We were very disappointed to discover that Babergh’s Joint Local Plan has now been delayed by six months or more due to some challenges to the way it has assessed whether villages should be Core or Hinterland. Great Waldingfield, currently a Hinterland village, was one of the villages mentioned in this context, but we have been told that this does not necessarily mean we will be reclassified. We hope this is true as, if we were to become a Core village, it opens the way for much more development.
In addition there was a challenge about the way Babergh had assessed the sites in the Joint Local Plan suggesting that there are other sites that were not properly considered. Again Great Waldingfield has one such site. Currently the Plan is not suggesting that we need any further development other than the present Landex site and another 20 houses on a site on the opposite side of the Valley Road. It is a larger proportion of this site which is in contention. (This site is actually in Chilton parish, but would obviously be part of Great Waldingfield village).
Once the Joint Local Plan comes into force, we understand that it will be impossible for any new sites other than those specified in the Plan to get planning permission. Sadly this delay means that any developers who are wishing to build anywhere in the village now have more time to get their planning applications in before the Plan is finalised.
After hearing about this, we were uncertain as to how much this would affect our Neighbourhood Plan, but we have been advised to continue with the Plan in its current form. We will, of course, let you know as soon as we hear anything further.
