Why are residents of a small village worried about the future?

Higham is a pretty village in Suffolk between Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket.

In 2021, it had an estimated population of 155, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

But many are now worried about the possible impact of development.

At a recent parish meeting, early plans were shared for a proposed new settlement with thousands of homes.

In March, West Suffolk Council put out a call for developers and landowners to come forward with sites to be considered for potential future growth in the area.

The council said the sites would be "assessed to ensure they are suitable, available and achievable for potential development".

Government targets for new homes mean 1,195 are needed every year in West Suffolk.

On average, 705 homes were added each year in West Suffolk between 2022 and 2025.

Those who went to the Higham parish meeting said the very early plans were for thousands of homes.

Damian Penfold, who has lived in Higham for 17 years, said it was a "huge shock" and the village would be "completely swallowed" if the proposals were carried out.

Penfold said villagers understood the need for new homes, but added: "Our problem is that this is absolutely not the right development for this area.

"It is totally inappropriate to obliterate a village of this size with a new town."

He said the area was "very special" with "unspoiled agricultural countryside".

"Two and a half thousand homes say - the developers have suggested thousands - that would be 5,000 people.

"That is a town the size of Mildenhall springing up off the A14, which would clearly create havoc," Penfold said.

A spokesman for the developers, Pigeon, said: "In partnership with the Higham Estate, Pigeon has submitted proposals for a sustainable new community as part of West Suffolk's call for sites process - one of the first steps in the review of the district's local plan to meet the significant growth mandated by government."

Roger Dicker is an independent councillor for the Kentford & Moulton ward at West Suffolk Council.

He said everyone at the meeting was "taken aback" when the proposals were announced.

"Villagers in Higham are very concerned about their future way of life," he said. "A new settlement is what it really would be."

Dicker said local infrastructure may not be able to cope.

"We've seen it all over west Suffolk, where we've increased housing hugely but we've still got the same roads."

Beccy Hopfensperger, a Conservative who represents the village on Suffolk County Council, said: "A proposal for a settlement of this size in such a beautiful and rural part of the county inevitably raises significant questions about its impact on the character of the village and whether the necessary infrastructure is in place to support it."

The Pigeon spokesperson said: "All landowners in West Suffolk have been invited to put forward sites suitable for development as part of this process. Through engagement with the local community, further information will be shared in due course."

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