Planning ahead

Babergh will soon be consulting on its plans for growth over the next 20 years. Now is the time to start to focus on this important issue. I am likely to be very involved with this in the months to come and need to know your views.

The recent change in goverrnment has quickly resulted in a transformation in the way that Babergh approaches planning for growth in the District. At Thursday's meeting, the Strategy Committee recommended that the Council approve a draft for consultation on the question that is much more flexible, and allows for a good deal more community consultation than that which would have been permitted under the old regime. This is a very good thing. We will have more scope to decide for ourselves how much additional housing to plan for over the next twenty years and also be more pragmatic with regard to where in the District the development will happen. There is an overarching requirement that we consult all along the way with the communities affected so if you are concerned about how your village will look in twenty or so years time you should get involved with the discussions. Of the four villages in Waldingfield Ward, two, Acton and Great Waldingfield, are designated as 'service centres'. That is communities with developed amenities and reasonable transport connections that can in theory accommodate more housing and employment land. Chilton is something of a special case due to the (already planned) Chilton Woods Development. Little Waldingfield is not earmarked for further development, although there is scope in the village for affordable housing if it is thought that there is a local need. If you want to shape the future of the District now is the time to start to think about these issues. The full paper is available on the Babergh website. Click on Council and Democracy and then on Committee Papers. Then click on Strategy Committee and find the Agenda for 29th July. The relevant item is number 12, Babergh Development Framework Core Strategy (initial consultation on District Growth). To access the paper click on K65 alongside the agenda item and all will be revealed. Alternatively you could wait for the simplified version that will accompany the public consultation in due course. Look out for notices of public exhibitions and meetings in the autumn. If you are concerned about the shape of the area around Acton and Great Waldingfield in the years to come now is the time to start to engage with these issues. When planning permission is being sought in 10 to 15 years time and you don't like it, it will be too late!