Plans for eight new homes off Lakenheath High Street refused due to concerns over ‘significant adverse impacts on aviation safety’

Plans for eight homes in a village have been refused following concerns over ‘significant adverse impacts on aviation safety’.

MB Homes Anglia Ltd submitted proposals for four three-bedroom semi-detached homes and four four-bedroom detached homes on land at the back of 124 High Street in Lakenheath.

A planning statement to West Suffolk Council said the 0.3 hectare site was mainly grass land.

Concerns had been raised over the application including an objection from the Ministry of Defence - Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) as species identified in a proposed landscaping scheme had the potential to form an environment attractive to large or flocking birds hazardous to aviation safety.

“This impact would be exacerbated by the proximity of the application site to both RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall,” it said.

The parish council said the entrance / exit was not safe or suitable, the plans were overdevelopment of the site and was concerned about access by emergency vehicles.

Cllr Gerald Kelly objected due to issues over parking and said the plans represented over-development of the worst kind.

The conservation officer recommended the plan for refusal as it would fail to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area or preserve the setting of a listed building.

Highways submitted a holding objection raising several questions including what was being proposed to ensure a safe and suitable access.

Three representations of objections from residents in High Street were submitted with concerns about overlooking, site access safety, increase in traffic and surface water flooding.

West Suffolk Council refused the application and said it failed to preserve or enhance the conservation area as it would result in the partial erosion of the open space at the back of the High Street as well as the removal and concealment of an historic flint wall.

It would result in ‘unacceptable adverse impacts on neighbour amenity’ with overlooking into the back gardens of properties and ‘may result in significant adverse impacts on aviation safety’.

The council said: “A significant number of birds in the area could result in a collision between aircraft and flying birds, a concern which is exacerbated in this case due to the site’s proximity to nearby aerodromes.”

It added that the proposal had not demonstrated that safe access was possible for all.