News

Plans for homes near Norwich scaled back

Families in Hethersett debate the merits of new housing.

Plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the outskirts of Norwich have been dramatically scaled back, after families made clear they did not want their village swamped by housing.

Developers are now looking to build 1,100 homes in Hethersett instead, but campaigners who say that is still too much are still hoping fewer homes will end up being constructed.

A group of landowners who want to build in Hethersett last year made a submission to South Norfolk Council signalling how they hoped thousands of new homes could be constructed in the village.

That quantity of homes flew in the face of a blueprint which had accepted 1,000 homes would need to be built in Hethersett over the next 15 years.

That sparked anger from many families, who organised their own protests and meetings in response to a series of meetings organised by the companies representing the landowners.

But those companies - Ptarmigan Land and architects John Thompson and Partners - yesterday announced they were scaling back the number of homes it is looking to build from up to 4,000 to 1,100.

They say the reduction in the proposed scale of development has come because of feedback from families who attended a community planning weekend in March.

A new 'scoping request' has been lodged with South Norfolk Council for the reduced number of homes. The aim of scoping requests are to 'test the water' and to establish what information needs to be in any Environmental Statement should a planning application be submitted at a later date.

The developers have previously outlined how section 106 contributions from the new homes could pay for improvements to the village, such as creating new playing fields for the school, so Hethersett High School could expand on the current fields and in granting land to the local football club.

A spokesman for the developers said they had listened to the views of families.

But campaigners are still hoping to prevent even a thousand homes from being built in the village.

David Bills, one of two representatives for Hethersett on South Norfolk Council, said: “They have realised there is no way they are going to get 4,000 homes there.

“The government has told local authorities that they are going to get more control over planning applications, but we have yet to see the nitty gritty of how that will work.

“So I think this is the developers making sure this is kept on the boil, especially given the ongoing situation with the joint core strategy.”

That strategy, which is a blueprint for where homes will be built over the next 10 to 15 years, was drawn up after the government said 36,000 homes need to be built in and around Norwich by 2026 - with Hethersett earmarked for 1,000.

But the blueprint will come under the spotlight at a special meeting tonight, after the inspector looking at it ahead of its adoption, raised concerns about the document - which will see more public consultation about where homes should be built.

South Norfolk Council is hoping that, as part of changes to the blueprint, a growth triangle around Old Catton, Sprowston, Rackheath and Thorpe St Andrew will be identified as the places where homes should be built first.

That would put South Norfolk Council in a stronger position when it comes to resisting speculative planning applications elsewhere in the Greater Norwich area.

Mr Bills said: “Just over a thousand is better than 4,000 but our concern is that we wouldn't want them all built in one place at the same time.

“If we have to have homes, we'd rather see them built over a longer time scale and to decide what's a realistic number of homes per hectare.”

Phil Emery, who helped organise a Hands off Hethersett campaign to oppose the new homes, said: “This is good news, but villagers still don't want that number of homes and everything is still a bit up in the air with the joint core strategy.

“I think South Norfolk will ultimately aim for about 500 homes over a longer time scale, and whether these developers will decide that isn't worth it to them, I don't know.

“I reckon the village would rather see about 250 squeezed in among the existing homes.”

Are you fighting plans for new homes where you live? Call Evening News reporter Dan Grimmer on 01603 772375 or email dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk