A controversial plan to build up to 40 new homes on a former allotment site has been rejected again.
Undeterred by a similar application being rejected in February 2020, Halsbury Homes applied to East Suffolk Council in December for outline permission to build the new homes on land off Pilgrims Way, in Bungay.
The proposal, however, was met with opposition from town councillors and residents, who voiced concerns about a risk of increased flooding, unsuitable roads, overdevelopment and a loss of green space and natural habitats.
On Tuesday, East Suffolk Council refused the application due to flooding fears under delegated powers, stating no further information had been received to ease fears from the previous application.
Bungay mayor Bob Prior welcomed the decision.
He said: "The refusal of planning permission is extremely good news for Bungay as the site is important to reduce the risk of flooding to the wider area and is totally unsuitable for any development.
"The increase in traffic would have created a dangerous situation at existing road junctions and at the primary school which already has safety issues caused by high levels of vehicles.
"There would also be a loss of green space, natural habitat and biodiversity in the town, of which there is a shortage.
"Bungay Town Council is not against building new homes, but this is simply not the place to be developed."
Following the council's decision last year, Halsbury Homes appealed the decision to the government's planning inspectorate, who concluded the benefits of the homes, which included a mix of affordable housing, were "not sufficient to outweigh the harm."
A proposal for 30 homes on the same patch of land was also rejected in 1992.
A total of 41 letters of objection were sent to East Suffolk Council about the latest application, while objections were also recorded from Bungay Town Council, Suffolk County Council's Flooding Authority, and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Other concerns included the impact on trees, congestion and local services, as well as overdevelopment.
Halsbury Homes Ltd have been contacted for comment.
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