• Transport Assessment (TA)

We are holding a series of meetings with Onslow's consultants, Suffolk County Council (SCC) and the Highways Agency (HA) concerning the provision of a revised TA, using a more integrated approach to transport planning. A revised report will be produced in this Autumn which we will re-consult on.

• Railway Station

We are holding a series of meetings with the Rail authorities, SCC and Onslow's consultants concerning the provision of a business case in support of a new station at Gt Blakenham. The aim is to secure in principle support from the rail authorities before we report to the Planning Committee on the overall Snoasis concept.
Landfill & Risk Assessment (RA)
We are holding on going discussions with the Environment Agency, SCC, Onslow & Viridor over land use compatibility issues between Snoasis & the landfill site. Onslow is preparing a further scoping report for the RA which we will consult on when completed.

• Ecology

Draft revised survey reports (concerning bats, grass snakes and door mice) have been produced by Onslow's ecologist and circulated to English Nature and Suffolk Wildlife Trust, with the aim of broadly agreeing the content before a formal re-consultation exercise is undertaken.  Further survey work concerning great crested newts is also being undertaken.

• Economic Viability Study

DTZ are still working on this on our behalf (likely November finish) as the retail impact exercise has yet to be completed.

• Housing (cement works site/former MoD area)

Persimmon Homes are preparing a revised scheme (to be submitted as a new outline application with an illustrative masterplan) to take account of our requirements including new access points, a bus through route and interchange with the adjacent railway station. Over the last few weeks, we have held meetings with SCC Education over a new primary school and the NHS Trusts re health care requirements and will hopefully have an agreed community facilities position soon.  We are also negotiating further on the provision of affordable housing and on/off site public open space provision which should be referred to in the revised application when submitted.

• Timing

Before all related planning applications are collectively considered by the Planning Committee the  outstanding technical work needs to completed and an additional consultation exercise carried out. Therefore, we have not committed to a date yet. However, there is a commitment from the Applicants and Authorities to bring the planning applications to a conclusion as soon as possible and extensive joint working is currently taking place to achieve this.  The earliest time the applications could be considered by the Planning Committee will be by the end of this year but this will depend on timing of the production of the relenvant technical work outputs being prepared by the Applicants.  With this in mind, it is likely that the applications will be considered by the Committee in early 2006.