A traffic plan for a major housing development in a coastal village has been withdrawn after sparking numerous safety objections.

A developer has gone back to the drawing board after a Construction Traffic Management plan (CTMP) for the scheme on land west of Copperwheat Avenue in Reydon drew strong criticism.

Copperwheat Avenue in Reydon, which will comprise 220 properties. Picture: Orbit HomesAn impression of the proposals for what land to the west of Copperwheat Avenue in Reydon could look like comprising 220 properties. Picture: Orbit Homes (Image: Orbit Homes)

It comes as Orbit Homes' development of 220 homes in the village - on the outskirts of Southwold - gained outline planning approval in September 2021, subject to conditions.

Copperwheat Avenue in Reydon which is earmarked to have 220 new homes, inset. Pictures: Google Images/Orbit Homes/Land west of Copperwheat Avenue in Reydon is earmarked to have 220 new homes, inset. Pictures: Google Images/Orbit Homes

With a bid to discharge one of these conditions, Orbit Homes submitted a CTMP to East Suffolk Council in April.

It outlined how they would be delivering between 40 and 50 homes per year for a build-time of five years.

With the document detailing how the scheme will be constructed and how vehicle movements to and from the site will be managed, it stated that a preferred route option had been identified.

But this sparked safety concerns from the community - after it said Quay Lane and Mardle Road would be used to access the A12, with the possibility of using the B1127 instead to access the A12 at Wrentham to the north, in case flooding on Quay Lane made it unnavigable.

It said: "The main intention at this stage is to demonstrate that careful consideration is being given to how the scheme will be constructed.

"Prior to the start of works and once contractors have been formally appointed and build schedules confirmed, a more detailed CTMP would be produced based on the approved HGV construction traffic routing arrangements."

However Suffolk County Council's highways department recommended that the "proposed HGV routing to the site is reconsidered, and a suitable alternative strategy is provided".

'Carnage'

With more than 25 objections, an open letter from "many residents of Reydon, Wangford and Southwold" opposed to the CTMP, along with opposition from councillors, one neighbour wrote: "Mardle Road is a quiet lane - a very narrow side road just about suitable for light traffic.

"I am disgusted that Mardle Lane has even been considered as part of a scheme for HGV's to access the site from the A12.

"Single track passing places are challenging even for a small car."

Another said it would cause "obvious carnage" on Mardle Road and surrounding roads.

Recommending refusal of the plan, Reydon Parish Council said the proposed routes for construction vehicles were inappropriate and the "proposed route is unsafe."

The plan was withdrawn last Tuesday, September 3.

After Orbit Homes purchased the site from WM Denny & Sons and Chartwell Industries in September last year, the company said last October the expected start date for the scheme is 2025.

Two other bids to discharge conditions associated with the development - also lodged in April with East Suffolk Council - have been permitted, while two further discharge of conditions bids and a reserved matters application for the development are currently under consideration by the council.