Stafford Park (the application site) lies three-quarters of a mile west of Long Melford on the Essex and Suffolk border. The site area covers some 31.5 hectares (77.84 acres) and is located within the Stour River Valley.

Access to the premises is via the B1064 which connects to the A1092 and the A134. The A1092 connects to the west to the A1017 providing access to Haverhill and the A1307, A11 and M11. The A134 connects to the north to Bury St Edmunds and A14, which is approximately 16 miles distance and connects to the East Coast and the Midlands. To the south of the site the A134 connects via Sudbury to Colchester and the A12 and there is also access to the east via the A1071 to Ipswich, the A14 and Felixstowe. The A134 also links to the south to the A131 to Braintree and the A120 providing access to Stansted and the M11.

The site operated as a Flax Mill from the 1800's. Most of the large buildings on the site were constructed post 1952, when the North Lightbuilding was erected and continued in use into the 1990’s. These buildings were purpose built for the various manufacturing processes and included Mills, Onion Plant, Power Blending, Emulsions and Still Room to name a few. The factory employed in excess of 200 people during its peak production period during the 1970’s, and represented the largest production facility in Long Melford.

In 2002 the plant was taken over by International Flavours and Fragrances Ltd (IFF) and in 2004, the site operation was closed down. Process activities included chlorophyll extraction, solvent extraction, onion processing, spice/essential oil distillation, solvent extraction and liquid/powder compounding.IFF subsequently ceased the manufacturing and production processes in 2004 and the site wasthen sold to Redding Park Development Company Limited, the current owner who has let out anumber of the existing buildings for various employment, industrial and storage uses (B1, B2 and B8).

The northern portion of the site, to the north of the River Stour was used as an effluent treatment and composting area when the site was operational. This was undertaken under the supervision of the regulatory bodies appropriate at that time.

The proposed development is for a new residential neighbourhood, three-quarters of a milewest of Long Melford. The proposed development comprises up to 100 homes, retirement flats, employment starter units and a community building on the footprint of the former factory site and the remediation of the land and river area which will offer significant environmental improvements.

The retirement flats and the community centre are proposed to be located within refurbished existing industrial buildings. The employment starter units are proposed to be located in the converted stables and barn buildings at the southern end of the site. The remaining industrial buildings on site will be demolished and the site cleared. The proposed housing, workshops and retirement flats are located within Braintree District Council and the community centre is located in Babergh District Council.