Southwold and Reydon Society

Protecting the character and amenities of Southwold and Reydon

SAY NO TO COSTA COFFEE!
Costa Coffee are applying for planning permission to open a branch in Southwold.
Please read this letter from SRS and Southwold Chamber of Trade explaining why this would be a serious set back for Southwold.
Also in this document (on page 2) is a guide to the relevant planning regulations

Welcome to the official web site of the Southwold and Reydon Society –an organisation set up by local people to protect the character and amenities of this unique and beautiful part of Suffolk. The Society was founded 47 years ago and membership is open to anyone who lives or owns property in the area.

The Society involves itself in a wide range of issues from planning applications to NHS provision, public transport ,affordable housing and the threat of a major oil spillage damaging the local tourist industry – anything in fact which affects the lives of people living in Southwold and Reydon.

It is currently involved with Southwold Council and others in drawing up a Town Plan which will form a blueprint for the future development of the area. It will be pressing for the plan to include Reydon with whom it shares many services and common interests.

Inevitably planning applications form a large part of the Society's work. Located as we are in an area of outstanding natural beauty and with large parts of Southwold being classed as a conservation area, any proposals for new construction or alterations to existing buildings can arouse strong local feelings .The Society therefore looks at every application made and comments on those it thinks might adversely affect the unique character and the amenities of the area.

To this end it has produced two substantial reports – one on Planning policy and more recently one on Housing – both available in the Planning section of this web site

The most recent report on Housing seeks to lay out the facts and dispel some of the myths about who actually lives in the area and future trends . It shows for instance that the permanent population of both Southwold and Reydon has been falling for some years. The population of Southwold is now less than 1,000. Reydon's population is just over 2,000.

At the same time the number of holiday lets and second homes in Southwold is approaching 50%. In Reydon the figure is currently 12 % of homes. Social housing accounts for 10% of homes in both Southwold and Reydon.

To promote a sense of community, the Society runs an annual Awards for Excellence which recognises the contribution made by individuals and organisations to the quality of life in the area.This year's winners were announced at the AGM in April and the full list can be seen by clicking the Awards for Excellence button at the top of the page.

To be fully effective the Society needs as many people as possible to join and make their views known . We hope very much you will now take some time to have a look round our web site and hopefully get in touch and join up as a member.