The first step in the development control process has been taken
for a major planning application in the Walton area near Felixstowe
expected to be submitted by agents for landowners Trinity
College.
The landowner’s agents have advised Suffolk Coastal that plans
will be presented to it for the development of Trinity
College-owned land north of the High Road in Walton.
We understand that Trinity College will submit plans for a major
retail superstore, along with a residential development, a hotel
with a separate pub, a private medical facility, some small
business units and a waste/energy centre, along with a new road
through the site linking High Road and Candlet Road.
Environmental impact assessment
At this stage no official planning application has been
submitted, but one of the documents that the applicants are
required to submit as part of a planning application is an
environmental assessment of how it would impact on the area. Under
planning law, the Council must, via a ‘scoping document’, in turn
advise any such applicant of issues which must be addressed by them
in the environmental impact assessment.
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the
possible impact - negative or positive - that a proposed
development may have, including natural, social and economic
aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that
decision-makers give due weight, based on solid evidence, to the
ensuing environmental impacts when planning applications are being
considered.
Among the range of issues that an environmental statement can
cover is the impact of additional vehicular activity, what
safeguards are in place to protect or enhance air quality or to
control noise and vibration, what the visual impact would be on the
local landscape, and the consequences for ecology and nature in the
area.
Questions about the merits or otherwise of any of the proposals
are not part of this initial process. Once we have officially
received plans for the development of this site we will start the
consultation process that will enable everyone to give their
considered views on any proposals. We are not at that stage yet but
this is an early chance to highlight any particular environmental
issues which people think should be addressed.
Indicative masterplan and supporting information
An indicative masterplan of the site and other relevant
information has been drawn up by the architects working for Trinity
College, which you can view by following the links below:
Follow this link for help with downloading and opening PDF files.
The plans and documents can also viewed at the
Council's Offices in Woodbridge. Copies of the
full set of documents submitted by Trinity College have also been
distributed to Felixstowe Town Council, Trimley St Mary Parish
Council and Trimley St Martin Parish Council.
Have your say
Any suggestions for matters to be included in the scoping
document should be submitted to the Council by Wednesday 2
December 2009. You can email your comments to
liz.beighton@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk.
Anyone who would like more information about the scoping of the
environmental statement or about the indicative masterplan can
contact Liz Beighton on 01394 444576 or Michaelle
Coupe on 01394 444440 of the Council’s planning
team.