Parish councils vow to stop Norfolk 'railway town'

Campaigners against the potential 5,000-home settlement in Mid Norfolk hope the strength of opposition will halt the bid before it progresses any further.

The use of farming land, between the villages of North Elmham, Billingford and Bintree, north of Dereham, for a so-called 'railway town' was speculatively put forward by Bristol-based planning consultant Black Box Planning as part of Breckland Council's process to develop a new local plan.

Up to 5,000 new homes could be built on land near Bintree (Image: Denise Bradley)

That local plan will serve as a blueprint for where development could happen over the next 20 years, to accommodate the area's growing population and ease the housing crisis - and the council will decide which sites to accept and which to reject.

Farmland near North Elmham could make way for homes (Image: Denise Bradley)

The Campaign Against New Town group has co-ordinated a response to Breckland Council it hopes will convince the authority not to include the railway town - which is so-named because it would lie close to the Mid-Norfolk Railway.

The group has delivered documents showing how 35 local parish councils are against the idea, along with 1,475 signed submissions.

Campaigners want to block plans for new homes at a railway village near North Elmham (Image: Denise Bradley)

The villages cover a huge area in the centre of the county, with a radius of around 20 miles.

Members of the CANT campaign group, protesting against the previous 2018 proposals for a new settlement (Image: Jessica Frank-Keyes)

The objections are on top of hundreds already lodged, responding to the question about whether there should be a new settlement in Breckland with a resounding no.

Acres of farmland near North Elmham could have a 'railway village' built on it (Image: Denise Bradley)

John Hoskins, from the campaign group, said: "They cannot have had a clearer statement of the feelings of the local community.

"Should they choose to allocate this as a possible site, against the weight of democratic opinion, let alone logic and evidence, then they will experience an even greater barrage of opposition."

Mid Norfolk George Freeman (Image: Richard Townshend Photography)

Conservative Mid Norfolk MP Mr Freeman has written to Breckland Council leader Sam Chapman-Allen urging the authority not to zone the area for "a massive commuter housing development" and to reject any future planning application.

Sam Chapman-Allen (Image: Breckland District Council)

A similar proposal, for 10,000 homes on the same stretch of land, was made in 2018, but was dismissed by the council, after opposition.

TRAIN TOWN

The proposed new settlement has been described as a 'railway town' or 'railway village' by developers because it lies close to the route of the Mid-Norfolk Railway.

The Mid Norfolk Railway (Image: Archant)

The line is now a 17.5 mile heritage route, but runs on a former branch line which once stretched from Wymondham to Wells.

The Mid-Norfolk line now operates between Wymondham Abbey and Dereham, stopping before the former stations at North Elmham and County School, which lie closer to the proposed new town.

The branch line was built in the mid-19th century, at the height of the so-called 'Railway Mania'.

Passenger services along the line lasted until 1969; the railway continued to be used for freight until 1989. 

The County School Station (Image: Mid Norfolk Railway)

VILLAGES VERSUS THE RAILWAY TOWN

North Elmham Parish Council (PC)

Bintree PC

Billingford PC

Bawdeswell PC

Foxley PC

Brisley PC

Scarning PC

Hockering PC

Weston Longville PC

Whissonsett PC

Gateley PM

Gressenhall PC

Beetley PC

Foulsham PC

Lyng PC

Sparham PC

Hindolveston PC

Fulmodeston PC

Reepham TC

Horningtoft PC

Booton PM

Guist PC

Brandiston PM

Haveringland PM

Ryburgh PC

Bylaugh PM

Stibbard PC

Little Dunham PC

Hoe and Worthing PM

Wood Norton PC

Langham PC

Litcham PC

Elsing PC

Tittleshall PC

Great Witchingham and Lenwade PC