Go ahead given for 27 new homes in Elmswell

One of the fastest growing villages in Suffolk is set to have a further development of homes despite objections by the parish council and more than 20 residents with fears over safety in the area.

A total of 26 new homes are to be built either side of Cresmeadow Way, in Elmswell, and includes nine affordable dwellings.

It comes at a time when figures have revealed that the village has grown in population by nearly 60 per cent since the 2001 census.

During that time Elmswell had a total of 3,359 residents, by the 2011 census 3,950 residents and the 2021 census recorded 4,451.

And the Office of National Statistics estimated that in June 2024 the population had grown to 5,364.

Hartog Hutton Limited sought permission from Mid Suffolk District Council to build the new homes on the site which was the subject to two previous bids, each from different developers. One was for 38 homes, approved in 2018 but later expired, and another for 44 homes, which was refused in early 2023.

Elmswell Parish Council voiced objections to the latest scheme along with 22 residents.

Jen Overett, the ward member, raised many of their concerns, the biggest being around the scheme’s impacts on road safety.

And Sarah Mansel, also a ward member, said Warren Lane, which would serve the development, was not a suitable road for traffic in any form.

This included improvements to Cresmedow Way before any home being occupied, a travel pack for cyclists and accessibility routes.

With the new conditions in place, councillors agreed to give the development approval with five votes for and one against.

Approval means the developer will need to contribute £720,000 to enable the delivery of new infrastructure to increase capacity and mitigate impacts.

Most of the money will go into education provision and school transport.