Update: The district planning committee voted unanimously to give permission, and said some very complimentary things about the Jetty Lane plans and intentions. We couldn’t be better pleased! This is another real vote of confidence in the project
The vital planning meeting for Woodbridge ‘s proposed Jetty Lane Community Youth and Arts Centre is being held tomorrow, Thursday 21 February, at Suffolk Coastal’s new headquarters in Riduna Park. It’s a public meeting – do come and support us and the community of Woodbridge. We’re expecting the discussion to take place early – around 9am – so please get there before 9.
When the Community Youth Centre was pulled down in 2017, many groups were forced to move out of Woodbridge simply because there was nowhere to house them. The Jetty Lane site (Jetty Lane being the original name of The Avenue) – has been used uninterruptedly for Youth and Community clubs and meetings since 1949 : that’s SEVENTY years! It is now the last site suitable for such a centre in Woodbridge.
The County Council have such faith in the need for this project to have offered a 125y lease on the land. We are really hoping that the district council will have similar faith!
It is clear that Jetty Lane has a great deal of community support. However, despite a number of community consultations (still ongoing) a few residents still have personal concerns about this project. This is understandable. As chair of Jetty Lane I would like to assure them that the cic – soon to be a charity – will work with them at all times to endeavour to allay their concerns . After all, this site has been occupied for the same purposes for seventy years. It’s not exactly new.
Slightly more startling however, are the two letters of objection sent to the Planning department from a central London-based planning consultancy on behalf of unnamed and unknown ‘local interests’. We do not know whether these ‘local interests’ are people, or companies, or even people who are associated with companies. What, do you think, is their agenda? Is it to benefit the community of Woodbridge?