A property guru is rejigging previously refused retirement apartment plans to prevent an "eyesore" plot being left to gather dust.
Housing 21, which specialises in building retirement and extra care living complexes, bid to Norwich City Council to build a block of 45 affordable apartments for people over 55 off Mousehold Lane, near Sprowston and Mousehold Heath.
The brownfield site was once used by shoe company Start-Rite and is behind a 79-bed care home which is being built and will be run by Avery Healthcare.
Councillors rejected the plans in May this year because the complex over 0.3 hectares would "appear over-dominant within and outside the boundaries of the site" and unsafe car parking arrangements.
Geoff Reynolds, property development manager for Housing 21, said: "We will redesign it to get the housing consent. We have scaled it back."
A city council spokeswoman confirmed the authority had been discussing requirements for the development and a new plan was due to be submitted.
Mr Reynolds added: "I feel frustrated but we are making as much progress as we can.
"The site has been redundant and an eyesore for a number of years and people are keen to get it developed. The dangers are that once the care home is developed the site behind will become out of sight, out of mind.
"We are keen to reach a successful conclusion and develop a site which has been vacant and neglected.
"The dwellings will all be for affordable rent and provide modern, spacious, energy efficient housing for older people in Norwich while also potentially freeing up larger family accommodation."
Paul Kendrick, Labour city councillor for Catton Grove ward, said: "I'm sure some compromise can be made. There is no doubt about it being developed because it is earmarked for housing land."
The council spokeswoman added: "The council understands the importance of brownfield sites for the sustainable delivery of homes within the city and in 2019 it granted consent for a care home and supported living apartments in Mousehold Lane.
"The planning application submitted in 2021 by Housing 21 did not propose supported living apartments but rather normal dwellings which therefore did not meet the identified need for housing for older people."
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