PARISH COUNCIL REPORT APRIL 2025
Development next to GP Surgery
The developers of this site on Heath Road made a second application in May 2024
to increase the number of dwellings on the site from 75 to 99. There have been
many objections including from the Parish Council which recommended refusal.
The planning officer is currently dealing with further technical objections from other
bodies – including its its impact on the National Landscape (formerly the Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty), the mix of affordable housing and a noise assessment.
The developer can address these objections however that does not mean the
application will be approved, even if amended. The application is, after all, contrary
to policies in Babergh’s Local Plan and in our Neighbourhood Plan There will be
another public consultation on the amended application before it goes to Babergh
planning committee for a decision.
Local Government Reorganisation
Suffolk County Council has submitted its initial plan to reorganise local government
into one unitary authority that carries out all the functions currently carried out by the
county and district councils. The unitary authority would cover the whole of Suffolk.
You can find the plan on the Suffolk County Council website.
All the district councils in Suffolk have come together to submit a different plan for
two (East and West) or three (Ipswich, East and West) unitary authorities in Suffolk.
You can find the Interim Plan on the Babergh District Council website.
New Housing Targets
The government wants to build 1.5m houses by 2029. Babergh’s housing target has
risen by 86% as a result. We have been told we must build 775 houses each year
for the next 20 years in Babergh. As the cabinet member for Heritage, Planning and
Infrastructure, I have no choice but to work towards this target. Along with councillor
colleagues and council staff we will consider every possible avenue in order to
protect our communities from inappropiate, badly designed and unsustainable
development. This includes possibly establising new settlements to take the
pressure off existing places.
On 21 March the MP James Cartlidge held a meeting in Sudbury. All parishes were
invited. At that meeting Babergh released very rough figures for each parish in the
light of the new government target. These figures are likely to change when
Babergh draws up its spatial strategy. But the numbers are alarming. 220 extra
houses for East Bergholt on top of what are already being built.
Here in East Bergholt we are reviewing our Neighbourhood Plan taking into account
these indicative new housing figures. The Neighbourhood Plan gives us some
control over new development which is very important in the face of these monstrous
numbers.

Locality Fund
I am pleased to say that I have spent all my locality fund for the year to April 2025.
Recipients are The Friends of Broom Knoll, East Bergholt Heartwatch, the Constable
Hall and St Mary’s Church.
sallie.davies@babergh.gov.uk