Council withdraws support for MSLR extension
Trustees at Suffolk’s only standard gauge steam railway have been left “bewildered” after parish councillors backtracked on a decision to support its latest planning application. The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR) operates around 400 yards of demonstration line at its Brockford station base in Wetheringsett, but wants to extend eastwards on the original ‘Middy’ trackbed. Documents submitted to Mid Suffolk District Council show a halt at the end of its line, which would be just over double its current length, with one small building and a grounded van body on the platform, no run-round facilities, and a sand drag to protect properties beyond the railhead. But despite previously voicing its approval of the plans, subjected to “substantial changes” following talks with the railway, Wetheringsett-cumBrockford Parish Council announced it would not support the scheme. An email to MSDC on September 13 said it held an “Extraordinary Parish Council meeting to consider this application, in light of the additional information, and recommends refusal”. It cited loss of amenity at a nearby property, the distance from the rebuilt line to this home and the size of the proposed halt among its concerns. However, an MSLR statement said the parish council had already been given “comprehensive answers” to its queries, including those mentioned in its email, and had voted to support the plans two months previously. “Our award-winning museum is surprised, bewildered and very disappointed by this sudden change of decision,” the statement read. “Their unanimous vote to support the current scheme in the meeting of July 11, 2016 clearly recognised their previous concerns had been addressed satisfactorily.” The railway added that the council’s change of heart late in the day did not recognise the strong local support for the MSLR, which runs bar nights for locals because Wetheringsett village does not have its own pub. A decision on the application by MSDC is expected in the autumn.