And shall these green and pleasant lands?

Whilst Cllr Caroline Byles is of the view that we should be grateful that the proposals for the site between the railway and the A14 on the Stowmarket side of Mill Lane and Clamp Farm are not as bad as the original version, here in Creeting St Peter, we're not so certain.

As a result, this evening's Parish Meeting, held to allow villagers to find out more about the plans that Mid Suffolk District Council has put together, was well attended. Stephen Andrews and his colleague David McHardy placed the proposals within a much wider context and, whilst there is much distrust and suspicion, their enthusiasm in seeking an outcome that would be as unintrusive as possible whilst bringing maximum benefits to the area was, to say the least, disarming.

Yes, there will be some big distribution 'boxes', but there will be an area of protected wetland available for public access, as well as an all-weather football pitch, improved cycle routes and footpaths and even a regular bus service for the village - every half hour was mooted as a potential frequency. Stephen was keen to emphasise the environmental protection, with 40m wide bands of tree planting to soften the outline, reduce noise and protect the views that we now enjoy.

In truth, there is still much unhappiness over the threat to the relative piece and quiet that we currently enjoy. Concerns over the quality of the architecture, the additional traffic (some of it wholly inappropriate for the local road network) and of light pollution were all addressed with a welcome degree of frankness.

However, if this is the quality of the consultation we can expect, at least we are likely to get a fair hearing. Perhaps we need to start thinking about a Parish Plan?... And perhaps, just perhaps, Cllr Byles might like to turn up next time?

Want a business park to swallow up part of Creeting St Peter?

It seems that, like Ipswich Town's struggles in front of goal this season, the proposal for a multi modal site is always with us. Having, as we thought, seen off the first bid, with its railway siding and lorry park, the proponents of the scheme are back with a variation.

The new proposal would swallow up all of the farmland between the A1120 link road and Clamps Farm between the railway and the A14, leaving the homes at Clamp Farm surrounded on three sides. Yes, there would be playing fields and a new park to preserve and allow access to the water meadows but, as a fellow Parish Councillor said, we're a countryside village, where parks and playing fields have limited value.

However, residents of Creeting St Peter will have a chance to find out more on Wednesday evening, when a meeting will take place, attended by Stephen Andrews from Mid Suffolk District Council, where the proposals will be available to view and discuss.

Remember, it's your village, and sometimes you have to fight to preserve it...

Just in case you didn't read the note on your wheelie bin...

Yes, just when you thought that you'd got used to putting your green and black bins out on alternate weeks, Mid Suffolk have announced that they are switching weeks. So, if you live in Creeting St Peter, they emptied your black bin this morning. Next week, they'll do it again. The week after, they'll come for your recycling bin, which means that it won't be emptied for three weeks.

Now for some residents, that might be problematic, but Mid Suffolk District Council suggest that, if you have too much to fit in your recycling bin, you can place the excess in a clear sack and leave it next to the recycling bin.