Decision due on more than 130 new homes in Oulton, near Lowestoft

A decision on plans for more than 130 new homes in a Suffolk village is due next week.

The proposals were submitted to East Suffolk Council by Oldman Homes for up to 132 new homes on land north of Union Lane, in Oulton, on the edge of Lowestoft, and are due to be discussed during next week’s planning committee meeting.

On Tuesday, committee members will discuss the scheme’s two proposed phases, the first seeking full approval and the second hoping for outline permission, meaning the latter would come back to the committee for discussions over appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale.

If approved, the 132 homes, four of which affordable, would be built alongside two playgrounds, a pumping station, 362 parking spaces, and open space.

A viability assessment was provided with the application, concluding the scheme would be economically unviable if the applicant delivered the council’s 20 per cent affordable housing requirement, resulting in a negative £697,881.

Planning documents state: “Despite a 100% market scheme being only marginally viable, the applicant would like to deliver an element of affordable housing to contribute towards providing much-needed affordable housing in the area.”

A financial contribution of £42,401 will still be required, however.

The application being discussed next week did not receive any comments from the parish council, despite officers following up. Still, two residents’ objections were submitted including concerns over highway and pedestrian safety, air quality, and impact on heritage assets.

The report concluded these had been properly addressed by Oldman Homes.

There were some concerns, however, raised by the county council’s s106 officer, who monitors planning obligations, about the lack of early years education provision accompanying the application.

The officer’s report clarified that a separate application for Oulton, just south of the current proposals, would be a better site for the preschool setting, with an application already under way.