West Suffolk Council approve plans to build a house in the garden of a property in Northgate Avenue, Bury St Edmunds

A new home has been approved in a Bury St Edmunds garden despite concerns over a ‘pig of a problem’ damaged access track.

Members of West Suffolk’s development control committee met yesterday morning to discuss Mr Neil LaThangue’s bid for a new home within the garden of 8A Northgate Avenue.

Building would take place following the demolition of an existing greenhouse and pool.

The plans proved controversial, however, with concerns raised about the proposed access to the property, an unadopted track known as Pig Lane.

The proposal followed several other homes approved at the back gardens of existing properties, the most recent in September this year, which spawned similar concerns.

A statement read out on behalf of two objecting residents, Julie Bayliss and Anne Last, outlined the ‘detrimental impact’ on neighbours despite Tarmac having been installed as a requirement of a previous application.

The statement read: “The track is in a very poor state of repair — over the years this has worsened greatly with each new development.

“There was some improvement having Tarmac surface for 10 metres, although this was short-lived when the track eroded where it joins the Tarmac, causing deep holes and damaging cars.”

Cllr Marilyn Sayer, one of two ward councillors, shared the concerns.

She said: “Residents tell me rainwater completely covers the track and potholes outside the two new properties.

“When underwater, residents cannot see the potholes, making the track dangerous to pedestrians as well as vehicles.

“Pig lane is a pig of a problem because no one knows who owns it and no one has responsibility for the track.”

Because of its status as an unadopted track, its maintenance is out of the hands of the county council and is instead the responsibility of residents fronting the lane.

Also representing the ward, Cllr Diane Hind, who submitted a formal representation before the meeting, said she could not support the application.

She said: “I have every sympathy for the applicant but there are so many objections about the use of Pig Lane I really don’t think I can support approval.

“In reality no one should ever have been allowed to build additional properties using Pig Lane for sole access, but I’m aware that many have been given permission.”

The county council’s highways department, which warned previously about the cumulative impact of developments in Pig Lane, did not object to Mr LaThangue’s application.

Mr LaThangue did not speak at the meeting.

Despite the concerns, alongside others raised by several councillors over issues including the access of waste and emergency vehicles, committee members decided to give the application the go-ahead.

Cllr Lora-Jane Miller-Jones proposed its approval and said she had been satisfied by the conditions put in place by officers, requesting an extra requirement stating any damage caused by construction vehicles be repaired.

With the applicant not being responsible for previous potholes, however, it remained unclear what the extra condition would mean to potholes made worse by construction vehicles.

Officers said a report of the road’s condition would be taken and any damage would have to be returned at least to its previous state — this means if a lorry caused extra damage on an already existing pothole, instead of it being filled up as a result, it could be turned into a slightly shallower one instead.

Cllr Mike Chester, who seconded the approval recommendation, said: “I sympathise with ward members’ perspective. There have been some good comments made on the problems here, but I’m heartened by responses from officers.”

The final approval was reached with eight votes in favour and five against.