Row over plan to build flats on Norwich car park

Plans to build new homes on the site of a Norwich car park have sparked anger from families and businesses nearby.

Orwell Housing Association has lodged plans with Norwich City Council to develop on the 42-space pay and display car park on the corner of Orchard Street and Exeter Street, off Dereham Road.

The housing association wants to redevelop the site to provide a dozen flats, made up of 10 two-bed flats and two three-bed flats.

The developer is planning to put in a new lay-by on the north side of Exeter Street to provide short stay on-street parking for the nearby shops along Dereham Road and in Distillery Square.

But the city council has received more than 20 objections to the scheme, ahead of the plans coming up for discussion at a meeting of the planning committee this week.

Some objections come from people who work at the Salvation Army's William Booth day centre in St Giles, who say it is cheaper to park there than in the city centre.

Civic watchdog the Norwich Society has criticised the plan saying it provides much needed car parking in 'tight inner-city areas'.

But officers are recommending that the planning committee approves the scheme when it meets on Thursday (March 3).

They say the new layby should 'more than adequately cope' with the daily demand from short stay users of the existing car park, which would prevent an impact on nearby businesses.

A similar row has broken out over the proposed redevelopment of a Norwich permit zone car park on the opposite side of Dereham Road - on the corner of Wymer Street and Douro Place. Click on the related link in the top right to find out more.