Residents and businesses in the north of Norwich city centre have joined forces in a bid to create an urban neighbourhood plan.

The group, called the Cathedral, Magdalen and St Augustine's Neighbourhood Forum, wants to give people more of a say on future development in the area.

It comes as a planning application for more than 1,200 new homes in Anglia Square was lodged with Norwich City Council this month.

Gail Mayhew, chairman of the Cathedral, Magdalen and St Augustine's neighbourhood plan steering group, said: 'We have so many development sites that could completely change the character of the area in the next few years.

'And we have to be clear about what we are trying to achieve for the area in order to get it [from developers].

'The fact that the Northern City Centre Area Action Plan is now at the end of its life, it leaves a vacuum in planning terms and we want to fill that.'

The steering group officially launched the forum at Epic Studios on Magdalen Street on Wednesday afternoon.

There are currently around 12 people on the steering group, but the forum has a wider membership of 60 people.

Mrs Mayhew said she hoped to increase that number in order to gather as many local views as possible.

Once complete, the neighbourhood plan will cover an area spreading across Norwich Cathedral, Tombland and Magdalen Street.

Mrs Mayhew said there are around 4,750 people living within that part of the city at present.

'We want to make sure there is enough social infrastructure to support an increased population,' she added.

'The other issue is transport and movement. There is a real issue about the number of vehicles you can put down these routes.'

Trevor Nuthall, who was at the Forum's launch event, said: 'My main interest is to try to see that Anglia Square somehow gets its historic links back so you can see the church yard sites that are there.

'It looks like it [the Anglia Square redevelopment] is going to be swamped by gigantic buildings.'

To get involved in the neighbourhood forum, visit info@cathedralandmagdalen.co.uk.

Alternatively, write to The Tombland Bookshop, 8 Tombland, Norwich, NR3 1HF.