Report backs controversial homes and park plan

Plans for a new school, country park and 178 homes are expected to be approved despite opposition from more than 200 people.

Councillors are being advised to approve the development, earmarked for land between Caistor St Edmund and Poringland near Norwich.

A report by planning officials at South Norfolk District Council said it would provide "significant benefits", with a third of the proposed homes being "affordable".

The local Labour councillor, Nicola Fowler, said residents were concerned about the pressure on local infrastructure and increased traffic.

"We do need more homes built. The problem is that we do have a lot of development in the village," she said.

Norfolk County Council's highways department dropped its previous objection over traffic concerns.

Fowler said many in the villages could not understand why the council officials changed their minds.

"It is very difficult to add more traffic to this place without safety measures in place," she said.

Some 222 objections have been lodged over the plans, which were also criticised by the area's parish councils, with Caistor St Edmund's arguing there was "no proven need for the country park".

"It is also not clear how it would be financed and managed and it should not be assumed that the parish council will take this on," its objection warned.

The council also said the 420-place primary school would be "more remote" from the catchment area it would serve, leading to extra traffic.

Meanwhile, NHS Norfolk and Waveney said the increased demands on healthcare from more residents could lead to existing health services becoming "unsustainable" and it wanted the developers to provide £810,000 towards them.

But a report recommended that South Norfolk's planning committee should approve the plan when it meets at 10:00 GMT.

It conceded that the development would have some adverse effects, but that the additional homes would "contribute towards addressing the shortfall in housing supply".

It also said there was a need for a new school – which would create more local jobs – and that the country park would be a "substantial over-provision" of open spaces.

The proposals also include a new football pitch and traffic calming measures on Caistor Lane, which the development would be next to.

Lanpro - representing the Norwich-based developer behind the plans, Glavenhill – said its scheme was recommended for approval after being examined by the council over "a considerable period of time".

Its spokesman added it was "not just about building volume housing" but also developing a "balanced" community with sporting facilities, affordable homes and biodiversity improvements.

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