Public to get say over 4,000 homes plan for former Colman's site

People are to get their first chance to help shape plans which could see 4,000 new homes built on the edge of Norwich.

Work is continuing on a masterplan for the East Norwich area - a blueprint to guide development on major city sites, including the Carrow Works factory, once home to Colman's and Britvic.

Council bosses say the redevelopment of that area, which also includes the Deal Ground/May Gurney site at Trowse, the Utilities site between Thorpe Hamlet and Whitlingham and Carrow House, could see 4,000 homes built.

The Carrow Works site. Pic: Fuel Properties. (Image: Fuel Properties)

A public-private East Norwich Partnership has been formed to get the area regenerated.

Consultants Avison Young were appointed by Norwich City Council's cabinet to produce the £500,000 masterplan for the area - and members of the public have their first chance to get involved this week.

A public drop-in event for the East Norwich masterplan is taking place at Carrow Abbey, in the grounds of Carrow Works in Bracondale, on Friday (July 23) and Saturday (July 24).

The work is being paid for from a mixture of Town Deal cash from the government, as well as public and private funding from members of the partnership.

Mike Stonard, chairman of the East Norwich Partnership, said: "East Norwich presents the city with a regeneration opportunity that could be transformational.

"Developing a masterplan to inform our decision-making going forward is crucial to its success.

“We’re very much still in the listening and learning stage – this drop-in event forms part of this process, as well as being a fantastic opportunity to informally meet the team involved and ask any questions. I’d urge people to come along if they can.”

A deal has been struck which could see thousands of homes built at the former Colman's Carrow Works site in Norwich. (Image: Fuel Properties)

The drop-in events run from 2.30pm until 6.30pm on Friday, July 23 and from 10am until 1pm on Saturday, July 24.

There will also be an on-line survey launched to coincide with the drop-in for those not able to attend.

The former Colman's and Britvic site has been bought by London-based Fuel Properties, which intends to pump £40m into redeveloping it.

And businessman Andre Serruys, who heads SPC Holdings, which owns the Deal Ground, has plans for at least 1,600 new homes centred around a marina.

A series of meetings with various landowners and stakeholders, including Network Rail, Norfolk County Council, National Grid, Greater Anglia and Historic England, have been held over the past few months.

Following the initial consultation, a concept masterplan will be produced as a result of what people say, which will be subject to another round of consultation.

The third stage, in 2022, would be to draw up a detailed business case to unlock the money to enable the schemes to go ahead.