Developers submit proposals to create a new community with 3,520 houses north of Norwich

Jonathan Smales, left, executive chairman of Beyond Green, and Neil Murphy, director of planning, at Beeston Hall Park which will be a country park in part of their planned 3,520 houses development in North Sprowston and Old Catton (NS&OC). Picture: Denise Bradley

Richard Wheeler Tuesday, October 23, 2012
3:22 PM

Plans to create a new community with more than 3,500 houses north of Norwich have been submitted today.

A map showing Beyond Green's proposals for land north of Sprowston and Old Catton

Developer Beyond Green hopes to secure outline planning permission for the development, which they say will include two new primary schools, a library, health centre, cafes, pubs, shops and businesses.

The land is a 207.4-hectare site to the north of Sprowston and Old Catton, with 82.5 hectares earmarked for green space.

There are 3,520 houses proposed, of which 33pc are designated as affordable housing.

Beyond Green, which is representing five landowners including Norfolk County Council, claims 1,000 jobs will be created in, or because of, the new community.

They expect the project to take between 15 and 20 years to complete.

In this period, it is estimated 200 construction jobs every year will be on offer.

Questions have been raised about access and demand for the new houses. A public exhibition on the plans was held in Sprowston earlier this month.

Broadland District Council will have to validate the planning application before further details of the development emerge and a public consultation can take place.

Jonathan Smales, executive chairman of the Beyond Green Group, said: “We had a great turnout at the exhibitions last week, with over 230 members of the public and over 70 stakeholders attending the events.

“This input will continue to be invaluable should this project proceed; now that the application has been submitted we will renew our efforts to engage and involve, looking for people to input into proposals and for those who want to become actively involved in the delivery of this development.”

More reaction on these plans to follow.

12 comments

Well Marigold, the first thing to do is to look at the detail of the proposals (which have been talked about publicly for the last year or more), rather than have a knee-jerk reaction that "I don't like it, therefore it shouldn't be allowed". And if the existing services are stuffed to bursting, then building extra ones would seem to be a logical step. Plus, I don't know where you're getting 31,000 signatures from, it's just 113 when I looked a few minutes ago, most of them doubtless from people who haven't bothered to inform themselves about what's actually being proposed, rather than glancing at the headlines.

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g hu

Friday, October 26, 2012
Not me G Hu! but always being a devils advocate I see the existing social services being a busting point already and as for transport improvements, we have all seen how that has fulfilled our options with privatisation! it's all down to experience. Care to expand BEYOND your comments.

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Marigold

Thursday, October 25, 2012
The petition states that the schools and doctors surgeries are already "full to bursting". I wonder if that might be why the application is not just for 3500 houses, but also for two schools, a health centre, library, shops, workplaces, community facilities,public parks, allotments, transport improvements, etc etc. , with the development arranged so that many of these will be provided in the first phase of construction, which is planned to take 25 years to complete? Worth getting your facts right if you're going to solicit signatures to a petition.

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g hu

Thursday, October 25, 2012
Let me guess, the people opposing this all live in some of the roughly 7,000 new houses built on what were green fields in Sprowston and Old Catton since the War? Not ironic at all, then.

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g hu

Thursday, October 25, 2012
homes for young people are desperately needed, many cannot buy a home, soon they may not even be able to afford to rent one. No doubt those people who don t want the new homes are comfortably housed themselves, on what were green fields at some point in the past. How selfish to deny younger generations what they have.

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itsme73

Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Over 31,000 signatures more to come please.

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Marigold

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Google Sprowston petition and please sign.

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John L Norton

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Well done on the map that no one can read Archant. More poor quality housing, more wealth for land owners and developers.

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Rob_H

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
I love the title "Beyond Green" no doubt this will be the case until the beyond green is then built on !

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Albert Cooper

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
billydabookie, i do believe your figure to be a tad small..where'd you get this number from??

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nrg

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
There is no demand for these extra houses as there are lots of new-build houses in the Norwich area that have remained unsold for several years.

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I LoveNorfolk

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
They are at it again and won,t let go until they get permission to build more Rabbit Hutches on Green Farming Land

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Albert Cooper

Tuesday, October 23, 2012