People sacrificed for warehouses, says councillor

Residents feel they are "being sacrificed" so warehouses which developers believe could create 3,500 jobs can be built on a business park, according to a councillor.

Property firm Curzon De Vere has been granted permission to build 16 small warehouses on 32 hectares of land at Port One Logistics Park, in Great Blakenham, near Ipswich.

During a Mid Suffolk District Council planning meeting last week, Rachael Dickson, on behalf of the proper developer, said the project would bring "significant benefits for the area".

But Jonathan Svendsen-Cook, of Little Blakenham Parish Council, said residents had objected to and raised concerns about the plans.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Svendsen-Cook said nearby homeowners felt they were "being sacrificed" in favour of the ongoing development.

The number of warehouses could lead to increased levels of traffic, which would only "get worse and worse", he added.

The councillor raised his concerns at the meeting, which assessed the warehouses' appearance, scale and layout.

However, planning officers said the impact on traffic was limited, because of the relatively small size of the units, and the county council's highways department offered no objection.

The council felt the units would help meet the needs of local firms needing to relocate and grow, while Dickson said a local business had already been lined up to take on the largest unit.

Seven objections were lodged against the original planning application for three of the warehouse units - approved in 2024 and now completed - and one person objected to the most recent plans for 16 small warehouses.

Councillors approved the latest plans unanimously, subject to a liaison group being set up to give residents an opportunity to report any issues.

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