The proposals for the 279-acre site adjacent to the Adastral Business Park on the outskirts of Ipswich will see the creation of 2,000 new homes and is the practice’s largest UK planning consent to date.

The successful outline planning application comes more than a decade after the site was first earmarked for potential development and Broadway Malyan director Jeff Nottage said the practice had worked hard with other stakeholders to bring forward a scheme that met the needs of the client while respecting the sensitive nature of the site.

The main elements of the new development will be 2,000 new homes, 500 of which will be affordable including homes for rent and shared ownership. There will also be a new all-through school across a 13-acre site with 20 acres of sports grounds with a new sports pavilion.

At the heart of the development will be a new public square overlooking a lake with a series of small shops, cafes, a community centre and a purpose built medical centre. The settlement will include a 1.5-acre employment area and more than 50 acres of outdoor space and play areas.

The masterplan was prepared on behalf of Carlyle Land and CEG, who have also been working with BT to deliver improvements to the northern quadrant, a site to the north of the development, which could have a new higher education facility with a view to attracting tech giants such as Apple and Facebook.

John Kenny, development director at CEG, said: “The decision to approve this application will enable a sustainable development which will deliver extensive new and improved infrastructure including education and health provision and a £15m investment into transport improvements alongside new homes. We have taken a very sensitive approach with high quality design which respects the setting with extensive green and open spaces.” The new homes are expected to be delivered by 2028.