Families living in the huge new developments being built around Norwich should have access to car share services, a councillor has said.

Fran Whymark (Cons), who represents Rackheath on Broadland District Council, is calling for a car club to be set up for a proposed 3,850-home estate off Green Lane West in the village if the Taylor Wimpey plans are approved.

He said the concept of a car club should be considered for other developments which are under construction or potentially in the pipeline for Norwich.

This could include suburbs such as Sprowston and Old Catton.

Mr Whymark said: "Because of Covid we have changed the way we work. More people are working from home.

"Before people needed more than one car whereas now most families don't need that. If you had a car club you could rent one.

"I look around the village and there are sometimes four cars on a driveway. There is an opportunity to do things differently.

"It is a win-win for the environment and for people financially because everyone is having to tighten their belts. Car clubs fit with our changing behaviour.

"Any developer should be looking at this idea.

"Historically owning a car was a status symbol but if you don't need one why should you have one, particularly when they cost so much money to run. I think we are going to be using cars less."

Asher Minns, executive director of the Tyndall Change for Climate Change Research, which has a base at the University of East Anglia, said car clubs and vehicle rental services including the Beryl bike scheme in Norwich were becoming increasing popular.

He said: "You can now buy a mobility service when you need it rather than having a hunk of metal sitting outside your house for 80pc of the time. Having car clubs on developments is a great idea.

"A main part of a development is thinking about the transport. Cars cause serious pollution and damage to people's health, in particular young people. Car ownership is going to change."

There has been a car club in Norwich since 2010 which has been taken over by Enterprise Car Club and the county council.