At the Parish Council meeting last night, an update report was tabled by our Breckland District Councillors Phil Cowen and Sarah Suggitt which outlines a new twist in the future of the Coughtrey site. To avoid any confusion, we’ve pasted a scanned extract of their advice below.

So, effectively Breckland is saying the Appeal continues to revert to the Planning Inspectorate (although the case is still with the High Court as of yesterday and hasn’t been received by the Planning Inspectorate for a second appeal listing yet) and so is out of their control.

Breckland has been clear in our meetings that they wouldn’t defend the Inspector’s decision to dismiss the appeal if it went to a court hearing, nor is there any mention of them taking any enforcement action against the pungent morning paint odours or the ongoing noise nuisance, despite notices on both counts being served months ago.

​But the final message – that Eastern Attachments is in discussions to relocate elsewhere – is welcome. If it does mean the current unauthorised and disruptive operations leave the village for a more suitable site elsewhere, that’s a win for everyone. The village loses the nuisance and Eastern Attachments gets to operate from a site that better suits them.

​We stress that this is a single piece of advice in our District Councillor’s monthly report and could mean a multitude of things, but on the face of it, it could negate the need for a second appeal. We just don’t know what it It does mean for the future, as any new tenant/operator could raise issues and concerns of their own.

The immediate news sounds positive, but until we know timescales, operational details and the likelihood of the second appeal being heard, it’s just optimism. ‘The fullness of time’ could be decades!