Former district council’s Offices on Melton Hill Woodbridge are now 3 years into a planning application attempt by Active Urban to build high density blocks of flats – in one of Suffolk’s most important Historic Towns. Mr Jones has written a letter to The East Anglian Daily Times expressing his concerns.
In the letter Mr Jones said about Active Urban’s planning application:
“If accepted they would change the character of one of the best preserved and best loved urban environments in Suffolk and wreck a prospect from an important historic location across the river”.
“It would set a bad precedent for this lovely place.”
Griff Rhys Jones Jones has implored planners to think of what could be lost as a result of the application.
“The planning committee must surely listen to the Woodbridge Society, the National Trust, Historic England and the Suffolk Preservation Society, who have all expressed reservations.”
Are East Suffolk Council planners listening?
Mr Jones in his letter also says: “There was supposedly a consultation”
There were over 400 letters of objection to the initial planning application – letters of objection sent in by local residents claim the consultation that took place in April 2016 were not the plans they were shown now presented – residents say the plans were switched without their knowledge or consultation. Many local residents also claim the local consultation was a sham – conducted by the developers and council planners behind closed doors.
The 1st planning application the developer withdrew, the 2nd application was refused by the planning committee – now Active Urban has submitted a 3rd application. All applications submitted are near identical in their proposal to build high density blocks of flats on the riverside location – the ‘affordable homes’ element is an area which does keep changing i.e. supplying the proper type and number of affordable homes required.
Read the full East Anglian Daily Times Article here: Griff Rhys Jones speaks out about Woodbridge ‘Cheese Wedges’