Having attended a meeting regarding the project, along with a number of other concerned residents, I am left with the overwhelming impression that this is yet another planning disaster in the making for Forest Heath District Council.

Most people in the town will have been affected by the complete fiasco that is the re-worked traffic system around the clock tower and Waitrose and will no doubt have sat twiddling their thumbs in traffic jams at even supposedly quiet times of the day.

The potential of 1,200 new homes will naturally increase the traffic in the town, particularly as the planners involved in this project claim they wish to send it all down Fordham Road rather than cause any more congestion on the A14. Great.

I fail to see how a town of Newmarket’s size can cope with such an increase in new houses when the infrastructure clearly can’t cope at present. Why is there a need for such a huge number when half the houses on Studlands are empty? I understand that these are still in the ownership of the US airbase but eventually they will be relinquished and the emphasis should be on filling houses that already exist.

I believe that Newmarket is to bid for World Heritage Site status in the near future. The heritage of this town is horseracing and breeding. With traffic already very heavy by the horse crossings on Fordham Road and Bury Road, is it really advisable to potentially increase traffic to such an extent?

I can foresee a day when trainers deem the town’s roads, which are already hazardous for horses and riders, just too dangerous to continue to risk training horses in the town.

Do we really wish to see the historic headquarters of horseracing end up like Epsom, with a few horses dotted around and most of the town’s heritage consigned to the history books? I don’t and I hope Forest Heath District Council will take note of the strength of feeling already shown in the town this year when it comes to developments that threaten to ruin all that is so very special about Newmarket.

Ours is a unique town and it’s about time its residents were properly represented by councillors who show some interest in preserving 400 years of history.

Emma Berry

Save Historic Newmarket Action Group

Beverley House Stables

Exeter Road

Newmarket