Once a sleepy village on the outskirts of the city, Rackheath is one of Norwich's outer-lying communities to be showing rapid signs of growth.
But even as it starts growing dramatically in size, with around 4,000 homes and a new school earmarked, the village remains relatively quiet despite being just five miles from Norwich city centre and having a hum of noise from construction sites.
Fran Whymark, Broadland district councillor and parish councillor, who has lived in the village for the best part of two decades, said: "Rackheath is growing, we knew it was going to happen.
"But getting involved politically is how I have tried to shape some of it.
"For me, it's very much about keeping the culture and community that we've got - which is very friendly.
"In fact, it's the friendliest place I've ever lived.
"I've seen a lot of change in the last 20 years.
"Rackheath will soon be a town, but you can still keep that village feel - and that's what we're aiming for."
At the heart of most communities is its watering hole - with Cllr Whymark citing the closure of the Sole and Heel pub at the heart of Rackheath's redevelopment a shame.
The Green Man's closure in July rendered the Sole and Heel the village's last-standing pub before it closed a month later.
"The Sole and Heel was a great meeting place and a community hub where all were comfortable and safe," he added.
"Pubs are important and it would be great to see new life breathed into it soon.
"The passing of the landlady Nicki has really left a void in the village.
"It's there for new members of the community to meet, it'd be a shame if we lost it forever.
"It's such a major part of the village. Plenty of people would like to go back to the pub and get it back to how it was.
"It's about people wanting to shape the pub - and Rackheath - for the future."
Chris Tomlinson owns Rackheath Vets, which will open in Wendover Road on January 30.
The 66-year-old vet, who has taken on 24 new staff to join him at the practice he owns, said he is excited to further embed himself and the business in a thriving and tight-knit community.
"We're going to be a community asset on people's doorsteps," he said.
"And, being just off the NDR, will mean people from nearby villages can get to us.
"New businesses popping up and people taking places over - like the new landlords of the Salhouse Lodge - is a sign of the area growing.
"Rackheath is a very vibrant part of Norwich that we're looking forward to feeding into.
"We want to see the whole area flourish - to be good neighbours and be part of building a community people want to live in."
Conservative Broadland councillor Martin Murrell said that Rackheath, which neighbours his home village of Salhouse, frequented the Sole and Heel and said it was a shame it had closed, especially with the plethora of houses popping up around it.
"The Sole and Heel, much like the Salhouse Bell - which is being refurbished - was at the centre of the community," he said.
"The Salhouse Bell will, hopefully, pave the way for someone to follow in their footsteps at the Sole and Heel.
"It's ideally situated and central to a lot of the village, especially once the houses build up more around it.
"It's great to see more ventures, like the new vets, taking off in and around Rackheath.
"Lots of services are stretched in lots of different places, but any additions that alleviate and keep it local are a good thing.
"Plans to expand Rackheath have existed in the Norwich Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) for some time and it's important to bring people - especially youngsters - in who have a genuine need for homes and to shift that stagnation."
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