A major plan to build 3,500 homes and create 6,000 jobs is set to progress onto the next stage.

On Wednesday, Norwich City Council's cabinet agreed to progress onto stage two of the Norwich East Masterplan - a blueprint to guide development on major city sites.

The first stage of the masterplan covered the broad preferred options, necessary infrastructure and any abnormal costs that could impact viability.

Stage two will include an infrastructure delivery plan and refining the viability assessment - setting out the timings and costs.

Liberal Democrat leader, James Wright, welcomed the report but questioned how the council could ensure that affordable homes, a primary school and health facilities are delivered.

Mike Stonard, cabinet member inclusive and sustainable growth, said those things could not be guaranteed by the city council.

"What we are doing is setting out an aspiration but we don't have the power to implement those things, we're saying they must be part of the process."

Mr Stonard said education and social care facilities would have to be delivered by the county council but said they would not be able to offer guarantees at this stage.

Executive director Graham Nelson added the masterplan would be used to help strengthen the planning committees ability to call for infrastructure as part of planning applications and provide an evidence base to ask for public investment, such as government grants.

Following the recommendations of the sustainable development panel last Tuesday to contact the Environment Agency (EA) to ensure they had the most up to date flood risk assessments, Mr Stonard said the council was still waiting for a response.

Mr Nelson said he expects the EA to be involved in the process going forward.

"The impacts of climate change are constantly being evolved," he said.

"What we can do in terms of planning for the future of the area is to have regards to the latest data.

"You are managing a risk that you will have to live with.

"As with much of the area, there will never be a surety that you can give that there will never be a flood event."

Four key sites are included in the masterplan – Carrow Works, home of the former Colman's and Britvic factories; the Deal Ground and May Gurney sites in Trowse; and the Utilities site between Thorpe Hamlet and Whitlingham.