The former Start-rite shoe factory site in Norwich could finally be redeveloped more than a decade after it closed.

Eastern Daily Press: Back in 2010 Peter Colby Commercials lodged plans with Norwich City Council to build a 60-bed care home and food retail store on the factory site. Photo: GoogleBack in 2010 Peter Colby Commercials lodged plans with Norwich City Council to build a 60-bed care home and food retail store on the factory site. Photo: Google (Image: Archant)

Boudica Developments is proposing to build a 78-bed care home and 40 assisted-living units on the site at Mousehold Lane.

The land, which is located next door to Rishi restaurant, has been vacant since 2004 when the factory closed.

Details about the proposals are limited, but later this month Lanpro and Boudica Developments will be hosting a public exhibition to reveal more about the scheme.

People living nearby on Moorland Close have welcomed the plans. They say the site, which is now overgrown and fenced-off, had become an 'eyesore'.

Eastern Daily Press: ( L TO R) Mike Ramsey, Ally Knights and Les Barnes retired ex employees inside the old Startrite shoes factory on Crome Road, Norwich- The autcion takes place todayPicture: James BassCopy: Steve DownesFor: EDP NEWSEDP Pics ©2004 Tel: (01603) 772434( L TO R) Mike Ramsey, Ally Knights and Les Barnes retired ex employees inside the old Startrite shoes factory on Crome Road, Norwich- The autcion takes place todayPicture: James BassCopy: Steve DownesFor: EDP NEWSEDP Pics ©2004 Tel: (01603) 772434 (Image: Eastern Daily Press © 2004)

David Woodrow, 82, of Moorland Close, said: 'We have been putting up with that eyesore for years, and in my opinion it is the ugliest site on the ring road.

'If it is a care home, it would brilliant. I certainly have no objections.'

Margaret Gaul, 68, who lives on the same street, added: 'They [another developer] said before they were going to do that, but the plans fell through.

'The site is an eyesore, but at least they left it so no one can access it.'

Eastern Daily Press: David White, former chairman of Startrite Shoes in Norwich. David White, former chairman of Startrite Shoes in Norwich. (Image: EDP © 2002)

Back in 2010 Peter Colby Commercials lodged plans with Norwich City Council to build a 60-bed care home and food retail store on the factory site.

But planning documents show the application was withdrawn a year later.

Jean Mason, 87, who has lived at Moorland Close since 1962, said: 'I will be glad to see it done, because it has been like that for about 15 years now.

'When we heard it was going to be an old people's home, my daughter said: 'That's good mum, I can just throw you over the hedge.'

The city council said the land is a brownfield site which has shown evidence of 'some' contamination from previous industrial uses.

Lanpro said a public exhibition will be held in the St Quintin Room at the Sprowston Diamond Centre on Monday, November 12, between 3pm and 7pm.

Beccy Rejzek, associate director of Lanpro, said a planning application could be submitted to the city council later this month.

People who cannot attend the exhibition can request an electronic version of the plans by emailing reply@lanproservices.co.uk