They say the massive £35 million project would be “excessive development” and should be sited on unused industrial land miles away.
The scheme proposed would farmland at Innocence Farm, next to the A14 – an area big enough to swallow Kirton and Trimley St Martin.
Parish Councils at Bucklesham, Kirton and Falkenham, Levington and Stratton Hall, and Trimley St. Mary, are so worried about the scheme – put forward by landowners Trinity College, Cambridge – they have produced a pamphlet to deliver to thousands of homes.
The council said the aim was to work together “to protect the remaining land of the peninsula from excessive development”.
They said: “We are working on behalf of all those who believe that what remains of our countryside should be protected for our children and grandchildren.”
Concerns include:
■ The development would urbanise nearly a third of the remaining green field separation between Felixstowe and Ipswich.
■ Cause more problems on the A14 and Orwell Bridge, which already exceeds its capacity at peak periods.
■ Damage of the widely enjoyed natural environment and wildlife.
■ 24 hour warehousing, container and lorry movements, plus a proposed new rail terminal, would mean round the clock noise disturbance and light pollution.
Trimley St Mary parish council chairman Colin Jacobs said the group wanted to make residents aware and ready to fight formal moves to designate Innocence Farm.
“We are talking about a huge site here, big enough to swallow up Trimley St Martin and Kirton – you could put both villages in there and still have space,” he said.
“We need to put together a cogent argument to show why it should not be developed. We support the port but we cannot have anything of this size and magnitude on a site that should remain for agriculture.”
It is claimed the scheme is needed to help the Port of Felixstowe as it prepares to combat the threat of the new £1.5 billion London Gateway container terminal, which will have a 9.25million sq ft business park.
Trinity College has said the project is “long term”. So far only a first stage feasibility study has been done to see if it was possible to develop the land, but it says finding extra port employment sites will be the number one issue for Felixstowe in the next few years.
Felixstowe/Trimley: Homes campaigners take fight to public inquiry
LEAVE our fields alone!
That was the emphatic message today from campaigners who have asked an independent inspector to reject proposals to build nearly 1,800 new homes which they claim would swamp the Felixstowe area.
Campaigners told the public inquiry into the Local Development Framework – the blueprint for the future of the district – that the main reason for building huge numbers of homes in the past had been the development and rapid growth of the Port of Felixstowe.
But although the port has promised 1,500 new jobs by the time both phases of its latest expansion are working to capacity, campaigners are doubtful the employment will be achieved – at least not for decades.
The groups believes the housing allocation for the area – and the district as a whole – is too big.
The council also expected only 620 direct new jobs at the port if throughput doubles, compared with the port estimate of 1,500.
“However, with increased mechanisation and more efficient working practices, recent port growth has required proportionately fewer workers, and this trend is expected to continue,” said Mr Cowan.
Suffolk Coastal planners say the council is seeking to regenerate Felixstowe and the extra homes were part of plans and work underway to address a number of “negative trends”, including relying on one major employer, a failing tourist resort, a fragile town centre and lack of affordable housing.
The council was committed to using as much brownfield land as possible – the former Deben High School is one of a number of sites under consideration – and an action plan would identify detailed land use.
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