The Devil is in the detail...

At Great Waldingfield Parish Council meeting yesterday evening the developer of Chilton Woods gave a presentation of its ‘thinking’ with regard to the detailed plans for the scheme. Not surprisingly perhaps, the blueprint differs in several respects from the outline plans that were endlessly debated and finally adopted as part of the Local Plan. A little bit of ‘community woodland’ is being eroded by housing here; roadways and roundabouts have been moved closer to tranquil countryside there. It does seem to me that those who want to follow and influence the planning process have to have very highly developed qualities of stamina and concentration, in addition to the capacity for close attention to detail. This development has now been under discussion in one form or another for well over ten years, and the goal posts continue to shift, albeit less dramatically than hitherto. One has to keep alert!

Some aspects of the scheme appear very attractive. The circular central ‘village hub’, which will provide a focus for the community, if sensitively done, should give a sense of unity to the scheme. There are a number of green open spaces throughout the area, despite, or perhaps because of the very high density of houses in the zones earmarked for building. Cycling and walking is to be encouraged by a proliferation of footpaths through the area. A circular walk is envisaged.

It is unfortunate that the plans for two important features of the development, the school and medical facilities, cannot currently be finalised due to the fact that policy regarding the Education and Health systems in Suffolk are in a state of semi-permanent revolution. As far as health provision for the new Chiltonians is concerned we do now know however that the community centre (for want of a better word) will include ‘therapy and well being rooms’…so that’s alright then! It is to be hoped that those undergoing therapy aren’t too disturbed by the fumes and roar of traffic driving around the hub outside; given the proposed closure of Acton Lane and the road layout as it stands at the moment, it looks as if most cars coming from the North into Sudbury will be funnelled directly into the hub which will hardly be a tranquil ‘village green’.

Traditional villages and older communities of course grew up organically over time, and a mix of housing styles is inevitable. One might think that being able to start from scratch on virgin soil in this way would offer a great opportunity for an architecturally adventurous, unified, scheme which is pulled together like Haussman’s Paris, or Wood’s Georgian Bath. In fact however the styles of the houses envisaged by the developer appear alarmingly eclectic. All the latest fads and fashions appear to be here, from buildings incorporating traditional Suffolk features in the vicinity of the hub, to ‘Poundbury Style’ dwellings on the northern fringes, and ‘eco-dwellings’ built in part on an area that was in the outline plan designated as woodland. These latter phenomena are only due to be built towards the end of the development period. (Sudbury, according to the representative from the developer, is not yet quite ready for them.)

The impact of this development on nearby villages, notably Acton and Great Waldingfield, must be of concern. For example there was no evidence that the probable increase in traffic likely to be caused in Great Waldingfield by the currently suggested road layout, had been carefully considered. Furthermore how will the new facilities, the proposed shop, the community centre, affect the vibrancy of adjacent village shops and halls? These are serious questions and challenges for all involved.

The developer was keen to stress that the detailed plans currently being presented are not set in stone. They form the basis for feedback and debate from the community at large. If you are interested and want to have your say the plans can be seen on http://www.chiltonwoods.com/. A series of further presentations and exhibitions are being staged. People in Acton, for example, will be able to attend a meeting in the village hall on 23rd April.

Some development in and around Sudbury is inevitable and necessary. Babergh District Council has some 1000 people on its Housing Waiting List. A recent article in the East Anglian revealed the large number of children who live in overcrowded and unsuitable accommodation in the District. The Chilton scheme represents some 50% of all development envisaged in the Subury area by the Structure Plan. 35% of the homes that it will provide will be ‘affordable’. It is vital to get it right!