Public exhibition of homes plan for former Animal Health Trust site in Kentford, near Newmarket

A public exhibition of the plans a developer has for a new village to be built on the site of the former Animal Health Trust in Kentford will be held over two days next week.

London based company Lochailhort Kentford Ltd will be outlining its proposals contained within two planning applications, a detailed submission for 302 new homes, a shop, community hub and employment areas, and a hybrid application for the second part of the proposal seeking permission for an addition 648 homes, a primary school and 90-bed care home.

Anyone wishing to visit the exhibition, which will be held at the former visitors’ centre on the site on Wednesday and Thursday between 3pm and 6.30pm, must register in advance by calling 07826218105.

The plan, which has been opposed by West Suffolk Council and the Jockey Club representing nearby Newmarket’s racing industry, looks to be taking advantage of a loophole in planning law through permitted development rights, originally sanctioned by the previous government and designed to free homeowners and councils from expensive red tape when uncontentious modifications to properties were planned.

When in 2023 West Suffolk Council received more than 30 applications, to change the use of the existing buildings on the site to 203 new homes it refused to grant a certificate of lawful development classing the site as one of commercial, business and service use which would have allowed the applications to proceed.

The developer, appealed that decision and in May last year successfully argued at a planning inquiry that the entire site of the former charity, which closed in 2020 after suffering severe financial difficulties, be classified as brownfield, including all the paddock land of 64 acres.

“We have always advocated that this 120-acre, brownfield site, is eminently suitable for economically beneficial residential and commercial development,” said Hugo Haig, director of Lochailort.

“Sadly, the council disagrees. We have won an appeal, on the whole site, confirming our position, that the site is in Use Class E and therefore has the permitted development rights that that brings.

“The appeal also confirmed, unequivocally, that the site is not horse racing industry land, yet the council continues to refuse to engage with us and clearly prefers to see this vacant site preserved in aspic.

“Kentford has a train station and a number of local facilities making it an excellent location for new housing.

“Further facilities and amenities are proposed on site that will benefit new and existing residents.”

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