Why it matters: Port One Logistics disputes residents' description of the scheme as a "disaster", arguing that when development is complete, local people "will not be able to see it, hear it or smell it". The company says the 283-acre expansion will create 3,000 jobs and boost the local economy by £3.4bn per year.
The details: The application (DC/25/05114) seeks outline planning permission from Mid Suffolk District Council for a 114.65-hectare expansion at the former Masons Quarry.
The scheme includes 310,000 square metres of warehousing, depots, container storage and vertical farms, an eight-megawatt solar farm, and a 12.5-hectare nature reserve.
Port One is one of three inland customs sites within Freeport East, linking Felixstowe port to the A14 corridor. It already operates a 150-acre site at Great Blakenham, which opened in 2023 and is promoted as East Anglia's first carbon-neutral logistics park. The site has 80-plus acres of rooftop solar panels powering EV charging, office lighting and forklifts. The company claims 1,200 jobs have been created so far at what it calls Port One South.
The 283-acre expansion would support 3,000 jobs, according to the company. If approved, the combined site would become a 433-acre 'Technology Park', nearly three times its current footprint. That is the size of around 250 Portman Road football pitches.
It is expected to boost the local economy by £3.4bn per year, backed by £57m in financing from Eldridge Real Estate Credit.
What they're saying: Port One claims the expansion will be the UK's largest carbon-neutral logistics park, with building roofs hosting more solar panels than any other logistics site in the country. There is no independent verification system for carbon-neutral status, though the company cites BREEAM benchmarks.
Job projections vary across documents, with the company citing figures from 3,000 to 6,000 depending on how off-site roles are counted.
Environmental credentials include 50 hectares of solar panels generating 60MW, planting 150,000 trees, and an on-site concrete plant using recycled by-products. The company argues this will cut construction emissions by 80 per cent.
Plans include diversification beyond warehousing: a 1.2m sq ft "data village" for AI firms, what Port One describes as the world's largest vertical farm growing strawberries, vanilla and pharmaceutical crops, and an incubator hub for up to 100 start-ups.
Infrastructure promises include multi-million-pound upgrades to Junction 52 of the A14, with signalisation and a dedicated truck lane, plus overnight haulage (20:00-07:00) to reduce daytime congestion.
A Port One spokesperson said: "It's difficult to see how this development can be considered as a disaster by anyone who truly cares about the future of Ipswich and Suffolk."
The other side: Every resident who has commented on the application opposes it. No one has expressed support since the plans were validated on 21 November 2025.
Residents cite traffic congestion, countryside loss and pollution. Many previously fought similar battles over the SnOasis ski resort and Valley Ridge leisure park on the same site. One resident in Claydon said: "Please, please, please NO MORE. Our future generation will never know what it is like to enjoy local wildlife at this rate. I am already shocked and disgusted at the disregard for our countryside and wildlife."
Another in Great Blakenham said: "Port One has been nothing short of a disaster for the village. The notion that the buildings can't be seen from the road is frankly laughable."
One resident noted their young family's asthma had improved after moving away from the area, warning the expansion could reverse those gains.
Residents say commitments from earlier phases, including solar panels, meadows and travel plans, remain undelivered. Asked about these undelivered commitments, Port One said it was "tricky to answer". The company points to a £170,000 village hall in Little Blakenham and one electric minibus as evidence of delivery, with two more minibuses planned.
Port One's traffic modelling claims Junction 52 capacity will improve when development is complete. Suffolk County Council Highways has not yet commented on the traffic assessment.
For context: The quarry has a troubled planning history. It was earmarked for the SnOasis ski resort, which was granted permission in 2008 but never built due to financial problems. The site was later rebranded as the Valley Ridge leisure park, which was abandoned in 2023 after Suffolk County Council extended the neighbouring landfill licence. The quarry has seen three failed or contested schemes in 20 years.
What's next: Residents have until 24 January 2026 to submit comments on the application via Mid Suffolk District Council's planning portal. Port One is holding a day-long public consultation in Great Blakenham in mid-January and will distribute quarterly newsletters to local homes. A decision date has not been announced.
The bottom line: Every resident who has commented opposes the 433-acre logistics park expansion in Great Blakenham. After two decades of failed schemes on the same site, councillors must decide whether Port One can deliver where SnOasis and Valley Ridge could not.
