Plans to build a housing estate containing up to 190 homes have been approved - despite widespread objections from nearby residents and councils.

Richborough Estates submitted an application to build the new homes on land south of Harrisons Lane in Halesworth, saying it will be “a distinctive and locally inspired housing development where people will want to live”.

The company’s proposal highlighted that a third of the properties would be designated as ‘affordable’, making them available for rent or to buy in a shared ownership deal.

But Halesworth Parish Council urged East Suffolk Council’s planning committee to reject the application, citing “inadequate parking facilities for visitors or for additional vehicle ownership on the site”.

Local residents and Holton Parish Council also raised concerns over nearby infrastructure, stating it “cannot support further development of the scale contemplated.”

The proposal was, however, approved unanimously at a committee meeting yesterday (April 16) evening, with members highlighting local housing need and the project’s suitability in line with the recently adopted Waveney Local Plan.

Last night’s approval also cemented an agreement between the developers and Halesworth Campus, formed in 2012 with the intention of providing a hub of health and wellbeing facilities in the area.

A section of land will now be gifted to the Campus to accommodate a new sports facility in the form of a state-of-the-art 3G football pitch.

Simon Weeks, a Halesworth Campus trustee, said: “We see this as the first stage of implementation of what is a very exciting vision for Halesworth.

“Our principal idea is to boost sport and leisure facilities in the town and we believe this application is both comprehensive and fair. The new housing is critical to the project as a whole.”