New homes plan for air base staff

Almost 600 new homes are set to be built in West Suffolk to house American military personnel and their families.

Staff at RAF Mildenhall and Lakenheath said they need the new homes to be constructed by 2008 - to cater for growing demand.

All of the houses will be built off-base in local communities.

The leader of Forest Heath District Council, Geoffrey Jaggard, said he is not concerned by the scale of the development plans.

"I don't think it is necessarily a worrying thing for the local community," he said.

"We are very used to having the Americans here and the community relations between local people and Americans has been good.

"I hope the development will be spread around the area."