be a site location plan and land use plan. However, the application will be accompanied by a series of ‘Parameter Plans’ covering Land Use, Landscaping and Height.

SCC will also submit an illustrative layout, and some illustrative street scenes to support the application. The illustrative layout and supporting material included within this exhibition indicates a form of development of the site, which conforms to design principles, highway guidance and illustrates each of the 226 homes, with garden and parking provision in accordance with the Council’s planning standards. SCC will not seek formal approval of these plans at this stage; it will primarily be submitted to illustrate that the site area is capable of accommodating the number of homes proposed, in a form that will meet parking, garden size, highway and public open space standards and policy requirements.

SCC will also submit a Design and Access Statement which will also provide information relating to how the site will connect to the settlement, the size and types of homes proposed, how the scheme has evolved, the possible design of dwellings and some illustrative street scenes. In addition, it suggests a possible mix of units.

How many homes will be provided?

It is proposed that there will be up to 226 homes provided on the site. This will result in a density of development of 17 dwellings per hectare.

The ‘Design Principles’ embedded within the Copdock and Washbrook NDP (Copdock & Washbrook Design Guidelines – Final Report 2018-2036) states that the village has a narrow range of densities (10-40 dph).

The proposal is for a density of 17 dph which falls within the range. A development that is compatible with local landscape and built character is proposed.

Will anything else be provided alongside the homes?

Yes, it is proposed that new publicly accessible areas of open space will be provided as part of the development. This will include a ‘locally equipped area of play’ (children’s play area), connections to Fenn View to the west providing residents a safe walking route to the village schools and village centre, connections to the existing Public Right of Way Network, and a walking route around the site. The proposal also includes a small area of additional car parking to serve the parish allotments.

Will there be affordable housing? The proposal will provide policy compliant levels of affordable housing equating to 35% to meet existing needs for those seeking affordable home ownership, which would equate to 79 affordable dwellings.

How many bedrooms will the houses have?

It is proposed that there will be a mix of housing types, including two, three and four bed homes and some smaller one and two bedroom apartments and houses. The exact mix has yet to be formally agreed with the Council but will seek to reflect the needs identified in the Copdock & Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan.

Will there be any bungalows?

We are looking into the possibility of providing some bungalows on the site.

Will there be open space?

Yes. Open space including children’s play spaces will be provided as part of the development. The proposal will also ensure linkages with the existing Public Rights of Way network to facility wider accessibility for recreation.

The proposal makes provision for open space and green infrastructure in accordance with the standard of 2.4ha per 1000 population (as set out in the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Open Space Assessment Supplementary Planning Document) resulting in provision of at least 1.32 ha of open space on site.

Planning Application

When will the planning application be submitted?

It is anticipated that the planning application will be submitted in early September 2020.

Who will the planning application be submitted to and why?

The application for the new housing development will be submitted to Babergh District Council as the local planning authority.

When will the application be determined?

The Council attempts to determine larger planning applications, such as this one, within 13 weeks, although sometimes this process takes longer.

Planning Policy

What does the adopted Local Plan say about this site?

Planning law dictates that planning applications are determined in accordance with the adopted Local Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

In this case, the current Local Plan for Babergh identifies the site as falling outside of the Built Up Area Boundaries (BUABs) and subject to restrictive countryside policy. However, the Local Plan (Core Strategy Policy CS2) categorises Copdock and Washbrook as ‘Hinterland Villages’, where new housing will be directed subject to satisfaction of Core Strategy Policy CS11 (Strategy for Development for Core and Hinterland Villages) and CS15 (Implementing Sustainable Development in Babergh). These policies require, among others, that the scale and location of any new housing will meet local housing need.

There is a clear need for new housing within the District signaled by the preparation of a new Local Plan. The Strategic Housing Market Assessment update (January 2019) identifies those needs in detail. Copdock and Washbrook Parish Council (CWPC) also undertook their own consultation with its residents and the results identified that 46.19% of residents felt that there was a need for more housing within the village.

Policy CS11 and CS15 specify other criteria that must be met by new housing, against which Babergh District Council will assess the proposals. The criteria of Policy CS11 states that housing in Hinterland Villages will be approved where proposals address the following where relevant, and appropriate to the scale and location of the proposal:

i) the landscape, environmental and heritage characteristics of the village; ii) the locational context of the village and the proposed development (particularly the AONBs, Conservation Areas, and heritage assets); iii) site location and sequential approach to site selection; iv) locally identified need - housing and employment, and specific local needs such as affordable housing; v) locally identified community needs; and vi) cumulative impact of development in the area in respect of social, physical and environmental impacts.

In addition, housing proposals are able to demonstrate compliance with criteria i) to v) below:

i) is well designed and appropriate in size / scale, layout and character to its setting and to the village; ii) is adjacent or well related to the existing pattern of development for that settlement; iii) meets a proven local need, such as affordable housing or targeted market housing identified in an adopted community local plan / neighbourhood plan; iv) supports local services and/or creates or expands employment opportunities; and v) does not compromise the delivery of permitted or identified schemes in adopted community/ village local plans within the same functional cluster.

The policy advises that the cumulative impact of development both within the Hinterland Village in which the development is proposed and within the functional cluster of villages in which it is located will be a material consideration when assessing such proposals.

Finally, the proposals score positively when assessed against Policy CS15 (Implementing Sustainable Development in Babergh), which requires development to:

i) respect the landscape, landscape features, streetscape / townscape, heritage assets, important spaces and historic views; ii) make a positive contribution to the local character, shape and scale of the area; iii) protect or create jobs and sites to strengthen or diversify the local economy particularly through the potential for new employment in higher skilled occupations to help to reduce the level of out-commuting, and raise workforce skills and incomes; iv) ensure an appropriate level of services, facilities and infrastructure are available or provided to serve the proposed development; v) retain, protect or enhance local services and facilities and rural communities; vi) consider the aspirations and level and range of support required to address deprivation, access to services, and the wider needs of an aging population and also those of smaller rural communities; vii) protect and enhance biodiversity, prioritise the use of brownfield land for development ensuring any risk of contamination is identified and adequately managed, and make efficient use of greenfield land and scarce resources; viii) address climate change through design, adaptation, mitigation and by incorporating or producing sources of renewable or low-carbon energy; ix) make provision for open space, amenity, leisure and play through providing, enhancing and contributing to the green infrastructure of the district; x) create green spaces and / or extend existing green infrastructure to provide opportunities for exercise and access to shady outdoor space within new developments, and increase the connectivity of habitats and the enhancement of biodiversity, and mitigate some of the impacts of climate change eg. enhancement of natural cooling and reduction in the heat island effect, provision of pollution sequestration for the absorption of greenhouse gases, and through the design and incorporation of flood water storage areas, sustainable drainage systems (SUDs); xi) minimise the exposure of people and property to the risks of all sources of flooding by taking a sequential risk-based approach to development, and where appropriate, reduce overall flood risk and incorporate measures to manage and mitigate flood risk; xii) minimise surface water run-off and incorporate sustainable drainage systems (SUDs) where appropriate; xiii) minimise the demand for potable water in line with, or improving on government targets, and ensure there is no deterioration of the status of the water environment in terms of water quality, water quantity and physical characteristics; xiv) minimise waste (including waste water) during construction, and promote and provide for the reduction, re-use and recycling of all types of waste from the completed development; xv) minimise the energy demand of the site through appropriate layout and orientation (passive design) and the use of building methods, materials and construction techniques that optimise energy efficiency and are resilient to climate change (eg. resilience to high winds and driving rain); xvi) promote healthy living and be accessible to people of all abilities including those with mobility impairments; xvii) protect air quality and ensure the implementation of the Cross Street (Sudbury) Air Quality Action Plan is not compromised; xviii) seek to minimise the need to travel by car using the following hierarchy: walking, cycling, public transport, commercial vehicles and cars) thus improving air quality; and xix) where appropriate to the scale of the proposal, provide a transport assessment /Travel Plan showing how car based travel to and from the site can be minimised, and proposals for the provision of infrastructure and opportunities for electric, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and car sharing schemes.

Is this site identified for housing in the emerging Joint District Local Plan?

The emerging Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan allocates the site for residential redevelopment, identified as Allocation LA008: Land south east of Back Lane, Copdock and Washbrook. The Joint Local Plan is anticipated to be adopted In 2021 and currently therefore holds limited weight when determining planning applications. However, it is a clear signal of intent that the District Council has identified this site as suitable for housing development.

In addition, the site is identified for residential redevelopment within the Copdock & Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan identified as Policy C&W4, known as Land south east of Back Lane, Copdock & Washbrook. This document will form part of the ‘development plan’ upon adoption and its policies will be taken into consideration when determining a planning application for this site just as if it had been identified within an adopted Local Plan.

What does the Copdock & Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan say about this site?

The Copdock & Washbrook Neighbourhood Plan identifies under Policy C&W4 that this site is allocated for approximately 226 dwellings. The Policy sets out a number of criteria which development must achieve. The current proposals will achieve those criteria as follows: i) Provision of 35% affordable housing; ii) Proposed mix is not for determination but can accord with the identified requirement in Policy C&W6; iii) Allotments are retained and enhanced through additional parking on site; iv) Provision of new and improved pedestrian and cycle links towards the Primary School, the Village Hall and Recreation Fields and Back Lane; v) Rainwater harvesting and recycling provision will be included within the proposed scheme; vi) Amenity open space and children’s play facilities are provided centrally within the site; vii) provision of vehicular access off Old London Road with speed restriction measures and the provision for right-turn movements into and out of the site; and viii) provision for emergency access, controlled by suitable means, from Elm Lane.

Transport

What are the proposed vehicular access arrangements?

A single point of access, priority junction on London Road with right turn lane, is proposed to the south east corner of the site and will serve a loop road for the entire site.

ACE Drawing 196470-001 outlines the preliminary site access arrangements that incorporate a priority “T” junction design. The preliminary design incorporates a 5.5m wide site access carriageway with 10m kerb radii in order to facilitate the swept path of a refuse vehicle and reflect the requirements of the Suffolk Design Guide (SDG), with the geometry reflecting a “Major Access Road” which is suitable to cater for up to 300 dwellings.

The speed limit along London Road is currently 50mph, and visibility splays reflective of a 50mph speed limit have been shown for the proposed priority junction, utilising Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) specified design speed of 85kph that requires a “Y” splay of 160m. As can be seen within ACE Drawing 196470-001 visibility splays of 2.4m x 160m are achievable in both directions.

We have also outlined visibility splays for vehicles turning within the central reserve, again applying 160m visibility splays. ACE Drawing 196470-001 demonstrate that these are achievable in both directions. It is noted that the visibility splay looks south from a vehicle turning right into the site passes through an area where a vehicle may be waiting to join northbound traffic turning right from Church Lane. The potential for any conflict is very low however, since the volume of traffic along London Road is low and so vehicles would more typically be using the inside running lane and right turners from Church Lane is a very infrequent occurrence too. There is also space within the central reserve for a vehicle to stop further back from the give-way markings, which would be clear of the visibility splay in any case, and so the likelihood for any potential obstruction would be very low indeed.

What will be the impact in terms of the roads and congestion? A Transport Assessment is being prepared in order to assess the impacts upon the local highway network. These will consider the traffic associated with the proposed school site, incorporating travel patterns that currently occur and are planned in the vicinity of the site. All work is submitted to Suffolk County Council as the Local Highway Authority for them to verify the work produced. Any mitigation measures for the local road network as a result of the development will be identified. We have initially considered the total travel demand that is anticipated to be generated during the typical weekday network peak hours of 08:00- 09:00 and 17:00-18:00 (since at these times the network would be most sensitive to an increase in traffic).

Our analysis indicates the proposals could be anticipated to generate an increase of 128 and 144 two- way vehicle movements during the AM and PM peak hours respectively.

We have applied the above Census derived traffic distribution to the development traffic in order to consider the potential uplift in vehicles that can be anticipated through junctions within the study area. This is shown in Table 4.2 below.

Given this, we would anticipate that the proposals would have a negligible impact on the operation of the A12.

What transport improvements will be facilitated by the development?

In accordance with the Neighbourhood Plan the Transport Assessment that supports this planning application will seek to deliver measures for the reduction of traffic speeds on London Road and improved pedestrian and cycle crossing points on London Road towards Church Lane and the Village Hall. The improvement of the London Road bus stops adjacent to the site may also be required.

How many car parking spaces will there be for the people living in the houses?

The scheme is being brought forward as an outline planning application, with such matters of detail to be confirmed as part of a future Reserved Matters (RM) application which would follow any grant of outline planning permission. The RM application will provide details of the bedrooms each unit provides, however the work that has informed the preparation of this application ensures that car parking will be provided in accordance with the SCC Parking Standards (May 2019) and is appropriate for the type and size of residential units provided. This will also include car parking for visitors in accordance with the requirements.

SCC standards require a minimum of 1 space per 1-bedroom dwelling, 2 spaces per 2/3- bedroom dwelling and 3 spaces per 4+bedroom dwelling. An additional 0.25 spaces per dwelling are required as unallocated visitor provision.

Does the proposal include cycle parking spaces?

In regards to cycle parking, SCC standards are applicable and although provision will be subject to subsequent reserved matters application, it is anticipated that garages will cater for cycle parking demand where provided, but for plots with no garage, a shed is to be provided within the garden to cater for secure cycle provision within. Should the proposal include apartments secure cycle parking will be provided.

Will the people living in the houses be able to get to places that they need to by bus, cycle or walking?

We are seeking to enhance footway and cycleway connectivity to the site as part of the development and in line with the Neighbourhood Plan allocated site details. These connections will link towards the Primary School, Village Hall and Recreation Fields for footway and cycleway connection. Residential Travel Information Packs are to be provided to all residents upon occupation to encourage sustainable travel.

Ecology

What are the species on the site, and will they be protected?

A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal report has been undertaken which identfies the site as primarily comprising improved grassland habitat and arable. The findings of the Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey confirm that the habitats onsite have the potential to support bats (roosting and foraging), Badger, breeding birds, reptiles, Hedgehog and common assemblages of invertebrates. Surveys have been undertaken by qualified ecologists in respect of identifying protected species, including Bats, Badgers, Bird and Reptiles, and reports are being prepared which will identify recommendations that will be fully complied with. The reports will be submitted as part of the planning application.

Will there be any impact on wildlife sites in the area? There are no nature conservation sites with statutory designation, and four non-statutory designated nature conservation sites within 2km radius of the site. One internationally protected site, Stour and Orwell Estuaries (Ramsar/SPA), was noted within 13km of the site. However, the development site does not contain any habitats which could support the important species associated with either the statutory or non-statutory sites within 2km of the site.

As the site is within the Zone of Influence (ZOI) for Stour and Orwell Estuaries, a financial contribution will be required in order to mitigate the impact of bringing additional people into an area which increases “recreational disturbance”. As such, a costing of £121.89 per dwelling would be required to fulfil the Recreational disturbance Avoidance & Mitigation Strategy (RAMS), this will be secured via a Section 106 Agreement.

Flooding and Drainage

Is the site liable to flooding?

According to the Environment Agency’s indicative floodplain mapping, the site is classified as being within Flood Zone 1 site with a low probability of fluvial (river) and/or tidal flooding (less than 1 in 1,000-year annual probability of river and sea flooding (<0.1%) in any year).

According to the Environment Agency’s indicative mapping for the local area, the site is not susceptible to pluvial/surface water flooding for the medium-risk scenario (1:100-year event).

Nearby borehole records available on the British Geological Surveys website indicate the majority of the site is not at risk of any groundwater flooding. However, groundwater monitoring shall be carried out to confirm this.

Sustainable drainage systems will be used to control runoff from the site to a greenfield discharge rate ensuring the development does not increase flood risk off-site. The post-development surface water discharge rate will be controlled to a commensurate greenfield discharge rate to mimic the existing scenario, to avoid overloading the receiving system.

The on-site surface water drainage infrastructure will be designed to comply with national and local policy and be able to withstand the impact of a 1:100-year (plus climate change) rainfall event.

The planning application will be accompanied by a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment.

Contamination

Is the site contaminated?

An initial site appraisal has been undertaken which identified that no known contamination is located on the school site. However, any contamination is likely to be associated with the site of the former poultry farm. Based upon the findings of the ground investigation, further works are recommended for the site which include: a robust discovery strategy in case of any unexpected contamination or poor quality soils; further investigation within the vicinity of loose/soft soils; ground gas monitoring; and further infiltration testing. Should contamination be identified, the remedial works would be undertaken.

Environmental Impact Assessment

Will the environmental impact of the proposals be assessed?

The site does not qualify for assessment under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations and therefore an Environmental Statement will not be submitted as part of the planning application. However, the environmental impacts of the proposals will be assessed and documents covering each issue, such as flood risk, heritage impact etc will be submitted with the planning application.

Noise

Will the site be susceptible to noise impacts and, if so, what will be done about this?

The site is located adjacent to existing residential areas to the north, south and west and is bounded by a main road to the east. These existing uses are not considered to generate significant noise and the site is considered suitable for residential use.

Landscape and Visual Assessment

What will the visual impact of the development be?

The development has been carefully designed to minimise landscape and visual effects by maintaining the enclosed nature of the site. The proposal seeks to preserve the existing site landscape structure and character by breaking the layout into four smaller housing parcels, which are each framed and set within existing field boundaries and soft landscaped boundaries that permeate a linked green infrastructure throughout the site layout.

There is one locally identified important view from Wenham Road looking east which would pick up the southern boundary of the site. However, as established and well defined existing boundaries will be retained and low density 2 storey development proposed, there will be filtered views towards the site, and every effort made to reflective locally distinctive patterns of development.

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, as well as a Arboricultural Impact Assessment is being undertaken and will be submitted as part of the application.

Heritage

What will the impact be on listed buildings?

There are some listed buildings outside the sites boundaries to the north, along Back Lane, south east at Elm Lane, and south west from Elm Lane. These include:

• Cherry Cottage – Cherry Orchard • Chelmesis-Gainsborough-Inglenook (Chelmesis referred to as Birch Cottage in map above) • Tudor Cottage, Elm Lane • Belldown, London Road • Church of St Peter • Barn at Copdock Hall Design mitigation will seek to ensure an appropriate relationship with these through the use of proposed landscape buffers between proposed and existing buildings, retaining existing established well defined treed boundaries filtering views and sensitively designed and scaled houses.

This would be assessed in detail in a Heritage Statement that will be submitted as part of the planning application.

Archaeology

Is the site important for archaeology?

It is not anticipated that the site is in an area of importance for archaeology. However, an Archaeology Assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application.

C20007/Statement of Community Involvement