A civic watchdog still has concerns about the proposed revamp of Anglia Square - but hopes the developer will address them before plans are lodged.

The Norwich Society was one of the organisations which objected to previous plans for the shopping centre's redevelopment.

After previous proposals for a £271m regeneration were rejected by secretary of state Robert Jenrick, developers Weston Homes and site owners Columbia Threadneedle went back to the drawing board.

The Norwich Society had welcomed how a mooted 20-storey tower block - a major bone of contention in the previous scheme - had been ditched.

The developers presented the latest proposals at the end of last month, with the tallest building at eight storeys.

But the Norwich Society still has concerns over the number of homes proposed.

The developers want 1,100 homes, but the Norwich Society would rather see around 800 - the number the area is earmarked for in Norwich City Council's own local plan.

Michael Jordan, chair of The Norwich Society’s strategic planning and transport committee and its Anglia Square working group, said: "We remain committed to working constructively in this process in the search for a solution that could both enhance the city and be brought to fruition.

"Our principal concern remains the volume of residential development which Weston Homes appears intent on achieving within the site, ostensibly for reasons of viability.

"Weston Homes are currently contending that something in the order of 1,100 homes will be necessary for the scheme to be viable but have so far provided absolutely no evidence to
substantiate this.

"The society firmly believes that the economics of this project needs to be exposed to fuller public scrutiny now, given the harms that would arise from excessive bulk."

The society remains concerned that the architect's modelling work shows blocks which are "not reflective of the current scale and character of buildings within this conservation area".

The organisation says an "excessive" number of homes would also impact on the quality of the "residential environment" which would be created.

Weston Homes is still working on the plans ahead of submission to the city council around Easter.