A landmark 'garden village' development earmarked for a coastal town has taken a significant step forward.

The vision for a new 1,300-home north of Lowestoft garden village will come under scrutiny in the New Year, as a consultation is launched from next week.

With a 'notice of public exhibition' leaflet being delivered to homes in the north Lowestoft area, Suffolk County Council is seeking views on the garden village.

A website is set to go live from Monday, January 4, with the public encouraged to view a "virtual public exhibition regarding the production of a masterplan that will guide future development of land known as the North of Lowestoft Garden Village".

The land is allocated within the East Suffolk local plan, for mixed use development.

In March 2019, the then Waveney Local Plan - which proposes more than 9,000 new homes and 5,000 new jobs - was adopted, with a new development within the Corton parish put forward.

It stated: "The development of this area is a longer term ambition of the Local Plan and development is not expected to start until after 2026."

Now, people can have their say as "a first consultation" runs from Monday for six weeks until February 15, as the county council seeks views before the production of a masterplan for the land.

The site, measuring 175.4 acres (71 hectares) to the east of the A47 (formerly A12), features a residential development of about 1,300 homes, employment land, a new primary school and pre school, green infrastructure and a shopping centre.

A Suffolk County Council (SCC) spokesman said: "We have put forward an initial set of proposals for how we think key aspects of the garden village could look, including the locations for housing, the new school, open spaces, the area for employment land, and how the site is accessed by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.

"It’s important to note that the consultation is about the design principles and proposals for the garden village."

With the proposed garden village potentially becoming the first of its kind in the Lowestoft and Waveney area, the county council spokesman said: "A garden village intends to provide large areas of green space, combined with strong links to the location it is in.

"Whilst also including a layout that looks to the future, allowing as many journeys as possible to be completed on foot or via other green methods such as cycling."

Visit www.northoflowestoft.co.uk