Following information received regarding the proposal for the above site to be acquired for 175 residential properties. I would like to submit the following comments to be put on record strongly against the proposal.

1. This site is prone to flooding and poor drainage, being victims ourselves in the past, resulting in water runoff onto our property and to other parts of The Common and Gothic Close.

2. The Common is 'Common Land' and therefore does not have dedicated footpaths or walkways suitable for any increased footfall from new properties navigating into the main town or to the nearby high school.

3. The Common is made up of a large number of 'period' properties (ours included) and any 'new build' will not be in keeping with this style or compliment the area.

4. The site is and has been very successful agricultural land and has been in constant use providing many diverse and necessary food crops.

5. The wildlife infrastructure is highly populated with habitats of many types of birds, animals, flowers and fauna.

6. The site is actually within the boundaries of the parish of Needham so therefore consideration should be made for sites closer to or within those boundaries first.

7. Access to the proposed site raises other concerns:

a, any access via Needham Road which is on a curved hill, would not provide an acceptable access route.
b, the site contains a former farm and grounds.
c, Needham Road is not robust enough to carry the more than likely increase in traffic and would cause even more serious traffic problems than there is at present.
d, any access via Gothic Close would also cause an unhealthy increase in traffic not suitable for such a small road, and which also has a 'public' footpath at its end.
e, the towns services - Doctors, Dentist, Post Office, Bank, Schools etc, etc, are already overstretched in providing an acceptable level satisfaction to its current residents without increasing the numbers even more.