Waldingfield to Become Ora Headquarters

IPSWICH — Unless its neighbors file another lawsuit to stop it, the Waldingfield estate, which traces its history to 1638, may soon be undergoing major renovations to become a corporate campus.
The Massachusetts Land Court has turned down an appeal by the Friends of Waldingfield seeking to overturn the town’s Planning Board ruling that approved the proposed renovations.
Ora, Inc., a global medical research company that develops products to combat blindness, may now apply for a building permit to convert the 40-acre estate and its stately mansion on the Hamilton town line into the corporate headquarters.
According to a letter from “The People of Ora,” the corporation plans to renovate and restore the existing home, barn and a caretaker’s cottage “with minimal change to the design and a focus on improving building sustainability and energy efficiency.” Ora would also add a guest house for visitors.
The land in the town’s Rural Residence A zoning district, allows single-family houses and agriculture. After 20 public hearings on the Ora’s proposal, the planning board voted 4-1 last September to approve the project.
Friends of Ora, which oppose the project, filed an appeal in Land Court in October, claiming the project would create traffic, safety and density issues and reduce neighbors’ property values.
Land Court Judge Howard Speicher dismissed the appeal, saying the Friends did not have standing to challenge the Planning Board’s decision.
“Where the court determines the plaintiffs lack standing, the court must dismiss the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction without considering the merits of the claim,” the judge wrote.
State law says only a “person aggrieved” has standing to challenge local decisions.